Vertigo is an illusion of movement that usually involves the feeling that a person is spinning or that the room is spinning around him. Of course, vertigo is a rotational sensation only. It can also be tilting, swaying, or any other false sensation of movement.
What are the top causes of vertigo, and how can you combat them? We are going to look at two types of vertigo, peripheral and central. Then we will discuss the most common causes of each. We will conclude with a discussion of a natural therapy that has helped many vertigo patients in case studies.
Table of Contents
The conditions that cause vertigo fall into two categories, peripheral and central. What is the difference? Peripheral vertigo involves the ear and vestibular system. Central vertigo involves the central nervous system (CNS) and includes neurological issues that lead to vertigo. With this in mind, we will examine both types of vertigo disease.
There are a number of factors that can relate to the ear when it comes to vertigo. This is because the ear is responsible for much of the sensory data that determine balance and spatial orientation. Here are some of the primary causes of peripheral vertigo.
This is the most common diagnosis, and perhaps the reason is that cases of vertigo where the underlying cause is unknown often get categorized as positional vertigo. The main symptom here is that vertigo usually occurs due to changes in head position.
These are two different conditions, but we will discuss them together to avoid repetitive content. Both conditions involve inflammation that causes vertigo, and this inflammation usually occurs during or after a virus such as a head cold or the flu. A couple of weeks after the virus subside, vertigo should be over as well. Labyrinthitis is the name of the condition when the inflammation occurs in the inner ear. Vestibular neuritis means that the inflammation is in the vestibular nerve, which sends the information from the ear to the brain.
While not an extremely common condition, there are many more people being diagnosed with Meniere’s disease each year. Vertigo associated with this condition is often severe and can last anywhere from 20 minutes per episode up to an entire day. Other symptoms include ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss in the affected ear, and a feeling of fullness in the affected ear. Sometimes, the condition may affect both ears or start in one ear and affect the other ear later on.
Vertigo is a symptom of post-concussion syndrome and can be related to neck injuries that are suffered during car accidents, sports injuries, and other causes of trauma.
Diuretics, some cancer drugs, certain antibiotics, and salicylates can all cause peripheral vertigo.
Because the central nervous system interprets the signals from the ears and other sensory data received by the body, a malfunction in the nervous system can also cause vertigo. Here are some of the neurological conditions that can lead to this symptom.
While vertigo may occasionally be a symptom of an emergency medical condition, most causes of vertigo are not an emergency. An upper cervical chiropractor may be able to help you get relief from these other causes of vertigo. This is because many underlying vertigo factors can be related to misalignments of the upper cervical spine.
Since the atlas (C1) is in between the ears and it surrounds the brainstem, subluxations can lead to both central and peripheral causes of vertigo. Many patients in case studies, who experienced vertigo due to Meniere’s disease or in the wake of head or neck injuries, were able to find relief thanks to the realignment of the top bones in the neck.
If you are suffering from vertigo, even for an unidentified underlying cause, upper cervical chiropractic may help. Adjustments are always gentle – there is no popping or twisting of the neck – and are provided on an as-needed basis. To learn more, contact an upper cervical chiropractor in your area today.
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.