There are several different types of vertigo. One of the most common I see is Cervical Vertigo. This is when, regardless of body position, a person experiences vertigo when their neck is in a certain position. For example, every time you turn your head right and look up it happens.
The culprit in this case is the vertebral artery. There are two main arteries that deliver blood to your brain. One on each side of your neck. Our neck is meant to turn but in these cases that particular turn/position causes one of the arteries to be compressed and deliver less blood.
One of the most common causes is a misalignment of the first cervical vertebrae called the Atlas. The vertebral arteries pass through the outside edges of the Atlas before heading into the skull and delivering blood to the brain. If the Atlas is misaligned and unable to move through its entire range of motion, certain neck postures can cause the artery to get kinked. Think about a water hose that is bent and suddenly doesn’t deliver the same amount of water at the same pressure. This loss of blood flow can cause balance organs to malfunction, and cause a vertigo attack.
An upper cervical chiropractor in New York, Dr. Scott Rosa, has been studying the role of the Atlas and blood flow to the brain for years. He has been able to show, through the use of upright MRI, that an adjustment to the Atlas can restore proper blood flow.
Often the vertebrae has been misaligned due to a whiplash injury. The Atlas gets knocked out of place by the trauma, and the body is unable to return it to normal motion without assistance.
I find this is quite often the case in my vertigo patients. Following a car accident, or some other sort of trauma, they began to suffer from vertigo. Once we confirm that they do, in fact, have a misaligned Atlas, a very gentle and precise correction is made. This correction allows the Atlas to return to normal motion, and the vertebral artery compression no longer occurs, which means the vertigo no longer occurs.
If you are suffering from vertigo in the Fort Myers area, we offer a free screening to find out if your neck is involved. If you are not in SouthWest Florida, I would be happy to help find an upper cervical chiropractor in your area that could determine if your symptoms are coming from your neck.
For a consultation and more information please call us at 239-243-8810.
