People experiencing balance issues may experience confusion as to why it's happening. In addition, it may be dangerous as it can make you highly susceptible to unwanted injuries due to increased risks of falls and slips.
At first glance, ataxia and vertigo may seem similar because both can cause dizziness, an unsteady gait, and difficulty with coordination. However, these are two different things starting with vertigo being a symptom of an underlying condition. Ataxia is a group of disorders affecting a person's coordination, balance, and speech. Vertigo remedies may or may not apply to ataxia patients and vice versa. So, it would help to learn about the key distinctions of the two to determine your best course of action.
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Poor muscle control leading to clumsy voluntary movements describes ataxia. Patients with ataxia may experience difficulty with walking and maintaining their balance and hand coordination. They may also experience issues with speech and swallowing and even eye movements. Ataxia has three major causes: acquired, degenerative disease, and hereditary causes.
Ataxia is a result of damage to the cerebellum. It is the part of the brain that helps controls muscle coordination. Several conditions lead to ataxia, including alcohol misuse, tumor, brain degeneration, stroke, multiple sclerosis, certain medications, and genetic disorders.
Quick facts about ataxia:
Vertigo, on the other hand, gives a person a false spinning sensation. As a result, you may feel your surroundings moving, even if you are standing still or even when you are intentionally lying down with your eyes closed.
Vertigo patients may experience dizziness in one way or another. This is because vertigo affects your sense of balance and is likely linked to an underlying condition. Vertigo also has two types, peripheral, which is connected to your inner ear, and central, which is connected to your central nervous system.
There are also natural vertigo remedies you can try that can help manage your accompanying symptoms altogether.
Quick facts about vertigo:
There is no known cure for ataxia yet, and this condition can make it difficult to adjust, especially at the beginning. Still, with proper help and support, a person with ataxia can improve their quality of life. You can also tap into helpful vertigo remedies to cope with this symptom. Below is a quick list of the things you can use to cope better:
Finding ways to manage vertigo is an excellent start to help manage your episodes. Knowing a few tested natural ways may help you cope during an episode. Below are some ways you can try that come in handy when dealing with unexpected spinning sensations.
This can help relieve your vertigo that stems from BPPV or Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. You can return your dislodged inner ear's crystals through specific head movements to their proper alignment. There are YouTube videos demonstrating the Epley maneuver to help you execute it properly. Otherwise, you can consult your healthcare provider to guide you on performing the exercise correctly.
When you suddenly experience unwanted vertigo, move to a safe spot and shift your focus to your breath for a few minutes with your eyes closed. Doing breathing exercises may also help lower your stress levels. You can find a variety of breathwork exercises online, so it's best to find and memorize one to have a go-to breathwork exercise when necessary.
Breathwork can bring you into a relaxation mode and help improve your oxygen and blood circulation to and from your brain, which can help with your vertigo attacks.
An upper cervical chiropractic adjustment is one of the most recommended natural vertigo remedies. This is because experts have found that some patients who complain about vertigo also show misalignments in the upper cervical spine. Because of the unnatural balance and alignment, your brainstem experience pressure and stress, causing the brain to receive confusing messages concerning the body's orientation. This can trigger bouts of dizziness and other balance issues.
Upper cervical chiropractors focus on realigning the bones in the upper part of the spine, which consists of the atlas and the axis bones. The adjustments provided are helpful in alleviating the pressure on the nerves in this area of the body. As a result, many patients report significant improvements after just the first few adjustments.
Whether it's ataxia or vertigo you're struggling with, you can always reach out to an upper cervical chiropractic doctor to experience firsthand how their expertise can help you improve your quality of life.
Your spine health needs attention too, and caring for them through natural ways may be your key to overall wellness. Book your appointment with a nearby practice!
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TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
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.
