Two Types of Vertigo - One Natural Approach

At some time or another, we’ve all experienced what it’s like to be dizzy.  Usually, that feeling that your surroundings are whirling or spinning around you has a reason, like stepping off a ride at the fair or playing on the playground with your children.  However, dizzy spells or vertigo attacks can arise suddenly, and this can be very disconcerting.  To understand the condition of vertigo a little better, let’s break it down into its two types: peripheral and central.

Peripheral Vertigo

Peripheral vertigo is by far the most common type, caused by issues with the inner ear.  The role of the inner ear is to aid in balance, so when there’s a problem within the inner ear, it can cause vertigo symptoms.  Examples of peripheral vertigo include:

• Meniere’s Disease
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
• Labyrinthitis

Central Vertigo

Central vertigo is a problem with the central nervous system, and can have more serious causes such as:

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Head injury
• Migraines
• Infection or illness

What Relief Options Are Available?

Regardless of the type of vertigo you present with, most medical relief approaches set their sights on symptomatic relief.  This usually comes in the form of various medications to treat the dizziness, nausea, headaches, and possible hearing issues.  While symptomatic relief is important, medications and other therapies are just stop-gap measures until the next episode inevitably occurs.

Getting to the Root Cause of Vertigo

Upper cervical chiropractic care is being sought out more and more for the lasting results vertigo sufferers are able to achieve.  Spinal misalignments in the upper portion of the neck can hinder normal communication between the brain and body.  The vertebrae, whose job it is to protect the brainstem and spinal cord, can create interference in the communication of signals that carry information about balance and body position when they shift out of normal alignment from an injury or wear and tear.

We assess each of our patients individually to determine if a specific atlas misalignment may be a contributing factor in their condition.  In a study of 60 patients with chronic vertigo undergoing upper cervical chiropractic care, all patients experienced a reduction in the frequency and/or severity of their attacks, with 48 of the 60 reporting a complete resolution of their symptoms.

References:

https://www.webmd.com/brain/types-of-vertigo?page=3

Elster E. Sixty Patients With Chronic Vertigo Undergoing Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care to Correct Vertebral Subluxation: A Retrospective Analysis. J Vert Sub Res [Internet]. 2006 [cited 29 March 2016];2006(Nov):1-9. Available from: https://vertebralsubluxation.sharepoint.com/Pages/2006_1174_Vertigo.aspx

About the Author

Dr. Geoff Besso, DC, DCCJP

Besso Clinic of Chiropractic

Dr. Geoff Besso graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Clemson University. Following his bachelor’s degree he enrolled at the prestigious Life University in Atlanta, Georgia. After a four year intensive program, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 2002. He became an upper cervical chiropractor in Stow in 2005. Dr. Besso and his wife, Amy Besso, DC, opened their practice in Stow, Ohio, in 2005 and have been blessed to help thousands of patients with conditions ranging from Fibromyalgia to Migraine Headaches to Meniere’s Disease.