At some time or another, we’ve all experienced the sensation of dizziness. It’s that feeling that your surroundings are whirling or spinning around that you get when you step off a ride at the fair or spin around on the playground with your children. However, dizzy spells that arise suddenly, with no apparent cause, can be the result of a more severe condition known as vertigo.
What Is Vertigo?
Vertigo is a disorienting sensation of spinning, whirling, or moving when one is not actually in motion. It can significantly impact not only a person’s balance but also their overall quality of life. Unfortunately, many patients who suffer from episodes of vertigo struggle to understand why they have the symptoms in the first place. Worse, this lack of understanding can make finding effective relief more challenging.
To better understand vertigo, let’s divide it into two distinct types: peripheral and central. These two types have different causes, symptoms, and treatment approaches. This article will explore the differences between central and peripheral vertigo, their symptoms, and how Upper Cervical Chiropractic care can offer a natural, drug-free option to help manage both conditions.
Peripheral vs. Central Vertigo
Vertigo is referred to as either central or peripheral based on where the symptoms originate.
Both types are caused by dysfunction in the body's balance centers, either the inner ear or the central nervous system. Conditions stemming from nervous system issues are classified as central vertigo, whereas problems originating in the inner ear are considered peripheral vertigo. Let’s break it down a little further.
Peripheral Vertigo
Peripheral vertigo is caused by inner ear problems, which, as we’ve mentioned earlier, play a critical role in maintaining balance. The vestibular system, a complex network of fluid-filled canals and sensory cells, is safely tucked in the inner ears. It sends signals to the brain about head orientation, motion, and body position. If the system somehow becomes dysfunctional, these signals get disrupted. When that happens, your brain receives mixed signals, causing you to experience dizziness, false movement, or vertigo. Below are some of the most common issues that can cause a peripheral vertigo attack:
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
BPPV is a condition that affects a large percentage of patients who experience vertigo. It is a condition that occurs when the small calcium crystals in the semicircular canals dislodge and float in the fluid of your inner ear. The movement of the crystals in the fluid makes you feel dizzy or experience mild to severe spinning sensations. Sometimes, an ear injury can lead to BPPV.
Meniere’s Disease
Meniere’s is an inner ear disorder that triggers vertigo attacks accompanied by ear congestion and tinnitus. It can also cause temporary hearing loss, vomiting, and nausea. The disorder stems from the abnormal accumulation of fluids inside the ear, which puts pressure on the vestibular nerve.
Vestibular Neuronitis
This type of inner ear infection can interfere with the signals sent by the vestibulocochlear nerve to the brainstem. Ultimately, the condition causes vertigo episodes, which can persist or recur until the nerve inflammation subsides and the infection clears up.
Labyrinthitis
Similar to vestibular neuronitis, labyrinthitis also causes brain and body miscommunication. Often, it stems from either a viral or bacterial ear infection. Until the infection goes away, you may experience vertigo episodes, fluctuating ear loss, and ringing inside the ear.
Neck or Head Injury
Many patients who experience vertigo attacks have neck or head injuries such as whiplash or concussion. Some had seemingly healed from their original injury before their vertigo episodes started. Others experience spinning sensations during the recovery period.
Signs and Symptoms of Peripheral Vertigo
Peripheral vertigo is more common and generally less severe than central vertigo. The signs and symptoms include:
Sudden onset of dizziness: Peripheral vertigo can occur suddenly, especially with head movement.
Spinning or a sensation of the room rotating: This sensation may be intense but short-lived.
Nausea and vomiting: Like central vertigo, peripheral vertigo can cause these symptoms due to dizziness.
Ringing in the ears (tinnitus): Some people experience tinnitus along with vertigo.
Hearing loss or fullness in one ear: This is more common in cases like Meniere’s disease.
Nystagmus (involuntary eye movements): This rapid, jerking motion of the eyes may occur during an episode of vertigo.
Peripheral vertigo often occurs with specific head movements or positional changes and may be episodic, with symptoms that come and go.
Central Vertigo
Central vertigo, arising from a disruption in the brain’s balance centers, typically originating in the brainstem or cerebellum, is a serious condition. It's important to be proactive and seek early diagnosis and treatment, as episodes of central vertigo can be intense and long-lasting. Because it's frequently associated with conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, or tumors, it can present with additional neurological symptoms.
Typical health problems that trigger central vertigo include:
Vestibular Migraine
Roughly 40 percent of migraine sufferers experience vertigo with their migraine symptoms. This is referred to as a vestibular migraine, and vertigo attacks can last as long as the headache itself.
Medications
Certain medications, such as those prescribed for cancer, hypertension, depression, inflammation, or fever, may cause vertigo attacks as a side effect. It is also possible to experience vertigo when taking sedatives or anticonvulsants.
Vascular disease
Impeded blood flow can result in spinning sensations lasting for several seconds to several hours. If you have cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, atherosclerosis, embolism, and aneurysm, you might also have vertigo episodes as a symptom.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, results from nerve damage that causes brain/body miscommunication. This means that the signals between the brain and the body are disrupted, leading to various symptoms, including vertigo episodes.
Tumors
Regardless of whether the tumor is malignant or benign, tumors in the brain and brainstem areas often struggle with disorienting vertigo attacks.
Stroke
Stroke accounts for 3 to 5 percent of dizziness and vertigo cases in the US. Along with other stroke symptoms, such as weakness or numbness of the facial muscles, trouble seeing, sudden confusion, and severe headaches of unknown origin, patients may also experience vertigo attacks.
Signs and Symptoms of Central Vertigo
Central vertigo presents with various symptoms that can often resemble other neurological disorders. Common signs and symptoms may include:
Eye movement that does not go away when asked to focus on a fixed point.
Hearing problems
Constant dizziness or spinning sensation, not necessarily triggered by movement.
Imbalance or difficulty walking: People with central vertigo often struggle to maintain balance.
Nausea and vomiting: This can occur due to constant dizziness.
Double vision or difficulty focusing: Vision problems may accompany the dizziness.
Headaches: Central vertigo is often associated with severe headaches or migraines.
Neurological symptoms include weakness, difficulty speaking, or numbness in one side of the body.
Because central vertigo is associated with the brain, it is often more persistent and less responsive to positional changes than peripheral vertigo.
How Upper Cervical Care Can Help With Vertigo
Now that you can differentiate between peripheral and central vertigo, the next step is to find an effective relief option. Traditional Western medicine's go-to vertigo treatment options often include taking medications that may come with their own set of unwanted side effects.
However, Upper Cervical Care can offer a gentle, non-invasive, and drug-free solution for many vertigo sufferers. Upper Cervical Chiropractic focuses on correcting misalignments in the upper part of the spine, specifically the vertebrae in the neck. Misalignments in this area can disrupt the communication between the brain and body, affecting balance and coordination. By addressing these misalignments, chiropractic care may help alleviate vertigo symptoms.
If you’re ready to get to the root of your vertigo symptoms and find lasting relief, Atlas Specific is here to help. We are the only Durango Chiropractor who focuses on Upper Cervical care. Call us today at 970.259.6803, visit our Durango office, or click the link below to schedule a free consultation.
Notice of Disclaimer:
We are doctors of upper cervical chiropractic, but we are NOT necessarily YOUR doctors. All content and information on this website is for informational and educational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice, and reading or interacting with this site does not establish any form of patient-doctor relationship. Although we strive to provide accurate information, the information presented here is not intended as a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in your particular area of need before making medical decisions.
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