Vertigo is among the most common health problems that frequently affects adults. In the United States, 40 percent of people experience vertigo at least one time during their lifetime. Women are just slightly more susceptible than men. Vertigo often happens due to a problem with the vestibular system, the part of the body that controls your balance. This system includes structures of the inner ear, the vestibular nerve, brainstem, and cerebellum (part of the brain that is responsible for sensory perception, motor control, and coordination). The vestibular system regulates where the body is in its environment, including posture and balance.
For the most part, the cause of vertigo is unknown. However, a number of conditions cause vertigo, dizziness, and imbalance issues. Here is a brief list of the most common ones:
Various neurological conditions can cause vertigo:
Other non-neurological causes also exist:
The correct definition of vertigo is a false sensation of movement of either you yourself or the environment around you. This sensation has been described best as spinning, whirling, or moving vertically or horizontally. Vertigo attacks often happen sporadically, with no warning. In some people, however, they are chronic. The attacks last anywhere from a few seconds to as long as days at a time.
Vertigo comes with a variety of symptoms. Here are just a few that you may experience:
It is vital when talking to your doctor to give an accurate, detailed description of your symptoms so as to get the proper diagnosis. Even if you think something isn’t related or isn’t important, still mention it to your doctor and let him or her decide.
You may be wondering how a diagnosis of vertigo is made. Usually, a number of tests are done to check the function of the vestibular system (inner ear), the somatosensory system (the flex and pressure sensors in your feet), and the vision system. The goal is to determine how well these systems are working or if they adding to your symptoms. There are 3 subtests that may be done:
Traditional care for vertigo has proven to be ineffective because it is often just addressing the symptoms, not the root cause. The Epley maneuver has been successful in temporarily helping people control the spinning of vertigo. You can do it at your own home and it only requires you to lie or sit in a number of different positions. It can realign the inner ear and restore your balance. But how can patients achieve lasting relief?
Many people are finding upper cervical chiropractic care to be just what they are looking for. If the top bones of the neck (the C1 and C2 vertebrae) are out of alignment, they can be putting the brainstem under stress and causing it to malfunction. If the brainstem begins sending signals to the brain that the body is in motion when it is not, vertigo can be the end result. Therefore, correcting this misalignment can restore proper communication between the brain and the body.
We use a gentle method to encourage the bones to move back into place naturally. It does not require us to pop or crack the neck or back. Many people report seeing good results in a short period of time, some after just one adjustment.
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.