For many people, the word vertigo conjures up images of a not-so-distant relative clutching the arms of her chair as she rocks back and forth, moaning. Some might even refer to a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 thriller Vertigo, in which Kim Novak's character is consumed by her fear of heights. But what is vertigo? And who is most susceptible to it? Does a person's sexual orientation increase their chances of experiencing vertigo episodes?
Patients looking for vertigo relief in Edmonton are no strangers to its debilitating symptoms that can be both uncomfortable and dangerous. When vertigo hits, your world can suddenly start spinning, putting you at risk of falls or losing your balance. Vertigo is a false sensation that makes you or your surroundings spin or move when no movement occurs. It is often described as feeling like you are on a merry-go-round or roller coaster that has suddenly stopped. Many people experience vertigo at some point in their lives, and it can be caused by many things, such as inner ear infections, head injuries, migraines, and even stress.
While vertigo can affect an extensive group of individuals, experts believe that women experience vertigo attacks more frequently and severely than their male counterparts. Experts are considering hormonal fluctuations in women, especially for those who approach menopausal age, as one of the leading reasons women become more susceptible to vertigo.
When a woman approaches menopause, her body undergoes a series of changes. The menopausal period is also the time when a woman's body begins to produce less estrogen, a hormone that aids in several processes, including:
During the menopausal stage, when estrogen slowly gets depleted, women can become more susceptible to vertigo attacks. This stage can also cause worse effects on the body because of the abovementioned changes.
First, we must clarify that while other symptoms can accompany vertigo, it is actually a symptom on its own that can signify an underlying condition. Here are the most common accompanying symptoms of vertigo:
These symptoms can be so severe for some people who have trouble walking or standing up.
To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.
Aging can be one of the most significant risk factors for vertigo. When a person gets old, body parts, including the vestibular system, start to wear out or malfunction. This system consists of the group of organs inside the inner ear that helps the brain perceive movement and changes in balance.
Age is also why many elderly patients develop and are diagnosed with conditions that bring vertigo symptoms, such as BPPV or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Unfortunately, due to weakened muscles and joints, there is an increase in injuries due to spinning sensations.
People aged 50 and up who experience frequent vertigo attacks are advised to be extra careful whenever a vertigo episode arises. Avoid doing physical activities once you start noticing some of your symptoms.
A visit to the emergency room due to vertigo is unnecessary unless it leads to unwanted injuries or accidents. As mentioned, vertigo is not an illness per se but a symptom of an underlying condition. Some known health conditions that lead to vertigo are:
Vertigo can sometimes be a warning sign of an impending heart attack or stroke. Epileptic seizures, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and spinal or brain tumors can also trigger an onset of vertigo.
Suppose you're one of the patients with pre-existing problems in your nervous system or cardiovascular system. In that case, you may need to consult further with your physician to find the best way to achieve vertigo relief in Edmonton.
Your neck is a sensitive part housing nerve roots and the brainstem. Due to its location and function, it becomes highly susceptible to bone alignment shifting or subluxation. In addition, the neck is flexible enough to assist you in looking in different directions, and this function can gradually change the neck bones' misalignments, especially when pressure is applied.
Injuries or accidents such as whiplash, concussion, or blunt trauma to the neck can increase your chances of developing misalignments in the neck bones. Unfortunately, neck bone misalignments put you at risk of developing all sorts of health mishaps, including spinning sensations. If you endured neck trauma before vertigo episodes, mention the details to your healthcare provider. This is vital information to help you find efficient vertigo relief in Edmonton.
Misalignments in the neck can make the bones lean onto the nerve roots or brainstem, causing them to misfire signals to the brain. These incorrect brain signals can lead to poor fluid drainage, a problem that triggers worse vertigo attacks for Meniere's patients.
It's not uncommon for vertigo patients to previously suffer from neck injuries or trauma. As a result, it's become one of the common factors that upper cervical chiropractic doctors observe when attending to their ailing patients.
While there is no cure for vertigo specifically, there are known ways to ease your symptoms, such as upper cervical chiropractic care. Upper cervical chiropractors focus on keeping the alignment and balance of the top two vertebrae in the neck - the atlas and axis - which protects a vital central nervous system structure, the brainstem. When these bones are out of alignment - often due to trauma like car accidents or falls - it can disrupt blood flow and communication between the brain and body and lead to various health problems, including vertigo.
Upper cervical chiropractic adjustments are gentle and well tolerated by most patients. The adjustments often provide lasting relief for many people suffering from chronic vertigo episodes. If vertigo episodes interfere with your life, get your upper cervical spine checked. Consult with the reputable and certified team of chiropractic doctors from Symmetry Spinal Care. To book your appointment, call (587) 608-5538 or use the online contact form.
Caring for your upper cervical spine is just as important as any other body part; get yours checked today!
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Schmaus, call our Edmonton office at (587) 608-5538. You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
Are you familiar with the distinctions between peripheral and central vertigo? Get to know the two debilitating symptoms and the conditions associated with them. Our upper cervical chiropractor in Edmonton also tackles a natural option for relief that can help you break free from the grips of vertigo-causing conditions.
Learn more about how to cope with vertigo attacks using a natural and long-lasting remedy. You may call our practice at (587) 608-5538 to reach Dr. Schmaus or click the consultation button to schedule your upper cervical chiropractic appointment.
