Vertigo, a false sensation of movement often described as spinning, is a common condition that affects 1 in 3 people over the age of 40. It can sometimes be accompanied by nausea and vomiting when a case is severe. It can also be responsible for falls when a severe attack comes on suddenly while one is standing.
While vertigo itself is rarely dangerous, it may indicate a more dangerous underlying condition such as a heart attack. If such a situation arises, emergency care should be sought immediately.
Otherwise, vertigo care is usually medication based, although some doctors have come up with head maneuvers to reset the body’s mechanism for locating itself in space. These head positions may help calm down an attack. However, if you do not address the underlying cause, false spinning sensation may continue to recur.
When the cause of spinning sensation is a problem with the neck, the condition is called cervicogenic vertigo. When the underlying cause cannot be identified, it is usually just diagnosed as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. However, many of these cases may be related to the neck as well.
This is because the upper cervical spine plays a role in how the brainstem functions. As a result, messages from the vestibular nerve may be misinterpreted. A misalignment may also affect Eustachian tube function, which can lead to vertigo.
As a result, many vertigo patients find that upper cervical chiropractic helps to relieve symptoms. In fact, in one case study involving 60 patients, 48 experienced complete vertigo relief after just a couple of adjustments. The rest of the patients all saw a significant decrease in vertigo severity.
Another thing the patients in that study all had in common was a history of either head or neck trauma. Therefore, it makes sense for a person experiencing vertigo, especially someone who has endured a trauma such as whiplash, to see an upper cervical chiropractor.
TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
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.