Vertigo is the sensation that everything is moving or spinning around a person who is standing still or perhaps even sitting or lying down. Many confuse it with a fear of heights. Perhaps this is because of the Alfred Hitchcock film entitled Vertigo in which the main character suffers from such a fear (the actual term for a fear of heights is acrophobia).
It's two most common forms are benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and migraines.
BPPV is the most common and is based on head position. Thus, a person may sit up in bed too quickly or turn his head to see something, and vertigo strikes suddenly. In most cases, the spinning sensation only lasts for a few minutes, and there are even some positions a person can move the head to in order to reset the fluid in the inner ear. This may help an episode to resolve more quickly though it won’t prevent future attacks.
Migraines, especially vestibular migraines, have vertigo as a common symptom. Silent migraines involve symptoms such as spinning sensation and other common migraine signs without the more common severe headache.
Most doctors will prescribe a water pill (diuretic) for frequent cases of spinning sensation, especially if it is associated with Meniere’s disease. These pills work by reducing fluid levels in the body and therefore the amount of fluid in the ears. However, side effects can include dehydration, muscle fatigue, and frequent urination.
Upper cervical chiropractic care is a viable option for many vertigo sufferers. This is especially true if you have a history of head or neck trauma. In fact, one study involving 60 vertigo patients with a history of such injuries saw 80% of the participants become vertigo free in under half a year, and the other 20% all experienced significant improvement in symptoms.
Contact an upper cervical chiropractor near you to learn if your vertigo may be related to an upper cervical misalignment.
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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.
