Dizziness is an extremely common ailment and is a symptom of many health conditions. If you suffer from dizziness, whether occasional or chronic, it is important to learn everything you can about the topic. Today, we’re going to take a closer look at 7 facts about dizziness that aren’t necessarily common knowledge. Then we will conclude with a natural form of care that is offering hope to many with conditions that cause dizziness.
When a person is dizzy, he or she may immediately think, “What’s wrong with my brain?” The good news is that dizziness is more often than not related to the ear since this is the primary location that the body uses to distinguish balance and spatial orientation. Of course, it is important to discover if an underlying condition is affecting the ear. Otherwise, treating ear issues is still just attacking symptoms and not the root cause of dizziness.
If you’ve ever gotten dizzy and thought, “I stood up too fast,” you may have equated the problem to blood pressure. However, blood pressure dropping when you stand may once again just be a symptom of an underlying issue. The ear detects changes from a prone position to sitting or standing. So it still could be an issue in the ear that doesn’t warn the body of the need to up blood pressure when you stand up quickly.
When migraines have additional symptoms such as dizziness, disequilibrium, or vertigo it is categorized as a vestibular migraine. Some researchers estimate that up to 40% of migraine sufferers experience vestibular symptoms at some point.
There are all sorts of medications that can cause a person to become dizzy. Sometimes this is because the medication causes a fluctuation in blood pressure. Other medications cause dehydration, including some that are designed to fight vestibular conditions. The intent is to stop fluid retention in the ears, but if you don’t get enough fluids while on such a medication it can have the opposite effect as intended. Sedatives, tranquilizers, antidepressants, hypertension medications, and anti-seizure drugs are all notorious for causing dizziness.
While dizziness is often used as a blanket term for all of these symptoms, your doctor may expect you to use the right word when explaining your condition. As a result, knowing the difference may help you to get a better diagnosis. Here’s a quick reference guide to help you know which symptoms you are actually experiencing:
Of course, sometimes these symptoms may occur simultaneously.
Meniere’s disease is a good example of a vestibular condition. The primary symptom is severe vertigo bouts that can last for hours. However, other symptoms include severe tinnitus (a ringing in the ears), hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness in the affected ear. Since vestibular conditions each have their own unique symptoms, it is the other symptoms that usually make a diagnosis possible.
Did your dizziness or vertigo not start until days, weeks, months, or even years after a head or neck injury? In the time following a car accident or sports injury, vertigo and other symptoms may gradually set in. Why do head and neck injuries frequently lead to these symptoms? The neck actually plays a vital role in protecting the brainstem and facilitating blood flow to the brain. So changes in the vascular or central nervous system could be to blame. However, dizziness most often comes from the inner ear. Can this relate to the neck as well?
Yes, the ears are in close proximity to the atlas (C1 vertebra), which is the top bone in the spine. Located at the base of the skull, it can easily have an effect on one or both of the ears. Especially if the misalignment affects the Eustachian tubes, the ears may no longer drain properly. The excess fluid can lead to vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and other symptoms of vestibular conditions. This helps us to see how one may be able to attain natural relief.
Upper cervical chiropractors focus on the C1 (atlas) vertebra. Gentle and precise adjustment help to correct the underlying issue. This can assist the vascular and central nervous systems. It may also relieve the underlying cause of problems with the inner ear. Once the pressure is no longer inhibiting ear function, the body can begin to heal, and dizziness attacks may become less frequent or severe.
If you are suffering from some form of dizziness, especially if you have a head or neck injury in your past, upper cervical chiropractic care may be the natural form of relief you’ve been searching for. To learn more, contact a practice in your local area to schedule an appointment.
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The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.
