Dizziness is a common complaint describing various sensations, such as feeling off-balance, lightheaded, or unsteady. Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness characterized by the false sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving, often accompanied by nausea. Determining the underlying cause is necessary before assessing if chiropractic care can offer a solution.
Understanding Different Causes of Dizziness
Dizziness originates from several systems, primarily categorized as peripheral or central. Peripheral causes relate to the inner ear, or vestibular system. For example, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) occurs when tiny calcium carbonate crystals (otoconia) become dislodged and migrate into the inner ear’s semicircular canals, causing brief, intense spinning sensations when the head changes position.
Central causes are more serious, arising from issues within the brain or central nervous system, such as a stroke, multiple sclerosis, or tumors. These require immediate medical attention and are not managed by chiropractic treatment.
The third category is cervicogenic dizziness, the primary focus area for chiropractic intervention. This condition originates from a problem in the neck (cervical spine), often following whiplash or due to degenerative conditions. It is characterized by chronic unsteadiness or a floating sensation, which can be triggered or worsened by neck movement. Chiropractors address dizziness related to musculoskeletal or biomechanical dysfunction in the neck.
The Chiropractic Approach to Dizziness
The mechanism for how chiropractic care addresses dizziness centers on the body’s proprioceptive system—the sense of position and movement in space. The upper cervical spine (C1 and C2) is densely populated with specialized nerve endings called mechanoreceptors that provide the brain constant sensory information about head and neck position.
When upper neck joints are restricted or improperly aligned, this input becomes faulty. This disruption creates a sensory mismatch between signals from the neck, eyes, and inner ear, which the brain interprets as disequilibrium or dizziness.
Chiropractic adjustments aim to restore normal joint motion and alignment in the cervical spine. By correcting mechanical dysfunction, treatment normalizes the proprioceptive input from the neck to the central nervous system. Restoring this accurate signaling pathway helps the brain correctly process spatial orientation, reducing sensations of unsteadiness and dizziness.
Specific Treatment Procedures
The specific manual procedures used depend on the root cause of the patient’s symptoms. For cervicogenic dizziness, primary treatment involves targeted spinal manipulation (chiropractic adjustment). These adjustments focus on the upper cervical vertebrae to improve mobility, reduce joint restriction, and correct faulty proprioceptive signaling.
Mobilization techniques (gentler, non-thrust movements) and soft tissue work are incorporated to address surrounding muscle tension and stiffness. The treatment plan often includes rehabilitative exercises to strengthen deep neck flexors and improve overall posture and stability.
For patients diagnosed with BPPV, a chiropractor may perform the Epley maneuver or a similar canalith repositioning procedure. This involves precise head and body movements designed to use gravity to move the dislodged calcium crystals out of the semicircular canals. This maneuver is a vestibular procedure, distinctly different from a spinal adjustment addressing neck mechanics.
Identifying Serious Symptoms Requiring Immediate Care
While chiropractic care is effective for specific types of dizziness, it is not a substitute for medical diagnosis, especially when serious underlying conditions are present. Certain accompanying symptoms, known as “red flags,” necessitate immediate consultation with a medical doctor or emergency services. These symptoms suggest a central cause, such as a stroke or other neurological event, requiring urgent intervention.
Red flag symptoms include the sudden onset of a severe headache described as the “worst headache of your life,” or dizziness paired with new neurological deficits. These deficits include slurred speech, double vision, difficulty walking, weakness, or numbness on one side of the body. Other serious signs include chest pain, difficulty breathing, or fainting. If any of these symptoms occur, professional medical help should be sought immediately.