What is vertigo and its symptoms? Is there a difference between vertigo and just being dizzy? What are the causes of vertigo? Is there a way to get natural relief? We will address the answers to these questions and more in our article. As a result, we hope our readers can find significant relief without the side effects of medications, injections, and invasive surgeries.
Vertigo is a false sensation of movement. It is often described as the feeling that the room is spinning. While it is a symptom and not a medical condition by itself, we will often refer to it as vertigo disease simply to distinguish it from the movie and the graphic novel company which patients will often see interfering with search results.
Determining what is causing vertigo is often a matter of comparing the other symptoms that accompany it. For example, if you also have severe tinnitus (ringing in the ear) hearing loss in one ear, and a feeling of fullness in the affected ear, you may be dealing with a vestibular condition called Meniere’s disease.
Some of the other common symptoms that accompany vertigo include:
As we continue to discuss this condition, you will see the neck mentioned more and more. Perhaps this is because the neck is very frequently the underlying source of vertigo.
The confusion lies in the fact that vertigo is often considered to be a form of dizziness. In reality, the term dizziness only refers to a faint or unsteady feeling (lightheadedness). However, you may notice from the list of symptoms above that vertigo and dizziness frequently occur together. The spinning or other sensation of movement is vertigo. The uncomfortable feeling that you may pass out at any moment is dizziness.
There are a number of conditions that cause vertigo. However, we will just address 6 possible underlying causes here:
This is the most common form of vertigo. It is basically just a fancy way of saying that vertigo depends on positions of or movements of the head.
This form of vertigo most often occurs after a viral infection. The infection leads to inflammation in the inner ear. That inflammation, in turn, causes vertigo. The vertigo episodes should end within a week or so after the virus clears up.
This once again has to do with inflammation due to a virus. However, this time the inflammation affects the vestibular nerve (also called the 8th cranial nerve) which transfers information regarding balance and spatial orientation between the ear and the brain.
This rare vestibular condition causes vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness in the affected ear. Except in very rare cases, Meniere’s only affects one ear. Symptoms subside between episodes, but flare-ups can last anywhere from 20 minutes to a full 24 hours.
This includes a large classification of vertigo diseases. The key is that the cause of vertigo is in the central nervous system rather than the vestibular system. For example, migraines and multiple sclerosis both can cause central vertigo.
Accidents and injuries, even ones that don’t seem so serious at the time, can later lead to vertigo. Concussions and whiplash injuries, in particular, often cause this symptom. Injuries may be due to auto accidents, sports injuries, slip and fall accidents, or any other number of traumas.
The idea of natural relief goes back to the continual connection between vertigo and the neck. Neck pain and stiffness were listed among the most common accompanying symptoms. Head and neck trauma were among the most common underlying causes. This all goes back to the location of the uppermost bones of the spine, the C1 and C2. Their location and shape allow for a wide range of head movements, and they protect the brainstem, all while facilitating blood flow to the brain. But what if an injury has caused a misalignment in this vital part of the body?
Upper cervical subluxations can affect everything from how the brain receives signals regarding balance and spatial orientation to how well the ears can drain. The later is due to the proximity of the atlas (C1) to the Eustachian tubes, the tiny tubes that drain excess fluid away from the ears. Thus, it is imperative to consider the alignment of the top bones of the spine when a person is dealing with vertigo regardless of whether the vertigo is central (in the nervous system) or peripheral (in the vestibular system).
Upper cervical chiropractic care has been developed around the function of the top two bones of the spine. Precise measurements are taken, and gentle adjustments are provided to correct even the slightest of subluxations. As a result of these long-lasting adjustments, the body may have the opportunity it needs to heal from the damage the misalignment was causing. This has resulted in significant improvements for many patients, and sometimes even complete resolution of the problem.
If you are suffering from recurring bouts of spinning sensation, especially if you have a history of head or neck trauma, seek out upper cervical chiropractic care. This subspecialty of chiropractic may be just the natural form of relief you have been searching for.
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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.
