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Vertigo is the sensation of the environment moving around you is when there really is no movement. Vertigo is basically a type of dizziness, which is often accompanied by nausea, and loss of balance. It can be a serious and debilitating problem. There are basically two types of vertigo and they are known as Central Vertigo and Peripheral Vertigo.
Central Vertigo
This is a more serious type of vertigo and is often accompanied by serious balance problems and other neurological deficits. There are many disorders that can cause central vertigo such as tumors, epilepsy, and migraines to name a few. This type of vertigo is usually longer lasting than peripheral vertigo and is usually treated with medication or surgery depending on the cause.
Peripheral Vertigo
Peripheral vertigo is generally a problem with the inner ear, which contains our balance organs. These organs are basically fluid-filled chambers that contain nerve endings that respond to our position in space. When there is a problem with this system it could result in 'mixed signals' or the wrong information getting to our brain thus giving us the sensation of dizziness and often nausea.
Types and Causes of Peripheral Vertigo
Motion sickness (ex: from spinning on a carnival ride)Middle ear infections
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
Meniere's disease (pressure or fullness feeling in the ear)
BPPV
BPPV
The most common type of peripheral vertigo is called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV. This occurs when small calcium deposits called otoliths break off and ‘float’ around in the fluid filled chambers causing the nerve fibers to trigger which in turn causes vertigo. In this condition the vertigo is usually made worse by certain head movements. BPPV can be diagnosed by a specific test whereby the head is turned to reproduce the symptoms.
Treatment of Peripheral Vertigo
BPPV: The Epley Maneuver - puts the head through ranges of motion that eventually allow the ‘exit’ of the otoliths from the fluid chambers, thus alleviating the symptoms. This often works within 1 or 2 treatments.
Chiropractic adjustments
Acupuncture
If you develop vertigo or know someone suffering from it, consider these effective drug free approaches. Please call the office to book your consultation and therapy: 519-258-8544
