Struggling with Vertigo in Glen Carbon?

There probably isn’t a day that goes by when we don’t see a dozen or more patients with vertigo in our office. It is such a common condition and yet it can be impossible to overcome unless you get to the right healthcare provider.

The dizziness, instability and imbalance associated with vertigo occur in approximately 50% of all head and/or neck injuries. This includes even mild injuries that don’t require medical attention. Vertigo can be utterly debilitating for some people, causing nausea, vomiting, and even tinnitus or ringing in the ears. And it can make even seemingly simple tasks like driving impossible. It’s been estimated that 10% of the population suffers from vertigo. Typically, the onset of the condition occurs after an injury or trauma to the head or neck.

Your balance, coordination and your body’s position relative to the surrounding environment is communicated back and forth between your inner ear and your brain. Vertigo affects the communication and in turn these functions.

The inner ear and brain communicate signals back and forth regarding balance, coordination, and the body’s position relative to the surrounding environment. Vertigo affects these functions and communications. One of the things that can cause vertigo is misalignment of the top two vertebrae in the upper neck. The joints and nerves in the upper cervical area assist in coordinating eye, head and body movement, posture and spatial orientation. So when those nerves are impinged by the vertebrae it can cause problems such as vertigo.

As upper cervical chiropractors we see these types of patients regularly. By looking at the alignment of the two upper cervical bones in the neck I can see if these vertebrae have shifted and are impeding the function of the brainstem and nerves in a way that is affecting the communication between the ear and the brain. A gentle adjustment can restore the vertebrae to their correct alignment and allow the communication pathways to open and function normally. This can happen after just one adjustment in many cases.

Sue is one of our patients that suffered from vertigo for over 13 years. She used to say she was so embarrassed because when the vertigo would strike she “looked drunk” (and it can strike anytime/anywhere). She used to bounce off the walls, run into door frames and struggle to stand without falling over. The episodes would last from just an hour to several weeks at a time, and there was rarely any trigger factor that would set these attacks off—they would often just strike without warning.

Today, Sue is thrilled that she hasn’t had a single bout of vertigo for over 6 months and is no longer living in fear of when and where the next attack will strike! Thanks to Upper Cervical Care, Sue has truly gotten her life back!

If you have been struggling with dizziness, vomiting, loss of balance, you may be experiencing the symptoms of vertigo. Give us a call today to set up a free consultation!