People often think that neck pain and migraine are completely unrelated. But, studies show that there are actually several connections between the two. In fact, some researchers found that neck pain is one of the most common symptoms of a migraine attack. Learn more about how the two painful symptoms as you read on. Also, we encourage you to read on to learn how you can get rid of migraines and neck pain naturally with the help of a trusted Edmonton upper cervical chiropractor.
Learn more about how to cope with vertigo attacks using a natural and long-lasting remedy. You may call us our practice at (587) 608-5538 to reach Dr. Schmaus or click the consultation button to schedule your appointment.
Vertigo and dizziness are two different things. Though both are uncomfortable, many healthcare professionals agree that vertigo is more severe as it occurs along with other equally disabling symptoms like vomiting, nausea, and loss of balance. As your leading vertigo chiropractor in Edmonton, Dr. Schmaus hopes to share essential information you can use to experience lasting relief and enjoy a vertigo-free life. Please read on to know everything you need about vertigo attacks.
As previously mentioned, vertigo is often associated with dizziness. However, the only similarity they share is the disorientating feeling they cause. Dizziness is feeling faint or momentarily off-balanced. On the one hand, vertigo refers to a vestibular dysfunction that causes your brain to detect false or amplified head movements.
Patients often described vertigo attacks as a whirling, rocking, swaying, or spinning sensation. Some note that their symptom disappears right after they refrain from making sudden movements. However, others experience lingering spinning sensations accompanied by other health complaints, including visual aura, vomiting, and nausea.
Other than diseases or health conditions, vertigo can stem from several lifestyle factors such as:
Our sense of balance can be very complex to understand and hard to maintain. That’s because it involves several body parts, including the vestibular organs of the inner ears, eyes, neck, and motor sensors on the muscles.
For your body to keep its balance, these body parts must team up and function properly to send the right and clear signals to your brain. However, a lot can go wrong with these different balance and proprioception organs. For example, you might suffer from a neck injury and compromise your head’s alignment with the rest of your body.
To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.
Hence, it’s crucial to know how to care for these body parts. Let’s deep dive into each organ or structure below.
The inner ear is like your body’s compass that helps you assess your body’s current orientation and movement. It comprises two structures: the utricle and saccule, which can detect gravitational changes and dynamic and static movements. The inner ear also houses the vestibulocochlear nerve – the primary connection of your brain to your inner ears and the nerve root in charge of transmitting balance and movement signals.
Besides the vestibulocochlear nerves, the inner ear and other balance organs work hand in hand with other nervous system components such as the brainstem. This bundle of nerve tissue controls several functions, including:
Additionally, the nervous system ensures the following vestibular functions:
Your spine protects your brainstem and spinal cord. It also ensures the smooth flow of signals to and from the central nervous system. Unfortunately, the topmost vertebra of the spine can move out of alignment because of an injury or repetitive wear and tear. The C1 vertebra of the spine is the focal point of concern for many vertigo sufferers as this part protects the brainstem.
The brainstem serves as an information hub for integrating all the sensory input from the parts of your body involved with balance. The C1 and C2 vertebrae can sometimes compress or irritate the brainstem and cause the head to tilt at an awkward angle. When this happens, the brainstem fails to function correctly, and you become at risk of vertigo triggers such as the following:
Naturally, when you address the neck bone misalignments with a vertigo chiropractor in Edmonton, you can cancel out these adverse effects and avoid setting off spinning sensations.
Because vertigo isn’t a separate condition or disease, doctors recommend remedies based on the underlying health concern. For example, if you get diagnosed with Meniere’s disease, you might need to take anti-nausea medications. Alternatively, you might find it helpful to tap into techniques and procedures such as upper cervical chiropractic, positive pressure therapy, and inner ear injection.
We strongly suggest getting diagnosed by your primary doctor to rule out every possible cause of your spinning sensation and to determine if you need to receive emergency assistance for things such as stroke and brainstem tumor.
Correcting the atlas misalignments can be a potential solution for vertigo. This is possible with the help of upper cervical chiropractors. They employ upper cervical chiropractic care, a procedure used by chiropractic professionals that focuses on the C1 and C2 bones. These bones have a significant impact on overall body function.
If you have been experiencing vertigo all this time and are looking for a natural and holistic solution, upper cervical chiropractic care might be a good option. Visit Symmetry Spinal Care to consult with a trusted vertigo chiropractor in Edmonton. Dr. Schmaus' practice focuses on providing NUCCA care – an approach to healing that involves applying gentle neck bone toggles to restore posture. We will help you check if you have neck bone misalignments and if you can benefit from NUCCA care.
Our NUCCA chiropractor obtains exact measurements from sophisticated x-ray scanning techniques. This way, each patient receives tailored fit neck bone adjustments and experiences lasting relief. Please visit our practice or schedule a consultation via our online contact form or telephone number (780) 462-0447.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Schmaus, call our Edmonton office at (587) 608-5538. You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
If you're keen on using a drug-free approach to relieve vertigo, essential oils are a good option you can start with. Check out five of the best essential oils for vertigo and how they provide relief. Our quick discussion also tackles how our trusted upper cervical chiropractor in Edmonton can help you achieve a vertigo-free life with the help of another remedy that's as effective as your go-to essential oils.
Learn more about how you can manage vertigo attacks with natural and long-lasting relief by connecting with us. You may call us at (587) 608-5538 or click the button below to consult with one of our upper cervical chiropractors in Edmonton, AB.
