Vertigo Chiropractor

How a Chiropractor Can Help with Vertigo

Chiropractors approach the treatment of a condition like vertigo by identifying the root cause of your symptoms. In many cases, vertigo is a symptom of a larger issue that is impacting your health and well-being. Your balance and stability are controlled in part by the inner ear. Any disruption or issue to your vestibular system can cause symptoms like dizziness and vertigo. Your spinal column runs from the base of your skull through your neck and back. It houses the central nervous system, where a series of nerve roots help send signals from your brain to the rest of your body. Any health condition or injury that impacts your spine or the central nervous system can cause uncomfortable symptoms. One of your senses is known as proprioception and helps support your awareness of body position and movement. Injury or issue that affects these receptors can affect signals in your brain and nerves that control your vestibular system, which results in vertigo. A vertigo chiropractor will want to identify what is affecting your balance and orientation.

Causes of Vertigo

There are many possible causes of vertigo. Here are six examples of what can cause vertigo and how a chiropractor can help.

Head Injuries

A head injury like a concussion can cause you to experience symptoms like dizziness and vertigo. A concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Symptoms of a TBI can also affect you long after the initial injury occurred. Whether you suffered a head injury during a car accident or while playing sports, a vertigo chiropractor can help. Head injuries can affect the healthy functioning of your brain and nervous system. A blow to the side of your head could also impact your inner ear, which is what helps control your balance and stability.

Neck Injuries

A neck injury can also lead to symptoms like vertigo, known as cervical vertigo. The cervical spine refers to the first seven vertebrae of your spine in the neck. When you experience a neck injury, it can impact the spine in your neck and the surrounding nerve roots. Cervical vertigo can occur with a neck injury, causing dizziness, disorientation, and unsteadiness. Neck pain and cervical vertigo typically occur at the same time as a neck injury. Neck injuries can also affect your typical range of motion, making it difficult to turn your head side to side or up and down. Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries and can cause muscle strain and spinal issues.

Migraines

Migraine attacks are more than just a headache. They can cause severe symptoms, including pain, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. There are also many different types of migraines, which can also have unique symptoms. One type of migraine that can cause vertigo is known as a vestibular migraine. A vestibular migraine can cause you to experience repeated dizziness or vertigo. Dizziness or vertigo may last only for a few minutes or for hours at a time. Other symptoms can occur with a vestibular migraine, including feeling unsteady or disoriented. Not everyone who experiences vestibular migraines have headache pain and vertigo at the same time. Some people may experience vertigo before or after a migraine attack.

Inner Ear Issues

There are several types of inner ear issues that could cause vertigo. A buildup of ear wax or calcium in the inner ear can disrupt your balance and coordination. An ear infection could also cause inflammation, which may put added pressure on your inner ear and cause vertigo. Ear infections and other inner ear issues tend to be temporary and may only cause vertigo and other uncomfortable symptoms for a short period of time.

Vestibular Disorders

Unlike issues with the inner ear, vestibular disorders refer to disease or damage to the vestibular system. Your vestibular system is what helps you maintain your balance and coordination. One type of vestibular disorder is known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, which can cause you to feel like you are swaying or the environment around you is spinning. Meniere’s disease is a vestibular disorder that can cause a sudden vertigo attack, along with other symptoms like tinnitus, which is a ringing or roaring sound in your ears.

Medications

Certain medications can also cause vertigo as a side effect. Talk to your doctor if you start to experience vertigo after taking a new medication. Medications like anti-depressants, anti-convulsants, contraceptives, and anti-inflammatory drugs can have unintended side effects of dizziness and vertigo.

Symptoms of Vertigo

Vertigo can happen to anyone. One minute, you are standing comfortably on your own two feet, and the next, you feel as if you are on a boat in the middle of a storm. Vertigo can make you feel like the world around you is spinning or swaying. You may start to feel like you aren’t able to get your balance. Vertigo can cause mild symptoms like feeling like you are tilting or swaying slightly. It can also cause severe symptoms that leave you feeling off-balance or susceptible to falling. Vertigo symptoms can vary from person to person. Some people who have had vertigo also reported feeling a sudden onset of headaches, nausea, and sweating. Other people who have experienced vertigo also noted a ringing in the ears. Vertigo symptoms can come on suddenly and leave you feeling disoriented and unsteady. It is quite common for symptoms of vertigo to come on suddenly and without warning.

