Did you know that vertigo and dizziness are as common as headaches and back pain when it comes to reasons for people to go and visit their doctors? Fortunately, vertigo relief in San Diego is accessible. Vertigo is one of the challenges that upper cervical chiropractors continuously deal with regularly.
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Why Does Your Vertigo Need Attention?
In adults and the elderly, falling over is a common danger they all share. Falling from dizzy spells is alarming not only because of possible physical pain but also its neurological effects.
Vertigo affects as many as ten percent of people under 40 years of age. At the age of 40, the incidence of vertigo rises to 40 percent. When it comes to falling, those above the age of 65 have a 25 percent more risk. In 2011, at least 3.9 million people went to the emergency department for reported cases of vertigo or dizziness.
Diagnosing Your Vertigo
Doctors evaluate various cases of vertigo and its accompanying symptoms. First, they will distinguish the difference between peripheral and central vertigo.
In some cases, the doctor will refer you to a neuro-otologist or an otolaryngologist. Important details such as your patient history and exam results are highly important to identify the underlying cause of vertigo in your case.
Next, you will undergo auditory testing, radiologic, blood, and vestibular tests. These different examination procedures will help the diagnosis reach pinpoint accuracy. Only then can they formulate and recommend proper care.
Patient History is Crucial
Patient history is vital. The focus of the examinations is on the symptoms, their nature, how long they last, and the triggers that make them better or worse.
When you say you are “dizzy,” this could mean a lot of different things for many people. The term dizzy can describe falling, unsteadiness, weakness, or vertigo.
Vertigo is a type of dizziness that pertains to an illusion of movement. It always has a rotational component in the feeling of dizziness. You may have a sensation that you are spinning or the things around you appear to be whirling or spinning.
True vertigo is frequently due to an inner ear issue. However, misalignment in the top bones of your neck can also be another cause. Knowing which of these two cases apply to you will make a huge difference in getting a proper diagnosis. The right diagnosis means that appropriate care is possible as well. True vertigo may involve added complications like hearing loss, tinnitus, and ear pressure.
Types of Vertigo Based on Attack Duration
- Episodic vertigo lasts for only a few seconds up to a few minutes. When dizziness happens during changes in the head or body positions, and then it is most likely due to BPPV or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
- If your vertigo happens suddenly and lasts for just a few minutes, then it may be due to a migraine, brain, or vascular disease, especially if you have shown cerebrovascular risk factors.
- Meniere’s disease most likely causes vertigo that continues for hours. Especially true if you also have hearing loss, tinnitus, and congestion or a feeling of fullness in one or both your ears.
- Episodic vertigo lasts for days. If it involves nausea and no other symptoms, then this is usually due to vestibular neuritis. Vertigo of this kind mostly appears after a viral illness.
Central and Peripheral Vertigo
Central vertigo commonly happens as short as 20 minutes to as long as 24 hours. It repeatedly includes brainstem features, such as the following:
- Autonomic symptoms
- Focal weakness
- Diplopia
- Dysarthria
- Dysphagia
- Nausea
People with cerebellar disease are frequently unable to walk with ease when they have a vertigo attack. In contrast, those with peripheral vertigo can naturally walk well during a vertigo attack. Also, they are more aware of the environment around them.
A history of headaches and migraines are associated with migraine-related dizziness. If you had a cold sores or any viral illness, you probably have vestibular neuronitis. Central vertigo has to do with the balance centers of the central nervous system often due to a lesion on the brainstem or cerebellum.
On the other hand, peripheral vertigo is due to an issue with the inner ear or vestibular system (the semicircular canals, the vestibule, and the vestibular nerve). With peripheral vertigo, you will usually have balance issues, nausea and vomiting, hearing loss, tinnitus, ear fullness, and pain in your ear. The most regular type of peripheral vertigo is BPPV or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. This makes up 32 percent of all peripheral vertigo. Some cases bring about facial weakness on the same side as the hearing loss and ear fullness.
Get the Needed Relief for Vertigo
Upper cervical chiropractors help in bringing vertigo relief in San Diego. Most of them have seen great success in caring for their patients. Vertigo often occurs following a misaligned bone in the upper part of the neck, particularly the C1 and C2 vertebrae. These bones protect the delicate brainstem.
Have you endured any sports injury in the past? Did you experience a trip and fall or a car accident? Then your bones may have misaligned. It only takes a fourth of a millimeter misalignment to cause problems within the body and brain. The C1 and C2 are so close to the brainstem that their misalignment exposes the brainstem to stress. The brainstem is responsible for sending signals to and from the body and brain. If there is signal distortion and the brain thinks the body is in motion when it is not, vertigo may appear.
Vertigo Relief in San Diego with Upper Cervical Chiropractic
Consult at Upper Cervical Chiropractic San Diego to achieve vertigo relief. We use a gentle method to correct the misalignment of the C1 and C2 bones. We do not have to resort to popping or cracking the neck or spine to get good results. Instead, we adjust the bones back into place through a series of mild realignment. This procedure does not stress the body but allows it to heal on its own. Many patients have seen an improvement in their vertigo symptoms after visiting us. Some see their vertigo go away and not return.
To schedule a consultation with Upper Cervical Chiropractic San Diego, call 858-434-5926 or just click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
