Inside your ear is a complicated system essential for maintaining balance called the vestibular system. It includes several different components that ultimately signal to the brain the position of the head in space. When that system malfunctions, you can experience vertigo.
The most common and classic symptom of vertigo is dizziness or a spinning feeling, like you are moving or swaying. People who get vertigo may also experience nausea or vomiting, visual disturbances, or other ear-related problems.
There are many potential causes of vertigo. Sometimes, the issue arises from a problem with the vestibular system, sometimes from the system’s communication with the brain, and sometimes from how the brain interprets the signal it has received.
Subluxations in the body are misalignments of spinal vertebrae that can interfere with that communication and cause nerve dysfunction. Subluxations can certainly be a causative factor of vertigo, so getting your spine and nervous system checked by a doctor of chiropractic can help you find a solution to your vertigo problem. Chiropractors are the only licensed health professionals trained to find and correct these subluxations.
The chiropractic approach is very different from the conventional approach to healing vertigo because chiropractic aims to utilize the body’s innate ability to heal to help resolve the symptoms. Alternatively, conventional medicine often relies on physical maneuvers, medications, or even surgeries to resolve vertigo symptoms.
$99 New Patient Special
We sit knee-to-knee for a detailed consultation on your primary concern to get an overall understanding of your health. We’ll assess your neurology, posture, and biomechanics during our thorough spinal discovery examination. X-rays may be taken to further identify the cause of your health issue.
How Our Care Plan Works
1. Freedom of Knowledge
Even in the worst of circumstances, it helps patients to know exactly what is going on. Through one-on-one doctor patient reports and group education lectures we empower our patients with the knowledge and understanding of their specific problem.
2. Freedom of Choice
The fact that you didn’t know you are supposed to care for your spine from birth is not your fault, but it is your responsibility. OUR responsibility is to guide you in the pathway to health. It’s your choice to decide how you want to participate in your health care.
3. Freedom of Health
Your health is your responsibility. Our job is to share our findings with you and lead and encourage you in the pathway to health. It’s your choice to decide how you want to participate in your health care and how you want to show up in life.
How We Treat Vertigo In Midtown East, NY
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
In our initial meeting with a new patient, doctors perform a thorough intake consultation and Discovery Exam. Our consultation aims to delve deeper into any factors contributing to your health concerns and what your goals are for care. We tailor each exam to your presenting complaint. The doctors at Rowe Chiropractic Offices will assess your posture, the range of motion of your spinal segments, findings from orthopedic testing and analysis to look for evidence of spinal postural subluxation. With vertigo, we will pay special attention to the areas of the body and spine that can be contributing to your symptoms. The goal is to identify the root cause of your vertigo.
It is vitally important to get to the root cause of the problem. Chasing symptoms simply puts a “bandage” on the problem. Addressing the root cause of your symptoms helps your body move towards healing and provides lasting symptom relief.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Midtown East, NY
Subluxations occur when the bones of the spine or posture move out of place and irritate your spinal nerves.
Your nervous system is the master control center of your body. Because your nerves control all of your body’s functions, they must be healthy and able to function unimpeded. Subluxations negatively affect your nervous system health. Depending on the location and presentation of the subluxation, it can affect the nerve function, causing vertigo symptoms. Very commonly, subluxations in the areas of the neck, especially in the topmost bone called the Atlas, can result in vertigo symptoms.
When your chiropractor gives you a specific spinal adjustment, they help realign your spinal structure to relieve the stress and tension on the spinal nerves and cord. This not only works towards creating a strong, optimal spinal structure but also allows your nervous system to function normally again. When the nervous system is able to resume normal function, oftentimes the vertigo symptoms resolve as the nerve irritation is removed.
Chiropractic is unique in how we approach helping a patient with vertigo. Vertigo is, in a sense, a warning signal from your body that something is wrong. Doctors of chiropractic look to see where the precise origin of that symptom is and assist the body in functioning normally again. Other methods often rely on silencing the warning signal or using invasive methods of symptom relief.
The Epley Maneuver
Epley’s Maneuver is a treatment for a specific cause of vertigo called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). It involves a sequence of movements that help to reposition crystals in the inner ear, which cause BPPV.
It is always advised to have a health care provider present, as this involves sitting and lying on an elevated surface with specific movements of the head. The specific steps of the Epley’s Maneuver are as follows: first, sit on the edge of a bed or chair; next, turn your head 45° towards the side of the ear effected by vertigo; then lie down quickly, keeping your head turned 45°; once lying down, turn your head 90° away from the affected ear; then roll to your side, maintaining the rotation of your head; lastly, slowly sit up, putting your head straight ahead in line with your body.
