Dizziness can be both an annoying and a puzzling symptom. Many disorders can cause dizziness, from ear infections to poor circulation. However an often-overlooked cause is joint misalignment or “dysfunction” of the neck.
Dizziness that originates from the neck is thought to come from nerve receptors in the spinal joints called “proprioceptors”. These nerve endings sense the position of the spine and help the inner ear coordinate overall posture and balance. Just as disturbance of the inner ear from infection can cause dizziness, over stimulation of the proprioceptive nerve endings in the neck from joint dysfunction can cause the same symptoms.
In a study of 200 patients presenting to the Department of Neurology at Karl’s University in Prague, researchers found that approximately 15% had dizziness that originated from joint dysfunction of the neck. The patients typically complained of pain in the upper neck that radiated to the back of the head and often to the ear. Rarely, patients also complained of ringing in the ears, stiff neck, nausea, tingling in the hands, and even fluttering in the eyes.
In the overall patient group, these researchers had an approximately 80% success rate treating these patients with spinal manipulation or adjustments. They concluded that joint dysfunction in the neck is a common cause of headache in the upper neck and back of the head, and that in some patients, this will be accompanied by dizziness. They further concluded that spinal manipulation or adjustments are an effective means of resolving these symptoms in many patients.
Anyone who has had dizziness, particularly if it is accompanied by pain in the upper neck and headache over the back of the skull, should have a chiropractic evaluation for joint dysfunction in the neck. The cause of these symptoms will be found in many cases and chiropractic treatment will bring relief to many sufferers.
Contact Neary Chiropractic of Santa Barbara to setup a consultation to see if we can help you. Call us in Santa Barbara at (805) 692-9749 or Buellton at (805) 686-8322.
