Do you avoid certain activities because you're scared to face another dizzy spell? Do you often do activities slower than usual to avoid possible peripheral vertigo episodes? Do you have a go-to vertigo relief strategy to stop or reduce your discomfort when it happens? Do you often wonder if this is your new normal? Are your vertigo episodes permanent or temporary, and soon the dizzy spells will pass?

Peripheral vertigo can make you feel like everything around you is spinning or swirling, even when you're not moving. These strange and false sensations can happen when you move your head or change how you're positioned, like when you stand up from a chair or roll over in bed, eat something that triggers it, or perhaps your stress levels are elevated. The duration of vertigo varies, and it might last for a while or be a long-lasting condition, depending on why it's happening. So finding the real reason behind your vertigo can help assess how to manage this symptom so it goes away for good, or at least not return for a long time.

Common Culprits Behind Peripheral Vertigo: Which Are Permanent and Temporary?

This unsettling sensation of spinning or swaying can stem from various underlying causes. Here are some of the common reasons behind those dizzying episodes:

1. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

This condition occurs when tiny calcium particles in the inner ear get dislodged and disrupt the normal balance signals, which results in sudden and short-lived vertigo spells, often triggered by head movements like tilting or turning. Notably, BPPV can go away on its own. 

2. Vestibular Migraines

More than just a headache, these migraines bring peripheral vertigo to the party. Changes in blood flow to the brain's balance centers can lead to spinning sensations, sometimes accompanied by pounding headaches and light sensitivity. Similar to headaches causes by a typical migraine episode, vertigo from vestibular migraines tend to come and go. 

3. Meniere's Disease

Imagine feeling like you're inside a stormy sea, with episodes of peripheral vertigo accompanied by ringing in the ears, called tinnitus, and a sense of fullness in the ear. Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can trigger these sudden and severe bouts. Sometimes, the disease can linger for years but it’s possible to keep flare-ups at bay by avoiding triggers, taking medication and seeking timely intervention from healthcare professionals. 

4. Labyrinthitis

This condition causes inflammation of the inner ear. The inner ear contains a structure called the labyrinth responsible for balance and hearing. When the labyrinth becomes inflamed, it can cause peripheral vertigo making you feel that you or your surroundings are spinning. Thankfully, once the infection goes away, the inflammatory response of the body also improves, reducing the severity of the dizzying spells. 

5. Injury or Trauma

A nasty fall or head injury might introduce vertigo as an unwelcome aftermath. Trauma can lead to upper cervical misalignment and disrupt the inner ear's normal functioning, resulting in spinning sensations. Unfortunately, vertigo episodes connected to neck bone subluxation often recur for a long time. The misalignment can affect nerve signal transmission as well as tug on the muscles and blood vessels on the neck, which can all impact your ability to perceive balance and movement.

Relieve Peripheral Vertigo with the Help of Atlas Bone Adjustment

For some patients, peripheral vertigo has been closely linked to the alignment of their upper cervical spine. It might seem surprising, but misalignments in this delicate area can set off a chain reaction that disrupts your body's balance, leaving you feeling dizzy and disoriented. Your upper cervical spine, found at the base of your skull, is crucial in maintaining balance and coordination and protecting the brainstem, an essential part of your nervous system that bridges brain and body communication. 

Accidents, injuries, or even the strain of poor posture can shift these bones out of alignment, triggering vertigo and its unwelcome symptoms and other health issues. But the proper alignment can be restored through Upper Cervical Care which focuses on gently realigning the bones in your upper neck, addressing the root cause of your vertigo. Correcting these misalignments can alleviate the sensations of spinning and unsteadiness, giving you a chance to regain control and embrace stability again. This way, you can enjoy doing things you used to enjoy before dizzy spells took over your life.

If vertigo has thrown your world off balance, consider booking an appointment to visit an Upper Cervical Chiropractor's office to know if this method suits you. If it is, they can tailor a care plan matching your unique needs.