Addressing the Root Cause of Vertigo

If you are suddenly experiencing bouts of vertigo, then you will want to see a vertigo chiropractor. Your chiropractor or doctor can help identify the root cause of your vertigo and other symptoms you may have noticed. For many people, the cause of vertigo lies in the head, neck, and spine. Identifying what is causing your vertigo is key to experiencing lasting relief from this incredibly uncomfortable condition. Chiropractic care for vertigo will involve addressing the root cause of your vertigo. You might be surprised at what is actually causing your vertigo, especially if you haven’t suffered a recent injury or illness. Vertigo can be a scary experience, no matter what the cause. You shouldn’t have to figure out what is causing your vertigo on your own. Doctors and chiropractors specialize in identifying the underlying condition and developing an appropriate plan for treatment accordingly.

How the Spine and Nerves Impact Vertigo

The vertebrae in your neck, also known as the cervical spine, can have a significant impact on symptoms like vertigo. The inner ear is actually connected to some of the vertebrae in your neck by a series of nerves. An issue in the cervical spine can disrupt the healthy functioning of the inner ear. A blockage or misalignment in the spine may prevent nerves from effectively communicating between your brain and the inner ear. A buildup of fluid on the inner ear can also put significant pressure on your vestibular system that controls your balance. When this occurs, you are more likely to experience dizziness, disorientation, and other common symptoms of vertigo. By addressing the root cause of your vertigo, a vertigo chiropractor can identify what nerves and cervical vertebrae are contributing to your uncomfortable symptoms.

Chiropractic Care for Vertigo

Chiropractors use a wide range of techniques and treatment approaches that are all-natural and drug-free. Chiropractic care for vertigo may include chiropractic adjustments to help resolve misalignments of the cervical vertebrae. Vertigo chiropractors can identify issues in the spine like misalignments that may be putting pressure on the nerves that control the inner ear and lead to balance issues like vertigo. Here are three ways chiropractic care for vertigo can help you experience lasting relief.

Reducing Pain & Inflammation

Chiropractors use natural and specialized techniques to reduce pain and inflammation. A vertigo chiropractor will look for signs of vestibular migraines that may be causing your dizziness and vertigo symptoms. They can also help treat a wide range of head and neck injuries that are causing your symptoms. Chiropractors work with bones, joints, and soft tissues to help reduce inflammation. Swelling and inflammation can put pressure on nerves and actually make your pain and discomfort worse. Your vertigo chiropractor will use safe and gentle adjustments and other techniques to reduce the pain and inflammation that may be contributing to your vertigo symptoms.

Relieving Tension

A buildup of tension around the inner ear and cervical spine can also contribute to uncomfortable symptoms like vertigo. A vertigo chiropractor will help relieve tension that may be exacerbating your symptoms. Chiropractic care for vertigo can include techniques like chiropractic adjustments, ultrasound, and therapeutic massage to relieve tension. A recent head or neck injury could also cause you to tense the muscles in your neck and upper back. Tense, strained muscles can put a lot of pressure on nerves and impact the healthy functioning of other systems in the body.

Improving Balance

Your vertigo chiropractor can also help you improve your balance. Chiropractic care for vertigo offers a full-body approach because of how it addresses the root cause of your symptoms. Because vertigo can disrupt your balance, identifying the source is the first step. Then your chiropractor for vertigo can help identify parts of the body that can help improve your balance. Strengthening your muscles and improving your posture are two ways to naturally support better balance and equilibrium in the body. If the range of motion in your neck is impacted due to a recent injury or other health condition, then you may also have trouble with balance. Providing treatment for an injury will help address a wide range of symptoms that are affecting you, in addition to vertigo. Your vertigo chiropractor can also walk you through effective exercises to help you strengthen your vestibular system.

Making Lifestyle Changes

Chiropractors take a holistic approach to addressing whatever is causing your pain and discomfort. This includes education and support on how to improve your lifestyle. Your chiropractor may help you identify any triggers in your life that might be contributing to your experience of vertigo. For example, certain foods or smells may trigger a migraine and then lead to uncomfortable dizziness and vertigo. Your vertigo chiropractor may make recommendations for how to improve your diet and ward off vertigo. People with Meniere’s disease may experience worsened vertigo symptoms due to foods high in salt. Keeping a food diary can help you identify potential triggers of vertigo.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care with AICA

Visit AICA Orthopedics in Atlanta and meet with our quality team of vertigo chiropractors. Experience comprehensive care for vertigo treatment that will include an individualized treatment plan for your specific symptoms and root cause. Our team of chiropractors, neurologists, physical therapists, and orthopedic doctors work together in one convenient location so you can get the quality care you deserve. AICA Orthopedics in Atlanta features chiropractors who specialize in diagnosing and treating vertigo. Once correctly diagnosed, you can get started on a personalized plan for how to resolve vertigo symptoms and prevent future attacks. Our team of vertigo chiropractors understands the biomechanics of what it takes to keep you in balance. Visit AICA Orthopedics in Atlanta to schedule an appointment with a vertigo chiropractor today!