Vertigo & Dizziness

Stories of Regaining Balance

Read how we’ve helped patients find their footing and confidence again

Feeling dizzy or experiencing the disorienting spinning sensation of vertigo can be incredibly unsettling. It can disrupt your ability to work, drive, or simply move with confidence.

While these symptoms can be alarming, they are often caused by treatable conditions related to the inner ear and the neck.

At Penrith Chiro, we are dedicated to accurately diagnosing the cause of your dizziness and providing effective care to help you regain your balance and quality of life.

While often used interchangeably, it’s important to understand the difference between these two symptoms:

• Dizziness is a general term used to describe a range of sensations, such as feeling lightheaded, woozy, weak, or unsteady.

• Vertigo is a more specific sensation where you feel that you, or the environment around you, is moving or spinning when there is no actual movement.

Identifying the precise nature of your symptoms is the first step toward finding the correct solution.

Some of the most common causes include:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): This is the most common cause of vertigo. It occurs when tiny calcium carbonate crystals (canaliths) in one part of your inner ear become dislodged and move into another part.
  This sends confusing signals to your brain about your head’s position, triggering brief but intense episodes of vertigo with specific movements, such as rolling over in bed, tilting your head back, or getting up quickly.
• Cervicogenic Dizziness: This type of dizziness originates from a problem in the neck (cervical spine). When joints and muscles in the neck are not moving correctly due to injury (like whiplash) or poor posture, it can disrupt the nerve signals that travel from the neck to the brain and vestibular system. This creates a mismatch of information, resulting in a feeling of unsteadiness and disorientation.
• Vestibular Neuritis or Labyrinthitis: These conditions are caused by inflammation of the inner ear or the vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear to the brain. This inflammation, often following a viral infection, disrupts your sense of balance and can cause sudden, intense vertigo that can last for several days.

1. A Detailed Discussion: We will listen carefully as you describe your symptoms, including how they feel, what triggers them, and how long they last.
2. Neurological and Balance Testing: We will conduct a series of specific tests to assess your balance, eye movements, and vestibular function. This may include the Dix-Hallpike test to check for BPPV.
3. Cervical Spine Examination: We will thoroughly examine the movement and function of your neck to determine if it is a contributing factor to your symptoms.

• Canalith Repositioning Maneuvers (e.g., The Epley Maneuver): For BPPV, this is a highly effective, non-invasive treatment. We guide you through a series of specific head and body movements designed to move the dislodged crystals out of the sensitive part of your inner ear and back to where they belong, providing immediate relief.
• Chiropractic Adjustments: If your dizziness is cervicogenic, we use gentle and precise adjustments to the joints of the neck. This restores proper movement, reduces nerve irritation, and helps re-establish clear communication between your neck and your brain’s balance centres.
• Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT): For lingering balance issues, VRT is an exercise-based program designed to help your brain adapt and compensate for inner ear deficits. These exercises help improve gaze stability, posture, and overall balance.

You don’t have to live with the uncertainty and disruption of vertigo and dizziness. Contact us today to schedule a thorough assessment and discover how our targeted, non-invasive treatments can help you find lasting relief and get back to living your life with confidence.