Vertigo Treatment in Jacksonville, FL

Vertigo is an unsettling sensation that can disrupt your daily life and leave you feeling disoriented. It is not just fleeting dizziness or momentary imbalance; it is a complex condition affecting millions worldwide. It can manifest as a spinning sensation, feeling off-balance, or even a sense that the world around you is in motion. Often associated with underlying issues related to the inner ear or the brain, vertigo can significantly impact your quality of life, making everyday tasks and activities daunting and challenging.

Understanding the root causes of vertigo is crucial in finding effective treatments and management strategies, highlighting the importance of having expert advice and reliable guidance. Rather than chasing symptoms, chiropractic care aims to uncover the root cause to provide long-term relief instead of a temporary bandaid. Vertigo can be overwhelming, but we’ve worked with many patients to restore their quality of life and get them back on solid ground.

How We Treat Vertigo in Jacksonville, Florida

Comprehensive Consultation and Exam

Vertigo is an especially complicated health problem, partly because of how many factors can cause it. The causes of vertigo can range from neurological to physical and even emotional in some cases. That’s why we thoroughly examine and consult with every new patient suffering from vertigo. It’s important that we really get to know you, your health, your history of traumas and accidents, and even your future health goals. That’s how we’ll discover what’s causing your vertigo and how we can best help you.

We’ll also perform specific chiropractic, neurological, postural, and orthopedic exams (as necessary) to gather more information. The next step is most likely to be X-rays so we can fully assess your situation and know what’s necessary for you to heal. The key to getting you well for the long term is understanding what’s causing your vertigo. That will help you get better not only for now but for the long term.

Specific Chiropractic Care in Jacksonville, FL

Subluxation is a state of excess, unmanageable stress accumulated in your body over time, and it can result in nerve pressure. Subluxation can cause a wide variety of health problems, including vertigo. Cervical vertigo, or vertigo caused by improper motion in the joints of the neck, is one of the most common physical causes of vertigo. This misalignment or lack of motion causes inaccurate information to travel between the brain and the body, and faulty information can cause vertigo symptoms of spinning and dizziness.

Specific chiropractic adjustments help return your body to a state of peace and ease by realigning the affected parts of your spine and relieving the nerve pressure. That allows for the healthy and proper functioning of your nervous system, lymph nodes, immune system, and inner ear. These sensitive parts of your body are essential in ensuring that your body performs at its highest level. This often includes less pain, more energy, and the disappearance of your vertigo symptoms.

Since 1980, the Epley Maneuver has been highly effective (up to 95%) for quick and long-lasting relief from the symptoms of vertigo. This technique can be performed at home or under the supervision of a professional. Because BPPV generally occurs on only one side, the Maneuver usually only needs to be performed on one side. The steps are as follows for symptoms on the right side (note that the side directions will be reversed for symptoms occurring on the left):

1. Sit on the side of your bed, with your feet flat on the floor and a pillow positioned so that it would be at shoulder level if you lie back.
2. Turn your head 45° to the right.
3. Immediately lie all the way back, keeping your head turned to the right. Your shoulders should now rest on the pillow, with your head reclining back.
4. Remain in this position for 30 seconds.
5. Without lifting your head, turn it 90° to the left so you’re now looking 45° to the left.
6. Remain in this position for 30 seconds.
7. Turn your head and body 90° to the left so you’re now lying on your left side.
8. Remain in this position for 30 seconds.
9. Sit up on the left side.
10. Remain seated in a relaxed position, facing forward for ten minutes.

Your session is now complete! Sudden jerks or movements should be avoided for some time after a session of the Epley Maneuver. Once your symptoms are gone, there is no further reason to continue with the Epley Maneuver.

Common Causes of Vertigo

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

Of all the causes of vertigo, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is one of the most common. During BPPV, the crystals that regulate balance can dislodge and collect in the inner ear.

• ‘Benign’ means that it doesn’t cause any further illness.
• ‘Paroxysmal’ signifies that the attacks occur suddenly and are temporary.
• ‘Positional’ means that attacks are related to the position of the person’s body.

A typical attack of BPPV consists of recurring, short episodes of dizziness, which can vary from mild to intense. It generally lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes. Nausea may be present as well, although vomiting is rare. You may also experience nystagmus or uncontrolled movements of the eye(s). Positional changes that frequently trigger BPPV include lifting the head or bringing it down, sitting up or turning over in the head, or lying down. One of the best-known and most effective treatments for BPPV is the Epley Maneuver, and it involves repositioning the head to redistribute the crystals that cause vertigo.

Labyrinthitis

Labyrinthitis is another common cause of vertigo symptoms. The maze-like inner ear can become infected or inflamed, leading to vertigo. Inflammation in this area of the head can irritate the vestibulocochlear nerve, which can become a real problem. Because that vital nerve transmits information about head position, sound, and head motion to the brain, some significant symptoms can result. Hearing loss, vision changes, ringing in the ear, headaches, and ear pain are the most common symptoms of labyrinthitis.

The symptoms of labyrinthitis can be very upsetting, and they can take some time to resolve on their own. The most severe symptoms usually get better within a week, but for the symptoms to go away entirely can take two or even three months. Older people may continue to experience dizziness for even longer. There are many medications available for treating labyrinthitis. Chiropractic adjustments may relieve some of the pressure on your nerves, giving your body its best chance to heal and return to normal.

Meniere’s Disease

One of the main symptoms of Meniere’s Disease is vertigo. Meniere’s Disease is characterized by the following symptoms and all of them must be present for a diagnosis of Meniere’s Disease to be made:

• The person must experience two or more attacks of vertigo, each lasting from 20 minutes to 24 hours
• Loss of hearing corroborated by a hearing test
• Tinnitus or a feeling of pressure/fullness in the ear

Meniere’s Disease is a chronic condition in which fluid builds up in the inner ear. There’s no known cure for it, although certain treatments may relieve some of its symptoms. Your medical provider may prescribe hearing aids, rehabilitation, and medications to minimize symptoms.

Concussions

Perhaps unsurprisingly, concussions may also be related to vertigo. Roughly half the people who have suffered from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) often struggle with dizziness or balance issues afterward. Head trauma is related to some of the common causes of vertigo, including subluxation and BPPV. In fact, head trauma is the most cause of BPPV that occurs on both sides.

Several factors can cause dizziness, spinning, or lightheadedness after a concussion: the injury to the brain itself, vision or inner ear problems, blood pressure changes, or emotional upset can all contribute to TBI-related vertigo. One of the wisest steps post-concussion is to rest physically and mentally. Activities that demand high levels of mental concentration should be avoided in the first 48 hours, as should any physical activity that worsens your symptoms.

Cholesteatoma

A condition called cholesteatoma may also cause vertigo. Cholesteatoma is very rare, but if left untreated, it can severely damage some of the delicate structures of the inner ear. It occurs when a person suffers from repeating ear infections. One of the by-products of those ear infections is a non-cancerous growth. Besides the dizziness typically associated with vertigo, other symptoms of cholesteatoma include pain, discharge, and altered senses of taste and smell.

In very rare, severe cases, cholesteatoma may cause damage to your facial nerve, or spread to your inner ear and cause a brain abscess or meningitis. The only treatment for cholesteatoma is to remove the growth surgically. Most symptoms should resolve post-surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions about Vertigo