If you are suffering the debilitating effects of recurring or severe vertigo, then you want the best care possible. Does that mean using traditional treatments, or should you try to find natural vertigo remedies? We are going to take a look at both forms of care so that you can make an informed decision. We will conclude by discussing a natural therapy that has helped hundreds of patients in case studies.

Traditional Vertigo Treatment Methods

Western medicine has struggled to find ways to combat vertigo. While there may be some successful treatments depending on the specific cause, most are rather hit or miss. Some can be expensive. Other vertigo treatments carry a heavy risk and may even lead to hearing loss in the affected ear. Here are some of the methods that doctors use to try and overcome vertigo.

Medications

There are several categories of medications that a doctor may use depending on the underlying cause of vertigo.

• Diuretics – These are commonly referred to as a water pill. Some cases of vertigo have been linked to excess fluid in the ears. Since these pills cause your body to release fluid, it may relieve your symptoms. However, you also have to be careful to drink more fluids. Otherwise, you may end up with dehydration-related vertigo.
• Antianxiety drugs – Since vertigo can be triggered by anxiety, medications like valium or Xanax may be prescribed. These drugs can cause drowsiness, and you have to watch out that dependency doesn’t form.
• Migraine medications – Up to 40% of migraines present with vertigo. Therefore, a doctor may try and fight your vertigo by prescribing medications for migraines. Some of these drugs only performed slightly better than a placebo in clinical trials.
• Anti-nausea medications – These won’t stop your vertigo from occurring, but if you get very severe vertigo, it may help your nausea to keep from reaching the point of vomiting.

Invasive Measures

As bad as medications for vertigo may sound, there are some other treatments that are far more invasive. Here are a few:

• Injectables – There are both antibiotic and steroid injections for vertigo. First of all, the shots need to go into your inner ear. Second of all, these injections can have serious side effects, including deafness.
• Ear surgery – These invasive surgeries may actually involve removing key components of the ear. If you haven’t responded to any form of treatment and your vertigo is severe and debilitating, a doctor may recommend this procedure. However, you should exhaust every other option before you consider having parts of your ear removed.

If traditional treatments don’t meet up with your standard of care, you may decide to try the natural route. But are natural options for vertigo any better?

Finding Natural Relief from Vertigo – Is It Possible?

There are some lifestyle changes and home remedies that are considered legitimate supplements or alternatives to traditional medical care for vertigo. Here are a few things you can do at home to try and find relief.

• Avoid sudden movements – Whether it is standing up too quickly or bending over too fast, sudden movements often trigger vertigo. Therefore, your doctor may recommend that you just make slower and more controlled movements.
• Avoid dehydration – Vertigo can be a symptom of not getting enough fluids.
• Discuss your medications with your doctor – Sometimes vertigo is a side effect of medication use. You may be able to switch your dosage or try a different medication.
• Get enough sleep – You may also want to try a new pillow or sleep position.
• Avoid and manage stress – You can’t get rid of all stress, but try to find positive ways to cope with the stress in your life.
• Quit smoking and reduce alcohol use – Smoking and overindulgence in alcohol can both increase vertigo attacks.
• Try a low-salt diet – The concept here is similar to the use of diuretics. By reducing salt intake, the body doesn’t retain fluids as well. It may help fluid levels in the inner ear, but it can also result in dehydration if you don’t compensate by drinking more water.  

While these may help you to reduce your vertigo in some ways, you are only going to get long-term relief by getting to the source of the problem. For a surprising number of people, this means correcting an upper cervical misalignment.

The Upper Cervical Spine and Vertigo

When the atlas (C1 vertebra) becomes misaligned, it can set changes in motion within the body that can result in vertigo. For example:

• Blood flow – The cervical spine facilitates blood flow to the head by means of the vertebral; foramen (loops of bone the arteries can travel through). A reduced flow of blood can affect central nervous system function and ear function to result in many of the causes of vertigo.
• Brainstem function – The atlas surrounds the brainstem. Even a slight misalignment can apply pressure to this key component in the body’s communication system. As a result, information about balance and spatial orientation can be affected.
• Ear function – Misalignments of the atlas can lead to changes in the soft tissue of the neck and can affect how the eustachian tubes function. As a result, the ears may not be able to drain properly. This can lead to the excess of fluid that causes vertigo.

If you are suffering from vertigo, especially if you have a history of head or neck injuries, it makes sense to try upper cervical chiropractic care to see if safe and gentle adjustments can help.

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