In "Dizzy: What You Need to Know About Managing and Treating Balance Disorders," Jack J. Wazen and Deborah Mitchell explore the many different causes and treatments for vertigo or dizziness including the causes and treatments for cervical vertigo. Wazen and Mitchell explain that cervical vertigo is caused by a injury to the neck or whiplash and is characterized by a misalignment of the cervical vertebrae that interrupt the signals traveling to your brain, skin, joints, and muscles and cause dizziness. Chiropractic treatments offer you relief for cervical vertigo symptoms.
Vertebrae Manipulation
In "Doctor Yourself: Natural Healing That Works," Andrew W. Saul explains that chiropractic adjustment of the upper cervical neck vertebrae can provide dizziness relief. A chiropractor can manipulate the two top vertebrae, the atlas and the axis, to help reduce instances of dizziness. In "Principles and Practice of Chiropractic," Scott Haldeman explains that many people have reported relief from dizziness after spinal manipulation therapy. The chiropractor will have to rotate your neck to determine if you experience dizziness upon neck rotation and then will manipulate your cervical vertebrae in an effort to diminish issues with vertigo and dizziness.
Treatment
In an article appearing online in The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, entitled "Cervicogenic Vertigo: A Report of Three Cases," Pierre Côté, Silvano A Mior, and Don Fitz-Ritson, from the Department of Postgraduate and Continuing Education at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, Canada, outline a treatment regimen for cervical vertigo. The chiropractor will have an initial visit with you to get your medical history, to discuss your symptoms, and to diagnose your condition. He may order x-rays or an MRI to get a look at your cervical vertebrae to spot any potential compressions of the bones and discs that might be the cause of your vertigo. The chiropractor will also conduct range of motion tests by having you seat yourself in a swiveling stool, mobilizing your head, and having you move your body to the left and right to see if the vertigo can be reproduced.
If you are diagnosed with cervical vertigo, you may require one or more treatments involving spinal manipulation of the C1, C2, and C3 vertebrae in your neck: the first three bones in your neck beneath the base of your skull. The chiropractor may also use massage and soft tissue manipulation to alleviate any muscular tension associated with your compressed vertebrae, which can contribute to dizziness and vertigo.
Exercises
The chiropractor will instruct you about stretching, strengthening, and range of motion exercises to increase your neck's mobility and diminish issues with dizziness. Perform the exercises as instructed daily to improve your condition. You may also be advised about Vestibular Habituation Training, which helps you to become accustomed to the sense of imbalance you feel when you are in motion. This type of exercise involves sitting on the edge of a bed and leaning your body roughly 30 degrees into the direction that you first start to experience vertigo. You will hold that position for a period of 30 seconds and return to your normal sitting posture; the exercise is conducted five to ten times daily for 21 days, and vertigo relief is gradual when the exercises are performed.
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