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
Custom therapeutic exercises are determined based on your unique postural subluxation. Your doctor of chiropractic will do a detailed assessment of your posture to determine exactly what exercises you need and how to perform them. These exercises are so important because they help reestablish healthy spinal and nerve function. Healthy spine and nerve function allow the body to function normally, and vertigo symptoms to resolve.
Common Causes of Vertigo in Midtown East, NY
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV describes a specific cause of vertigo that can occur in episodes and is especially triggered by head movements. Episodes are triggered when the carbonate crystals in the inner ear irritate the sensory cells located in the inner ear tubes. This irritation to those sensory cells causes stimulation, which is perceived as vertigo.
A BPPV episode can cause dizziness, spinning, nausea, and loss of balance. It is often triggered by head movement or changes of position. Patients may also experience nystagmus (involuntary eye movements). The episode typically lasts less than a minute.
The best treatment for BPPV is to perform Epley’s maneuver, which reduces irritation to the sensory cells and prevents more crystals from forming.
Labyrinthitis
Labyrinthitis is inflammation of the labyrinth in the inner ear, commonly caused by infections and autoimmune conditions. Symptoms include:
- Vertigo
- Balance issues
- Loss of hearing
- Nausea
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
The best treatment for vertigo caused by labyrinthitis is to reduce inner ear inflammation. Chiropractic adjustments help reduce this inflammation, heal infections, and calm autoimmune flare-ups.
Meniere’s Disease
Meniere’s Disease is an inner ear disorder that is diagnosed by at least two attacks of vertigo lasting 20 minutes to 12 hours.
Symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Tinnitus
- Fluctuating hearing loss that can become permanent
- Feeling of fullness in the ear
- Nausea
- Balance issues
The best treatment for Meniere’s Disease is to reduce any irritating factors that could be contributing to the inner ear irritation. There is no conventional “cure,” but lifestyle changes and chiropractic adjustments can help the body better adapt to the stress that is causing Meniere’s symptoms.
Vestibular Neuritis
Vestibular neuritis is characterized by a sudden, intense spinning vertigo sensation caused by irritation to the vestibular nerve. It is sometimes triggered by a virus, but is often related to other body irritations.
Symptoms include:
- Sudden, intense vertigo
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Lightheadedness
- Balance issues
The best treatment for Vestibular Neuritis is to reduce the inflammation on the vestibular nerve. Chiropractic adjustments help to remove nerve irritation and are a great way to help reduce this nerve irritation.
Concussions
Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries from various types of movement or impact to the head. They temporarily alter brain function and can cause symptoms like:
- Headaches
- Unclear thinking
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Nausea and vomiting
- Light and sound sensitivity
Because a concussion temporarily alters brain function, it can also affect the state of the nerves controlling the Vestibular system. You do not need to lose consciousness or have amnesia to have a concussion; concussions have different grades, and Grade I concussions do not require these symptoms.
A concussion must be treated right away so that the proper treatment and recovery can be done. Because concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury, the brain needs to recover. Initially, that recovery can look like limiting visual and auditory stimulation and resting as much as possible. It is very important for people recovering from concussions to conserve their energy. Eventually, under the care and observation of a healthcare provider, an individual may slowly return to activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can going to a chiropractor in Midtown East, NY, help with vertigo?
Absolutely, the chiropractic doctors at Rowe Chiropractic Offices are well trained to determine the cause of your vertigo, and if there is a possible subluxation component, correct that. In correcting the subluxation, stress is taken off the nerve, allowing the body to let the vertigo symptoms resolve.
Can a misaligned neck cause vertigo?
A neck misalignment can often be a contributing factor to vertigo. Posture distortion or cervical spinal misalignments can impact the spinal and cranial nerves that influence vertigo symptoms.
How do you get rid of vertigo fast?
Speaking with your chiropractor and performing a detailed exam will help determine the potential cause of your vertigo and what the fastest, most effective treatment will be.
Can chiropractic help inner ear problems?
Yes, the chiropractors at Rowe Chiropractic offices can help with spinal and postural subluxations that can be causing nervous system irritation and vertigo symptoms.
Why do I keep getting vertigo?
Vertigo can have many different causes. It is best to speak with your chiropractor to determine the appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Some vertigo symptoms can be transient based on the diagnosis and present at different times.
$99 New Patient Special
We sit knee-to-knee for a detailed consultation on your primary concern to get an overall understanding of your health. We’ll assess your neurology, posture, and biomechanics during our thorough spinal discovery examination. X-rays may be taken to further identify the cause of your health issue.
