Vertigo is usually a symptom of either a vestibular condition or a neurological condition. On occasion, it can be a symptom of something serious like a stroke or heart attack, but we are hoping our readers would call 911 if they were experiencing symptoms of an emergency like that. What we will discuss today are several of the less serious causes of vertigo. You shouldn’t stop your search for relief just because the doctor says vertigo won’t kill you.
First of all, “getting older” is not going to be on our list. You don’t just get dizzy and start falling because you hit a certain age. That’s just an excuse since about half of vertigo patients never find out what the underlying cause is. Second, vertigo can cause serious falls. Each year, one in three seniors has a fall. Some are never able to return to an independent lifestyle, and other may not survive at all. So finding help for vertigo could be a matter of life and death.
With that in mind, here are a few things that could be at the source of your vertigo.
Most cases of vertigo are pinned on the ear since the inner ear and vestibular nerve send signals to the brain that determine balance and spatial orientation. In fact, NASA started a lot of vertigo research due to the effects that space travel was having on the vestibular system.
That having been said, many vestibular causes of vertigo are called idiopathic, meaning that the underlying cause is not known. So it is possible that many vestibular causes of vertigo are really coming from somewhere else but being attributed to the ear because of the role it plays in the body’s ability to balance itself.
Some of the more controversial causes of vertigo come directly from the central nervous system. Since the brain has to interpret the signals from the ear, anything that interferes could still cause vertigo. Here are some examples:
These are just a few examples to show the link between the central nervous system and vertigo. But why does vertigo often occur following trauma?
Interestingly, both the ears and the CNS can be affected by upper cervical misalignments. This is because of the proximity of the ears and atlas (top vertebra in the neck). The atlas surrounds and protects the brainstem, but it can quickly become an impedance if it is not aligned properly. Since the cervical spine supplies safe passage of blood to the brain, misalignments can also affect the CNS in this way.
So a pattern emerges rather quickly. An accident or injury of some sort occurs. Some patients develop vertigo right away. Others think the injury has healed, all the while it is working below the surface, affecting the ears or the CNS. Months or perhaps even years later vertigo begins, usually along with other symptoms that can further help to identify the issue.
So what can you do if you think this may be the underlying cause of your vertigo? We would like to introduce you to a subspecialty of chiropractic that focuses on this very problem.
Upper cervical chiropractors are in a unique position to offer help to vertigo patients, particularly if you are suffering from an atlas misalignment that could potentially be the underlying cause of your symptoms. In fact, in one study of 60 vertigo patients with atlas subluxations, 48 found complete relief from vertigo with upper cervical chiropractic adjustments and the other 12 all experienced significant improvements.
What sets upper cervical chiropractic apart?
For these reasons and many more, patients are getting excited about this natural and cost-effective form of care. To learn more, find a practitioner in your area and schedule a no-obligation consultation. A history of head or neck trauma would definitely point to an atlas misalignment but wear and tear from poor posture or other habits can also play a role.
If you are getting ready to give up on finding relief from vertigo, don’t throw in the towel yet. Join the many upper cervical patients who are getting health benefits from this precise and gentle form of care.
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.