Can Stress Bring on Vertigo?

can-stress-bring-on-vertigo

Before we answer the question, let me first describe to you what vertigo feels like. Can you imagine yourself enjoying the great outdoors, hiking and admiring the beautiful forest, then suddenly felt as if you rode on a merry go round spinning fast? This feeling is how vertigo patients would endure during episodes of vertigo. Vertigo is a kind of dizziness that causes you to feel like you or the environment around you spins out of control. 

The sensation may appear without warning and disappear just as fast. It can also last for hours or even a few days. Vertigo attacks can be dangerous when operating with heavy equipment or machinery or driving on the freeway.

Vertigo Symptoms

Those with vertigo may experience other symptoms like: 

  • Headaches
  • Double vision
  • Racing heartbeat
  • Feeling off-balanced or being pulled to one direction
  • Sweating
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Hearing loss
  • Nystagmus or jerking eye movements

Dizziness is one of the leading reasons for trips to the emergency room, especially true for the elderly. Frequently, conditions that cause vertigo get misdiagnosed. Some patients spend several years before getting the right diagnosis.

Tracking Your Personal Vertigo Triggers

It is vital to be aware of your specific triggers so you can avoid them whenever possible. Each person has a unique set of vertigo triggers. If you know what triggers yours, then you can be ready for them.

Doctors would highly advise that you keep track of your vertigo symptoms and essential things that you can record. They would recommend that you keep a diary to document your daily activities each time a vertigo attack commences. It can help you immensely in finding out your personal triggers. Once you know what they are, you can stay away from them as much as you can to avoid vertigo attacks from occurring.

Unfortunately, vertigo can affect your daily life quality, causing you to lose out on events or activities that you love doing. It would then be in your best interest to consult with your family doctor as a precaution before things get worse.

What Are The Common Triggers for Vertigo Attacks?

Here’s the answer to the question of whether stress brings on vertigo. While medical conditions are the leading cause of vertigo, stress can trigger its attack. Here is a list of the common triggers of vertigo attacks that you should be aware of:

  • Stress

Increased stress level or even a substantial decrease of it can bring about vertigo. Numerous people report dealing with a known cause of stress before a vertigo attack occurs. Others also experience it while a stressful event is happening.

  • Head Position

If you have BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), suddenly changing your head position or moving too hurriedly may trigger a vertigo attack. 

  • Dehydration

Not drinking enough water can start a decrease in your blood sugar levels, which can contribute to causing the spinning feeling of vertigo.

  • Prolonged Bed Rest

Too much bed rest can cause your blood to stay in the legs. Suddenly standing up may lead to dizziness and possible falls. Long days of immobility can also decrease blood volume in the body and decrease oxygen uptake by the brain. Thus, it can lead to vertigo attacks.

  • Migraines

Those who have migraines with aura are at a greater danger of acquiring vertigo. Some of the known symptoms of migraine-related vertigo include nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. 

  • Motion Sickness

For some people, vertigo may follow after they get on a cruise trip or take on a quick boat ride. The rocking or waving sensation would sometimes persist for a couple of days before it goes away completely.

  • Medication Side Effects

Some medications include vertigo as one of their potential side effects. Also, most notably, when the dosage becomes too high. It would be better to start at a low dose when seeking new medications, then gradually increase according to your doctor’s advice.

  • Anxiety

The sensation of vertigo often comes during intense bouts of anxiety. Nervousness and worry often get linked to various feelings that resemble the experience of vertigo such as lightheadedness, dizziness, and nausea. 

  • Food With Too Much Sugar Or Salt

Sodium can trigger fluid body imbalance, resulting in a build-up of pressure in the inner ear and vertigo. Meanwhile, foods rich in sugar can increase your blood pressure, which causes oxygen deficiency in the brain and sooner or later vertigo.

  • Caffeine Or Alcohol

Too much caffeine intake can cause vertigo. It is the same if you suddenly withdraw from it. Meanwhile, alcohol can disrupt the body’s equilibrium. For this reason, it can also trigger vertigo attacks. 

  • Sinus or Viral Infections

Sinus-induced vertigo ranges from mild to severe and includes fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea.

Persistent Vertigo And A Natural Care Option

If you have tried many vertigo solutions, but none helped you find long-term relief and comfort, don’t be frustrated. Medication may work, but only temporarily, and they only help with some of the symptoms. Still, vertigo would remain in many cases. It stays because the underlying cause of the problem is not yet solved. Perhaps, you can be a candidate for upper cervical chiropractic care. 

Upper cervical chiropractors intimately understand the relationship between the upper neck’s bones and the body’s balance system. Any misalignment in the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae can place stress and pressure on the brainstem, causing malfunction and sending of false signals to the brain about your body’s position. As a result, these fake messages tell the brain that the body is in motion even when it is not. Thus, vertigo becomes the result. 

Upper cervical chiropractors use a method of examining and adjusting the vertebrae of the upper cervical spine. We focus on the axis and atlas vertebrae. We also use heat-sensitive instrumentation, neurological tests, and other relevant means to detect and correct misalignments. Our technique precisely and naturally encourages the bones to move back into place with gentle accuracy. The success of our procedure is long-lasting.

Numerous vertigo patients experienced significant improvements in their vertigo symptoms with the help of upper cervical chiropractic care. Some even see their vertigo completely go away for good.

Find An Upper Cervical Doctor in Your Areato schedule a consultation today.

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