Vertigo and Dizziness

Central Vertigo

Central Vertigo has its roots in the central nervous system or brain and spinal cord. Head movement or changes in position do not impact this condition. Central Vertigo occurs gradually and produces chronic mild symptoms. It can cause varying degrees of nausea and vomiting.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord nerves. Central Vertigo is usually not very severe for individuals with MS, but it can persist for days or weeks.

Migraine Headaches

Central Vertigo frequently occurs in people who have migraine headaches, even when they aren’t having migraines. Central Vertigo for these individuals can be constant or depend on position and can last for as long as 24 hours.

Head or Neck Trauma

Spinal misalignment is a part of a head or neck injury. When this occurs, the spine can compress or displace nerves. This is called spinal subluxation, and it can interfere with the nerves that help carry sensory signals. As a result, the brain has an altered perception of movement.

Cervical Spondylosis Degeneration

Cervical spondylosis is the age-related wearing down of the discs in the neck or cervical spine. Since these discs act as shock absorbers, there is additional pressure on the spinal nerves when they are worn down. Blood flow to the inner ear and brain is also reduced. As a result, nerve communication to the brain regarding movement is diminished, altered, or missing, leading to Central Vertigo.

Other Causes of Vertigo

Some other causes of vertigo include circulatory issues, air pressure changes, motion sickness, or drug or alcohol use. Sometimes, it can be caused by a brain tumor or exposure to toxins, so it is always important to seek medical care for vertigo.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Vertigo and Dizziness

Since balance depends heavily on nerve function, our chiropractors offer natural vertigo and dizziness treatment options to help patients. When patients come to us for natural vertigo and dizziness help, we perform a detailed assessment, including physical examination and possibly scans. Once we’ve determined a patient has vertigo, we can verify the diagnosis using the Dix-Hallpike maneuver. Detailed interviews and movement analysis are two more methods we use here at West Suburban Wellness to find the root cause of their dizziness and vertigo symptoms.

Natural Vertigo Treatment

Once we’ve found the root cause of a patient’s vertigo, we can offer them one or more treatments. We can also prescribe a series of exercises for home use.

Spinal Manipulation

Since movement and balance depend so much on nerve communication, removing subluxation through spinal manipulation can restore the free flow of information between the brain and body. The nerves traveling between the upper neck and inner ear impact balance, blood flow, and immune function. Our chiropractors gently coax this region back into proper alignment using their hands.

Canalith Repositioning Procedure

This procedure is designed for patients with BPPV and involves placing the head in a series of four positions. These positions are important because they are designed to move the calcium crystals back into a safe location. Each position is held for 30 to 45 seconds.

Epley’s Maneuver

Epley’s maneuver is another technique we use to bring inner ear crystals back into proper position. Although the goal is the same as for the canalith repositioning procedure, the movements are different. In this technique, we reposition the entire body, not just the head. Another difference is that the movements differ depending on which ear is affected. Each position is held for 30 seconds.

Prescribed Movement

Since movement relies heavily on balance, we are very careful when designing any movement program for individuals with vertigo or dizziness. The exercises we prescribe are gentle and keep the head in as stationary of a position as possible.

An example of the exercises we provide is the Brandt-Daroff Habituation Exercise. To perform this exercise, the patient sits on the edge of their bed and turns their head 45 degrees. Then, they quickly lay down on the side opposite the head turn direction. Repeating this exercise is a way to reposition inner ear crystals at home.

Natural Treatment for Vertigo and Dizziness

Many people shrug off dizziness or think that they must live with their vertigo. If you fall into either of these groups or somewhere in the middle, we have excellent news. Our chiropractors are dedicated to helping you find natural vertigo solutions to reduce dizziness, nausea, and other symptoms. Please give us a call today to experience what our West Suburban Wellness team can do for you.