Can A Chiropractor Help with Vertigo?
Updated: Aug 6
Have you ever felt like the room is spinning around you, even when you're standing still? If so, you may be experiencing vertigo, a condition that can make you feel dizzy, unbalanced, and nauseous. Vertigo is often an aggravating and incapacitating sensation, hindering your capacity to carry out everyday activities and enjoy life's pleasures to the fullest.
Understanding Vertigo
Vertigo is dizziness that makes you feel like you or your surroundings are spinning or moving, even when you're stationary. Nausea, vomiting, headaches, and balance problems can accompany it. Ear problems in the inner ear, which is critical in maintaining balance and spatial orientation, can also cause vertigo.
Common Causes of Vertigo
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): BPPV arises when tiny calcium crystals within the inner ear become displaced, migrating into the fluid-filled canals. This displacement triggers dizziness and vertigo, particularly during head movements.
Vestibular Neuritis or Labyrinthitis: These conditions involve inflammation affecting the vestibular nerve or the inner ear. Such inflammation often manifests as vertigo, dizziness, and challenges with balance.
Meniere's Disease: Characterized by disturbances within the inner ear, Meniere's Disease brings about symptoms like vertigo, hearing loss, ear ringing, and a sensation of ear fullness.
Ear Infections: Infections, whether viral or bacterial, targeting the inner ear or the ear canal can precipitate symptoms of vertigo.
Head or Neck Injuries: Traumatic incidents involving the head or neck can disrupt the proper functioning of the vestibular system, thereby instigating bouts of vertigo.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help with Vertigo?
Chiropractic care focuses on the connection between the body's structure, particularly the spine, and its function. Chiropractors use gentle adjustments to correct misalignments in the spine and other joints, which can help alleviate vertigo symptoms. Here's how long term chiropractic care may help with vertigo:
Reducing Nerve Interference: Misalignments in the cervical spine (neck) can irritate the nerves that control balance and spatial orientation. Chiropractic adjustments can help reduce this interference, allowing the nervous system to function more effectively.
Improving Blood Flow: Chiropractic adjustments can help improve blood circulation to the inner ear and brain, reducing inflammation and promoting healing in the vestibular system.
Addressing BPPV: For individuals with BPPV, chiropractors can perform the Epley maneuver, a series of specific head and body movements that help guide the displaced calcium crystals back into their proper position in the inner ear.
Providing Exercises and Lifestyle Advice: Chiropractors can show you exercises to improve your balance and coordination, as well as offer advice on lifestyle modifications that may help manage your vertigo symptoms.
Chiropractor for Dizziness
If you're encountering sensations of dizziness and vertigo, seeking guidance from a healthcare professional is essential for identifying the root cause. A chiropractor with expertise in treating vertigo can perform a comprehensive evaluation, which includes reviewing your medical history, conducting a physical assessment, and administering tests to evaluate your balance and vestibular function.
Based on the findings, your chiropractor will develop a personalized treatment that may include spinal adjustments, the Epley maneuver, and other therapeutic techniques. They may also collaborate with other healthcare providers, such as ENT doctors or neurologists, to ensure comprehensive care.
Can a Chiropractor Make Vertigo Worse?
When performed by a trained and licensed chiropractor, chiropractic care is generally safe and unlikely to worsen vertigo. However, in rare cases, individuals with certain underlying conditions, such as vertebral artery dissection or severe osteoporosis, may be at higher risk for complications following neck adjustments.
It's crucial to inform your chiropractor about your medical history, medications, and any other treatments you're receiving for vertigo. This information will help them tailor your treatment plan to minimize risks, soreness, and side effects and optimize results.
Vertigo Treatment
In addition to chiropractic care, several other treatments may help alleviate vertigo symptoms:
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT): VRT entails a form of physical therapy aimed at enhancing balance, alleviating dizziness, and facilitating the adaptation of the brain to vestibular alterations through targeted exercises.
Medications: Depending on the origin of your vertigo, your physician might prescribe medications like antihistamines, anticholinergics, or steroids to mitigate inflammation and address symptoms effectively.
Surgery: In exceptional circumstances, surgical intervention may be required to address underlying conditions triggering vertigo, such as acoustic neuroma or Meniere's disease.
Lifestyle Adjustments: Embracing a healthy lifestyle encompassing a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and stress management techniques can enhance overall well-being and diminish the frequency and severity of vertigo episodes.
Neck Adjustment for Vertigo
Though moving your head while having neck pain or head injuries can cause pain, short term treatment options may work. Chiropractic neck adjustments, or cervical manipulations, can effectively treat vertigo caused by cervical spine misalignments or nerve irritation. By gently manipulating the joints and soft tissues of the neck, chiropractors aim to restore proper alignment, reduce nerve interference, and improve the overall function of the vestibular system.
However, it's essential to note that neck adjustments may not be appropriate for everyone with vertigo. Your chiropractor will carefully evaluate your condition and determine whether cervical manipulations are safe and likely to benefit you.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
The Epley maneuver can often effectively treat BPPV. This technique involves a series of specific head and body movements that help relocate the displaced calcium crystals in the inner ear, reducing symptoms of dizziness and vertigo.
Chiropractors trained in the Epley maneuver can perform this treatment in their office, often providing relief within a few sessions. They may also teach you how to perform the maneuver at home to manage recurrent episodes of BPPV.
Seek Chiropractic Care for Vertigo Relief
If you're struggling with vertigo, don't let it control your life. Chiropractic care offers a safe, non-invasive approach to managing vertigo symptoms and improving your overall quality of life. While chiropractic adjustments and the Epley maneuver are integral to treating vertigo, the frequency of visits can be tailored to individual needs, depending on the specific symptoms and progression of treatment. Consistent sessions are often recommended to achieve and maintain optimal results. At MŪV Chiropractic Boulder, our experienced Boulder chiropractors dedicate themselves to helping you find relief from vertigo and other balance disorders.
We understand that vertigo can impact your daily activities and well-being, and we're here to support you every step of the way. Our personalized treatment plans combine chiropractic adjustments, the Epley maneuver, and other therapeutic techniques to address the root cause of your vertigo and promote healing.
If you're ready to take control of your vertigo and experience the benefits of chiropractic care, contact MŪV Chiropractic Boulder today to schedule a consultation. Our compassionate and skilled team will create a treatment plan designed for your unique needs, helping you regain your balance and enjoy life to its fullest.
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