Vertigo is often described as a spinning sensation as if the person or the things around him are moving. It is most common in people over the age of 65 but can be experienced by anyone at any time in life. It is a myth that vertigo is the fear of heights or acrophobia. Vertigo can happen for a few minutes at a time or for longer periods leaving the person having to rest until it resolves, rendering him unable to perform his daily activities.

Vertigo is put into two categories – either central or peripheral – depending on its cause. We are going to look at peripheral vertigo in this article. It has its origin in a problem with the balance organs of the inner ear.

Conditions Related to Peripheral Vertigo

The labyrinth of the inner ear has very small parts that send messages to the brain in response to gravity. This lets the brain know when one stands up from a prone position and helps a person to maintain balance. This system can become disrupted due to inflammation, often caused by a virus. There are a number of conditions that have peripheral vertigo as a symptom:

• Vestibular Neuronitis: Inflammation of the vestibular nerve due to a viral infection.
• Meniere’s disease: A buildup of fluid in the inner ear.
• Labyrinthitis: Inflammation of the inner ear (labyrinth) and the vestibular nerve.
• Cholesteatoma: A skin growth in the middle ear due to repeated infections that can damage the ear and lead to hearing loss and dizziness.
• Benign paroxysmal position vertigo (BPPV): The most common form of vertigo, caused by the crystals of calcium in the ear lodging in the wrong place.

Finding Help for Vertigo

Upper cervical chiropractors are often able to help patients with vertigo. A misalignment in the bones of the upper neck is a frequent cause of vertigo sensations. By using a gentle method to realign these bones, the inner ear is able to drain properly, and vertigo will often improve or go away completely.

to schedule a consultation today.