Vertigo and aging go hand in hand, at least that's what some people believe. As we get older, we come to realize we’re just going to experience things such as gray hair and wrinkles. Is vertigo part of the list of things that just naturally occur with old age? According to a recent study, vestibular function begins to decline dramatically starting at age 40. Is there any solution to it?
The idea of the study was to determine the smallest movements that a person can correctly perceive. This is referred to as one’s vestibular threshold. The study noted that after age 40, a person’s vestibular threshold doubles every 10 years. For example, the amount a person has to move to realize something changed at age 40 is half of the amount of movement the same person would have to make at age 50, and a quarter of the movement required at age 60.
With that in mind, it is easy to understand why so many seniors fall. By the time the vestibular system alerts the person to the body’s movement, prevention of the fall is too late. Hence the feeling like the floor just jumped up at a person. What really happens is the body didn’t register the fall until it was far closer to the ground.
The false sensation of movement or lack of sensation when movement actually occurs is referred to as vertigo. More than half of people will see the doctor for this condition at some point, most after the age of 40.
You may ask, is there anything you can do to stave off the effects of vertigo? After all, people are constantly trying to fight the visual effects of aging. Why not combat the medical effects as well?
Happily, many find that upper cervical chiropractic care significantly reduces vertigo. Having the C1 and C2 in proper alignment can help facilitate blood flow to the head (including the ears). For this and many other reasons, vertigo sufferers, especially those who have a history of head or neck trauma, often respond well to gentle adjustments of the C1 and C2. Find an upper cervical chiropractic near you to see if this may be the best solution to vertigo for you.
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.
