Both vertigo and dizziness may sound almost the same to other people. How can you accurately describe vertigo to your doctor or friends? Is it just a sense of extreme dizziness you’re feeling or something even more? Sure, they both have similarities. Also, they have clear differences, which may not be apparent to most people.
Does it matter even if you know the difference at all? Yes, it matters, because it can help you obtain the proper care if you have any of the two. In this article, we will show you the differences between each condition. We will also show you a practical, natural, drug-free, and long-term care option that works for vertigo and migraines for more than two decades already.
It is the feeling that you or everything surrounding you is moving or spinning even if there is no real movement. Vertigo lets you experience being off-balanced. The sensation is similar to tilting, falling, or rotating. Anyone with vertigo tends to feel sick or nauseous as if they are about to vomit. Standing still or walking can be a real challenge whenever a vertigo attack happens. Sometimes, people would fall over, while even conscious, and lose their balance as a result.
Vertigo happens if the brain is receiving distorted signals from different sensory systems. Signals or information reaching the brain come from the four sensory systems that keep your sense of balance and orientation in the environment. Those sensory systems originate from the following:
The sense of sight is an essential component of how the balance system works. It provides signals and information about your current position and movement concerning your environment or surroundings.
It is also called the labyrinth, which has the semicircular canals with individual cells to detect and process motion and shift according to your current position. When the inner ear suffers injury or damage due to illness, wrong signals enter the brain. If the inner ear signals would conflict with the messages from other systems’ input, vertigo becomes the consequence.
It forwards data and signals to the brain detailing what parts of the body experience pressure, signaling your current position. An example would be this: The feet would feel the most weight and stress when you are standing upright.
The sensory nerves are located in your joints. They enable the brain to detect the position of your torso, arms, and legs. The body starts to make automatic adjustments in your posture to assist in maintaining your balance.
Below are some of the reasons why vertigo occurs:
Rare reasons for vertigo:
If you experience an unexpected change in your speech, vision, or similar loss of functions in the body, please immediately consult a doctor. There is a high risk that you are experiencing a stroke or transient ischemic attack.
Dizziness, often described as lightheadedness, is a sensation that you are about to pass out or faint. There is no feeling of movement involved. Usually, when you lie down, you will feel better. A severe bout of dizziness may happen in a fainting spell called syncope. It may also include bouts of nausea and vomiting.
Dizziness affects people of all ages, but older adults frequently experience it. Often, there is an extreme fear of dizziness among some seniors, which forces them to avoid social activities. Dizziness can often result in accidents and injuries.
It is highly likely that nearly everyone may have experienced dizziness or lightheadedness at least once in their lifetime. These would include short incidents of lightheadedness, such as when you quickly stand up. It may also occur due to a temporary drop in blood pressure or blood flow to the head. If you have chronic dizziness, that’s when it becomes quite severe. It may point towards an underlying condition. Therefore, be advised to go to your doctor or physician for a check-up.
Any of these can cause lightheadedness:
There are also rare occasions that may cause dizziness. It may happen because of these reasons:
Now, we are aware that dizziness and vertigo are entirely different conditions. However, they may develop due to a similar root cause. Various clinical studies have seen and recognized the link between a subluxation (misalignment or a slight dislocation) in the neck’s upper bones and the onset of dizziness and vertigo.
The atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae protect the precious brainstem and spinal cord. The brainstem functions as the communication road of the body. It functions as a relaying station for messages that go to and from the brain. However, problems arise when the atlas or axis bone misaligns.
Here are some reasons why a misalignment would occur:
As a result of misalignment of either the axis or atlas vertebra, it can pressure and stress the brainstem, causing it to malfunction and send wrong signals from the sensory inputs to the brain about the body’s current location. Fortunately, there is an excellent solution to correcting this subluxation. It’s proven successful and useful for more than a decade now. It is called upper cervical chiropractic.
A study observed 60 patients who all showed chronic vertigo symptoms. Fifty-six of them recalled having one neck or head trauma or injury in the past. Twenty-five of these vertigo patients also reported sporting accidents, from skiing, horseback riding, and cycling. Also, others had car accidents and falling incidents from sidewalks or stairs. Then, each patient received specific adjustments to their atlas misalignment custom-tailored to each one’s needs. After receiving upper cervical care, forty-eight of the patients reported complete resolution of their vertigo symptoms. Twelve patients shared fewer and less severe vertigo symptoms. They still experienced significant improvements.
In conclusion, this study proved a distinct link between vertigo and trauma-induced upper cervical misalignment.
Find a trusted upper cervical chiropractor near you today to help you address the root cause of your vertigo or dizziness.
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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.
