Almost half the cases of vertigo have no known medical cause
Patients often look for alternative treatments. Some patients have found resolution for their vertigo through chiropractic care. Chiropractic care has been shown to reduce the symptoms associated with vertigo.
What is the relationship of the neck to vertigo?
First, what is vertigo?
The origins are often unknown. Therefore, it is best described by its symptoms: recurring dizziness, spinning sensations, and a loss of balance. In other words, the brain becomes confused. It tells the body that the room is spinning even when it’s not. In addition, severe cases may include nausea, vomiting, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and blurred vision.
However, it’s not dizziness alone (which can happen for a variety of reasons). It’s dizziness that occurs repeatedly, often based on changes to the position of the head. Vertigo-like symptoms often come with other health problems, like Meniere’s Disease, Migraines, and inner-ear infection.
What is BPPV and what causes it?
When vertigo happens without a connection to any other symptoms, it is often called Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). This type is often caused by calcium deposits in the inner ear. These deposits are known as canalithiasis and will shift when the head moves. As a result, the body has difficulty maintaining balance.
Head trauma and the neck
What causes vertigo in cases where the doctors can find an origin to the problem?
BPPV is often associated with a minor to severe blow to your head. That means vertigo may actually be the result of a spinal problem, and not just a problem inside the brain.
The first neck bone (C1) has a unique role and shape. It is a coupling mechanism between the head and the neck. Car accidents, blows to the head, or falls, cause the body to lock this joint down. As a result, the lower part of the brain stem and the beginning of the spinal cord is protected. Unfortunately, this temporary trauma disrupts and even chokes the nerve signals from the brain. As a result, the nerves that communicate with the inner ear are disrupted. Inevitably, vertigo-like symptoms will be the result.
Vertigo and the chiropractic adjustment
In conclusion, chiropractic adjustments reduce the amount of pressure on the brain stem. Adjustments allow the nervous system to function more efficiently. The nervous system controls postural tone, spatial orientation, and coordination between movements in the body. When these systems are not working correctly, vertigo can result. Chiropractic care helps the body to naturally reduce symptoms by correcting the cause.
Even if you have no obvious history of head or neck trauma, there is a chance that your vertigo or BPPV symptoms could be related to a misalignment in your neck.
Be proactive – get to the root of your spinal problem before it has a chance to spread. Schedule an appointment for a chiropractic evaluation today!