Vertigo: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Treatment

The treatment for vertigo depends on the root cause of your symptoms.

How can you resolve vertigo?  You can resolve vertigo by addressing the cause of your symptoms. As vertigo is a symptom, not a condition, any permanent solution  will be connected to treating the underlying reason for your dizziness, loss of balance, and disorientation.

1. Chiropractic Care

Vertigo attacks are often caused by misalignment in the vertebra at the top of the neck, or the upper cervical spine. This misalignment can happen following neck injuries or head trauma, leading to pressure on the brainstem and vertigo symptoms as a result.

A chiropractor can correct the alignment of the upper neck, restoring the function of the nerves, joints, and blood vessels. This may serve as a potential long-term solution for managing vertigo, dizziness, and disequilibrium.

At Georgia Upper Cervical Chiropractic, we use gentle and precise repositioning maneuvers to readjust the C1 (atlas) and C2 (axis) vertebrae. Those are the areas typically most affected by trauma to the head and neck and conditions affecting the upper cervical spine.

2. Repositioning Maneuvers

Canalith repositioning techniques like the  Epley maneuver  are used to treat certain common causes of vertigo, like BPPV.

The Epley maneuver and popular at-home treatments like Brandit-Daroff exercises work by moving those displaced calcium crystals back to where they should be.

It’s important to understand the cause of your vertigo before attempting any maneuvers. Any maneuvers you try at home should be approved by your provider first. Your doctor or another healthcare provider will show you how to safely perform any at-home versions of repositioning maneuvers.

3. Vestibular Rehabilitation

Vestibular rehabilitation  is a type of physical therapy that focuses on improving balance problems and coordination affected by vertigo and vestibular system disorders.

A physical therapist or other qualified practitioner will work with you on an individualized treatment plan and series of exercises to improve balance and stability. Exercises may target neck stability, posture improvements, and general fitness to improve your overall strength and flexibility.

Depending on your area, you may be able to visit a physical therapist and chiropractor at the same location to address vestibular system issues concurrently.

4. Home Remedies

Home remedies may focus more on preventing vertigo rather than treating the underlying causes of your symptoms.

How do you prevent vertigo?  To prevent vertigo, be gentle with your daily movements, particularly those involving your head and neck. Avoid sudden movements, getting up from bed or seated positions too quickly, and bending down if you don’t have to.

Unfortunately, vertigo also can be triggered by unexpected causes, like head or neck trauma, that can’t be prevented. In those cases, your physician or specialist can work with you on long-lasting treatments to prevent recurrent vertigo attacks.

Your physician may also suggest additional ways to reduce your discomfort and prevent future vertigo attacks:

• Adjust your sleeping habits.  Sleep with your head elevated and propped up with more than one pillow to give your head and neck more support. Some physicians may recommend sleeping on your back to reduce fluid buildup on one side.
• Reduce stress.  Stress and anxiety won’t cause vertigo but can  worsen your symptoms  and underlying conditions. This is particularly true if your vertigo is caused by inflammation in the body. Stress increases inflammation.
• Improve your diet.  Your doctor may recommend a low-sodium diet to regulate your body’s fluid retention. Treatments for  Meniere’s disease  also often include limiting alcohol and caffeine.
• Stretch with caution.  Be careful with movements that may stretch your neck in uncomfortable ways. Use step stools instead of reaching for items in tall cabinets, for example, to avoid potential vertigo attacks caused by those movements.

Supplements and natural remedies that relieve stress or discomfort following a vertigo attack may also help you get back on your feet more quickly. This includes ginger for nausea, melatonin to improve sleep, and herbal teas to support stress relief.

These home remedies may improve your quality of life, but all solid treatment plans include working with a specialist to address the root cause of your problems.

5. Medications

Medications like meclizine , other antihistamines, and even migraine medications are frequently prescribed to treat vertigo and associated symptoms. Your doctor may also prescribe medications that treat the underlying conditions of your vertigo.

Your healthcare provider must identify the cause of your vertigo as part of any treatment plan that includes medications. Otherwise, you may relieve your symptoms without simply getting to the core issue. This sets you up for future vertigo attacks.

6. Surgery

If other therapies have failed or the vertigo is caused by conditions that are unresponsive to treatment, surgery may be required to fix the underlying cause of your vertigo.

Common surgical procedures  include implanting a shunt to relieve pressure in the inner ear and vestibular nerve sections on the side affected by vertigo. Meniere’s disease, inner ear damage, and tumors in and around the ear are all vertigo causes where surgery may be an option.