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Vertigo symptoms can be difficult to describe, but one example is the sensation that the world is spinning around you when, in fact, the environment around you is perfectly still. A popular movie from a few years ago represented vertigo as a fear of heights, which is far from an accurate association. While the symptom of a false spinning sensation is unpleasant, it is not an issue of life or death in it of itself. However, if an episode were to occur during certain circumstances, such as while driving a car or while climbing a high structure, the result could be serious.
The Difference Between Vertigo and Dizziness
Dizziness can be used to indicate a number of different things. It may refer to the following:
- Feeling ligheaded
- Feeling faint
- Feeling unsteady on your feet
Vertigo is different because it simulates the sensation of movement that is not actually happening, according to Dr. Diego Kaski, neuro-otologist at London’s Charing Cross hospital. The signals sent to your brain from your eyes, inner ears, and receptors from body movement in the arms and legs provide you the ability to recognize movement. These signals are confused during an episode of vertigo, giving people the illusion that the world is spinning while they stand still.
The Why Behind Vertigo Episodes
Vertigo could be caused by an inner ear infection called vestibular neuritis that can occur following a cold. However, this cause of vertigo is extremely uncommon and wrongly assessed because vertigo is more often due to the two conditions listed below.
BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo)
This is an issue that arises when crystals that exist inside the inner ear get dislodged and travel from their normal territory, resulting in a communication problem. The problem is that the signals from the ear don’t agree with those coming from receptors in the limbs and eyes. This results in the unpleasant sensation of false movement and even a rapid movement of the eyes called nystagmus. This creates a conflict in the brain, sometimes lasting as long as 30 seconds and can be caused by movement as simple as turning in bed or a shift of the head position.
A migraine
Vertigo episodes happen alongside a headache, for 1 out of 10 people. While vertigo is not normally among the common string of migraine symptoms, these episodes may last for as long as a few days or as little as a few seconds. When this happens, the person will usually be more light sensitive, become easily irritated with noise, and find certain smells intolerable. When relieving this type of episode, it may be similar to relieving a migraine when it comes to identifying triggers and things to avoid.
Relieving Vertigo
Depending on the root cause, relief will vary from case to case. For vestibular neuritis, the usual protocol is getting back to normal life routines as quickly as possible, avoiding bed rest. This shifts the brain to compensate for vertigo, keeping it from becoming a long-term issue.
For BBPV, the Epley maneuver or Brandt-Daroff exercises are often recommended, which are head movement exercises that reset the inner ear organ to balance. Currently there is research on the benefits of using virtual reality glasses and a mobile phone app to help reset the balance organ. Taking medication for BPPV has shown to be ineffective and is not recommended. One more relief care being studied is noninvasive brain stimulation using an electric coil, placed over the head (near the parietal lobe) to try to change electrical activity in this area to possibly relieve vertigo symptoms.
Why Do People Get Vertigo?
Some might conclude that some people are more visually dependent than others. If signals coming from the eyes are not matching the information from the body, the brain can become confused. An example of this is when you are in a parked car, and the car beside you moves, but in the moment you may get confused and think you are moving.
Other Reasons for Vertigo
Meniere’s disease is often linked to vertigo. This is an uncommon issue in the inner ear. A symptom of Meniere’s are 2- or 3-hour-long vertigo episodes, ringing in the ears, and sometimes eventual hearing loss. Here are a few other serious conditions that could cause vertigo:
- Head injuries
- Strokes
- Acoustic neuromas (benign growths on the inner ear nerve)
- Multiple sclerosis
- Brain tumors
There Is Natural, Safe Relief for Vertigo
There may actually be a simple reason for vertigo that has been often overlooked. If the bones in the upper cervical spine are slightly off and need adjusting, they could be to blame. These two vertebrae, the C1 and C2, are responsible for protecting the brainstem, but they are also vulnerable to misalignment. The reason for this is due to their unique mobility as well as their shape. Something as simple as tripping and falling, a head injury from an accident, or a sports injury could put added pressure on the brainstem, causing an upset in signal relay between the brain and body. This is the kind of problem that could result in vertigo symptoms.
Upper cervical chiropractors specialize in the latest technological advances so they can locate these tiny shifts in the vertebrae. A misalignment of this kind could be as small as ¼ of a millimeter and have a major impact, causing a range of health problems. Once located, we use gentle and precise adjustment methods, helping the bones move back to their natural placement, never popping or cracking the spine or neck. Once the spine is corrected and realigned, the body begins repairing damage caused by the previously poorly aligned spine, and nervous system communication is restored. For many patients, this is all that is necessary for relieving or ending vertigo symptoms entirely.
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