Suffering from dizziness or vertigo?

Are you experiencing unexplained bouts of dizziness or vertigo? Did you know that Sophie at Kennington Osteopathic Practice in Oxford treats dizziness and tinnitus? If you have, the first thing to know is that it's much more common than you think – you are not alone! Many different factors at play may be causing your dizziness or vertigo. We now see that, in many cases, the source of the issue resides in the neck.

First things first, what is the difference between dizziness and vertigo? Although the sensations can be similar, the difference between dizziness and vertigo is that vertigo also gives the illusion of movement, like the room spinning around, for instance, which can lead to disorientation. Vertigo is amplified by head movements, such as rolling over in bed.

So, what causes dizziness and vertigo?

• Tight muscles in the neck that contain position sensors that 'advise' your body about its position and balance.
• An inner ear infection can be excruciating and will require medical attention for antibiotics.
• Impairment to the balance sensors present within the inner ear, a vital part of the ear, contains tiny hairs that help the body by sending information to the brain about your body's orientation and balance.
• Anxiety and hyperventilation can bring on sensations of dizziness and vertigo.
• Medication can occasionally be the cause. Medications such as antidepressants or anti-hypertension drugs are the common culprits.
• Low blood pressure (hypotension).
• Exposure to alcohol or drugs.
• Blood supply issues to the brain.
• Visual impairment and eye injuries.
• Diseases like Meniere's involve damage to the apparatus of the inner ear. People over middle age tend to be more prone to these conditions, and symptoms can come and go over the years, including profound vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and visual problems. There is often a history of tinnitus or deafness between attacks.

It's a pretty scary list, and I apologise for not editing out the more serious concerns. Still, dizziness and vertigo are a medical 'red flag', and a clinician must see sinister causes. Osteopathy can mainly help with the mechanical concerns of the neck. However, osteopaths are trained to assess and diagnose all types of dizziness fully and will refer if the cause is deemed unmechanical, so rest assured you are in safe hands.

Below are two mechanical causes of neck pain that osteopaths can treat regarding dizziness.

Dizziness and the neck

‍Dizziness can stem from tightness in the muscles that sit by the side of the neck called the scalenes. The muscular tightness has the unfortunate side effect that it can compress the vertebral artery and cause narrowing of the discs in the lower half of your neck. If you have a narrowing of your discs, this will also likely cause headaches.

Another common cause of dizziness that we see is a result of impairment to the cervical spine along with osteoarthritis (spondylosis), which affects the sensory nerves that send information to the brain. Distortions to this information can bring on bouts of intense dizziness.

Vertigo from an inner ear infection

‍Osteopaths can also settle the crystals within the inner ear that may have been moved or dislodged by an inner ear infection, causing dizziness, tinnitus, nausea, etc. If you have been experiencing dizziness or vertigo and it looks like the source is your neck or back, or if you are suffering from post-ear infection, please get in touch.

A plan specially tailored to you will make a world of difference, so don't suffer in silence. I appreciate you may have some questions about the above, so please don't hesitate to contact me.

Until next time,

Sophie x

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