Vertigo is not just having a whirling sensation or dizziness. It is an overwhelming sudden sensation that you or your surrounding area is shaking. In truth, what you may be experiencing is just a false sense of movement. In other words, there is no actual movement. Vertigo is an important matter that needs your attention.
If these symptoms get worse when you move your head in different directions, you may have Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BBPV). It is the most widespread type of vertigo. It usually occurs when the crystals within the inner ear migrate to a different location where they should not be.
There are two kinds of vertigo: central and peripheral.
This type of vertigo is due to a problem in the inner ear or vestibular system. The vestibular system is consists of the vestibule, semicircular canals, and the vestibular nerve. BPPV is the primary cause for peripheral vertigo and it makes up 32 percent of all cases. Labyrinthitis and Meniere’s disease belong to this category as well. Other causes would be any type of inflammation, like from a cold, bacterial infections, influenza, motion sickness, and physical trauma.
Vertigo of this category often includes mild to moderate imbalance issues, hearing loss, nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, pain in the ear, and a feeling of fullness. In a few cases, the person may even experience weakness on one side of the face, but it usually improves after a few days.
Vertigo of this kind is due to an injury to the balance center of the central nervous system. Such an injury is commonly a result of a lesion in the cerebellum or brainstem. Central vertigo has a less prominent illusion of movement and nausea than peripheral vertigo. This type of vertigo may also include double vision, slurred speech, and other neurological deficits including abnormal eye movement (nystagmus). It can make patients feel off balance. In severe cases, they are unable to walk or even stand up straight.
Many conditions associated with central vertigo are cervical spine disorders (such as cervical spondylosis), lesions, epilepsy, tumors, migraines, degenerative ataxia disorders, multiple sclerosis, cerebral dysfunction, and Parkinson’s disease. Improvement is frequently very slow to progress.
The cervical spine has 7 vertebrae, with the atlas and axis (C1 and C2) located at the very top. The rest of the vertebrae, from C3 to C7, are classic vertebrae that have a body, pedicles, spinous processes, laminae, and facet joints. Exceptional from all the rest, the C1 and C2 form a special set of articulations that provide the head with a wide range of mobility. The C1 functions as a washer or ring for the skull to be set upon and connects in a pivot joint with the C2. At least 50 percent of the neck’s flexibility originates from this area.
The neck is consists of tendons, muscles, nerves, ligaments, and bones. The C1 and C2 actually protect and house the brainstem and spinal cord. The brainstem is in charge of transferring messages to the brain in order to control all parts of the body while maintaining its flexibility and strength. This allows for it to move in all directions. If some form of damage happens to the brainstem then it will malfunction. Thus, vertigo can be a possible end result.
The cervical spine has an important role and they are the following:
This explains why the C1 and C2 are the most susceptible to damage among the parts of the spine. Can you imagine what the potential consequences are when these bones shift out of alignment?
Whenever the axis or atlas moves out of alignment, the pressure forces the head to tilt to the left or right. This is when the body’s righting reflex comes into play. The primary objective of the reflex is to keep the eyes level with the horizon line. When there is misalignment, the fluid-filled semicircular canals of the inner ear also suffer. As a result, this causes the sending of inaccurate signals to the brain. Hence, the brain becomes unsure of exactly where the body stands in relation to its surroundings. Therefore, the end result is vertigo.
Through upper cervical chiropractic care, relief of vertigo is possible. There was a case study involving a 23-year-old woman providing undeniable proof of the potent improvements that upper cervical chiropractic care can cover in cases of vertigo.
The woman had suffered from headaches her whole life. She also experienced a serious fall that gave her a serious concussion. At that time, she had symptoms of post-concussion syndrome: vertigo and worsening headaches. X-rays later revealed that a huge part of her body was out of balance due to a misalignment in the upper cervical spine. Fortunately, with just one adjustment from an upper cervical chiropractor, her symptoms began to improve immediately. After a few more adjustments, her vertigo and headaches eventually left!
Upper cervical chiropractors near your area do use a similar method to the one used in the study. Rather than using force on the spine, they apply only gentle force and precise adjustments to encourage misaligned bones to return into their proper positions. While the method used is less forceful, it actually produces longer-lasting corrections. It produces positive results because it works with the body’s natural healing abilities. Many patients who had upper cervical care have reported great improvements in their vertigo symptoms.
Visit an upper cervical chiropractic doctor in your city and stop chasing your vertigo symptoms. Address the root cause of your vertigo instead.
to schedule a consultation today.
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.
