Vertigo becomes more common as a person ages, with over 40% of those over age 40 experiencing it at some point. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common vertigo condition. We can also call it positional vertigo. The condition is thought to be related to movements of the head that bring on a bout of vertigo.

Since vertigo is related to the function of the inner ear, much focus is placed on the fluid in the inner ear that helps the body with balance and spatial orientation. As a result, one physician came up with the Foster Maneuver. It is basically a half somersault that resets inner ear function and stops vertigo in its tracks. There are, however, a few issues with this home remedy.

• At age 40 a half somersault may not be an issue for most people, but what does a 75-year-old do if vertigo strikes?
• It’s one thing to be able to stop a vertigo attack after it starts, but this doesn’t address the underlying problem or stop future attacks from occurring.

Basically, this is the bandage of the vertigo world. It’s a great temporary fix after a problem occurs, and worth learning if you suffer from vertigo, but not a real solution to the problem. Is there a way to relieve vertigo on a more long-term basis?

Upper Cervical Chiropractic and Vertigo

In a study involving 139 patients with Meniere’s disease (another condition that causes vertigo), 136 patients saw significant improvement in frequency and severity of attacks following upper cervical chiropractic intervention. In fact, after just 6 weeks, vertigo severity went from an average of 8.5/10 to just 3.0/10. Over the course of long-term care (2 years), severity finally reached an average of just 1.3/10.

One thing most of these patients had in common was a history of whiplash. Thus, if you are experiencing vertigo following an injury, it is especially important to have the upper cervical spine evaluated. Contact an upper cervical chiropractor near you to learn more.

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