Vertigo is a specific form of dizziness – one that causes a false sensation of spinning. The dizziness that characterizes vertigo arises from either the inner ear or from parts of the nervous system that give the body its sense of balance. Other symptoms that can come along with vertigo are nausea, vomiting, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and even hearing loss itself.
When it comes to treatment options, the common options are few. Usually, it's either medications or therapies to try and remedy the problem. However, research shows big promise for those looking for a natural and lasting solution.
A look at the facts of two separate studies sheds some good light on the connection between the health and alignment of your spine and vertigo. One study looked at 139 people with medically diagnosed Meniere's disease, of which vertigo is a major component. Every one of the people in the study suffered some type of trauma to the neck, most from car accidents, that caused a whiplash-type injury. Under upper cervical chiropractic care, 136 of the 139 experienced an absence or dramatic reduction in their symptoms. Another study looked at 60 patients with chronic vertigo. Of the 60, 56 of them could recall some kind of trauma to the head or neck, whether it was from a car accident, sporting injury, or just a slip and fall. All of the patients in this study either saw a disappearance or reduction of their symptoms.
What do these people have in common? As a result of injuries, all the people in these studies suffered from an upper cervical misalignment. Your atlas vertebra is the one that sits just beneath the skull, and when you sustain some type of trauma to the head or neck, it is very likely to misalign. When this occurs, the brainstem and spinal cord that the atlas usually protects are compromised, and normal signals that travel between the brain and body can be obstructed. This can lead to the many symptoms of a vertigo attack. At Advanced Spinal Care, we take each of our patients through a thorough analysis to determine if an atlas misalignment is at the root of your vertigo. If it is, you may become another success story like those in the studies above through upper cervical chiropractic.
References:
Burcon MT, Upper cervical specific protocol and results for 139 patients with medically diagnosed Meniere's disease. J Vert Sublux Res 2010; Nov:1-10.
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