Did you know that dizziness can come from your neck? We are learning more and more about how damage to certain tissues in the neck can cause cervical vertigo or cervicogenic dizziness.

Common sign & symptoms of cervical vertigo:

• dizziness, unsteadiness, drunkeness feeling, foggy head
• neck pain or stiffness
• decreased range of motion in neck movement
• tight neck or shoulder muscles
• history of previous trauma to the neck (sport injury, motor vehicle accident, excessive sitting in front of PC, etc…)
• made worse or exacerbated by stress, anxiety, or depression

Clinically, cervical vertigo can be a difficult diagnosis. It tends to be a diagnosis by exclusion, meaning other potential causes should be ruled out (inner ear, cardiovascular, neurological, infection, etc.).

Other Testing

Here are some tests that can be done in your chiropractor’s office:

As well, x-rays can be helpful to help with the diagnosis as well. Knowing if there is arthritis, alignment problems, instability, or other problems on x-rays can be very helpful in treating cervical vertigo effectively.

Home Treatment?

Successful treatment of cervicogenic dizziness will require home rehabilitation in addition to in-office care. Here are a few examples of some effective exercises:

Don’t let your neck go unchecked if you are dizzy and told there is nothing wrong. Find your local chiropractor and get to the root cause of your problem.

Keep well balanced,

P.S. Here is another blog about cervicogenic dizziness.