Do you ever feel dizzy and nauseous? Here in Brighton our chiropractors commonly treat that unpleasant sensation of being all at sea (with the accompanying sea sickness).
Dizziness or vertigo may have several causes, such as infection of the inner ear (labyrinthitis) or be the result of a neck injury like whiplash. An increase in dizziness is unfortunately also to be expected as we age, due to the degeneration of the vestibular system in your inner ear. About 50% of cases of vertigo in older people are caused by Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) – also called Positional or Benign Vertigo. Despite the ‘benign’ in its title, it can be very disabling. It’s often accompanied by tinnitus, sweating and vomiting.
So what can your chiropractor do for vertigo? And are there any red flags to look out for?
What Causes Vertigo?
Vertigo involves a spinning sensation and poor balance. Your sense of balance is controlled by the inner ear. In the bone of the skull next to the middle ear (that’s the space inside the eardrum) is the inner ear, a compartment which contains the cochlea (the hearing apparatus) and next to that three little semicircular canals, filled with fluid and lined with small calcium crystals. These are the labyrinths, which line up at right angles on different planes. Their job is to communicate to the brain via vestibular nerves the direction in which the head is moving and how to balance your body.
Anything that confuses the labyrinth feedback will interfere with your balance. This means that there are dozens of potential causes of vertigo. Neck problems, ear infections, certain medications and some more serious conditions can all produce symptoms, so your chiropractor will do careful neurological tests to determine how to proceed. Red flags would be dizziness and nausea combined with difficulty in speaking and swallowing, along with certain visual changes. If necessary, you’ll be advised to arrange a check-up with your doctor.
How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help Vertigo?
The neck has lots of nerve endings which also tell the brain about movement and position. Muscle spasm and joint stiffness in the neck can cause dizziness – so called cervicogenic dizziness. Our chiropractors can find these neck problems and correct them with gentle movements to loosen joints and muscles.
Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is another condition which can be successfully treated by a chiropractor. When the tiny crystals (otoliths) in the canals of the inner ear detach and accumulate in the wrong part of the labyrinth, the signals telling your brain the exact position of your head become confused. This leads to the vertigo of BPPV. Once this condition is diagnosed, your chiropractor can employ a specific and well tolerated technique called the Epley Manoeuvre to reposition the otoliths within the middle ear so that they no longer interfere with the signals being sent to the brain. You’ll then be advised on vestibular rehabilitation exercises to carry out at home. The success rate for this approach over a series of treatments is 80%.
So don’t put up with dizziness and nausea. Give us a ring or book online for an appointment today.