Do you feel like the world is spinning around you? If so, you may be experiencing vertigo. Vertigo is a feeling of being off-balance. It is as if everything around you is moving, spinning, or swaying. The severity of the complication will vary from person to person. In some cases, vertigo cannot be noticeable. But, some people experience severe vertigo that disturbs their regular lives. If this sounds like you, don't worry! Chiropractic care has been shown to help with vertigo symptoms in many cases. Keep reading for more information about chiropractic and vertigo! Vertigo is different from dizziness – it is described to be a sensation of movement when not in motion. Some common conditions that cause vertigo include the following:
- Meniere's disease
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
- Vestibular neuronitis
- Labyrinthitis
Your brain has to integrate information from your inner ear, your eyes, and your joints in order to figure out where your body is in space. When one or more of these systems is compromised, vertigo symptoms may result.
Chiropractic treatment for vertigo may involve a number of different techniques. The specific approach will depend on the underlying cause of your vertigo symptoms. For example, if your vertigo is caused by a problem with your inner ear, your chiropractor may use gentle manipulation to realign the bones in your ear. If your vertigo is caused by a neck injury, your chiropractor will focus on treating the underlying neck problem. In some cases, chiropractic treatment for vertigo may also involve exercises or other forms of physical therapy.
Your neck and vertigo
Your spine is designed to protect your spinal cord. Your spinal cord carries signals to and from your brain. When the top bone in your neck (atlas) is misaligned, this can create pressure within your spinal cord at the base of your neck. This can affect signals going to and from your brainstem, potentially leading to vertigo symptoms. Through specific realignment of the atlas, the pressure within the spinal cord is reduced. The brainstem is able to send and receive messages without distortion.
This may lead to a reduction in vertigo symptoms. Elster conducted an analysis of 60 patients with chronic vertigo that received specific atlas corrections. 48 out of the 60 patients received a complete resolution of vertigo symptoms. All of the cases received some reduction of vertigo severity and or frequency over the course of one to six months of atlas care.
