Is it Dizziness or Vertigo?

Our doctors at MDR Advanced Medical Associates often see patients from Boynton Beach who complain of dizziness. Some will say they are suffering from Vertigo. Many have seen other healthcare providers but found little relief.

What is the Difference Between Dizziness and Vertigo?

The best way to explain the difference is this:

This person is experiencing dizziness: 

A man says he feels lightheaded, foggy, or unsteady like he is going to pass out, faint, or fall.

This person is experiencing vertigo:

A woman says she has an overall sensation of feeling a loss of balance and the world around her is spinning and moving.

The truth is that someone with vertigo may feel dizzy. That is why the two terms are used interchangeably so often. However, it is important to understand the difference because each situation has different causes and appropriate treatments.

Causes of Vertigo

Although patients may describe their vertigo in different ways, experience and training have taught the chiropractors at MDR Advanced Medical Associates to recognize many of the commonalities in their descriptions. Some of the most common causes seen at our office include:

• Severe headaches such as migraine or tension headaches
• Chronic earaches or damage inside the ear
• A buildup of calcium in the ear canal
• Pressure or fluid within the ear
• A lack of blood flow to the brain
• Car accidents resulting in damage to joints and ligaments throughout the spine (head and neck)
• By far the most frequent cause is subluxations (misalignments) of vertebrae in the neck

Although the above may seem unrelated, they have one major commonality:  Each area included in the list plays a role in how the body orients itself and maintains balance.

When something in your body disrupts how your body normally functions, it also disrupts the nervous system signals being sent to the brain. The signals that keep our body in balance become distorted and scrambled, resulting in the symptoms of dizziness.

Symptoms of Vertigo

Dizziness is not the only symptom associated with vertigo. Vertigo, like many other conditions, can range from a minor annoyance to being related to a very serious underlying condition. Therefore, if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it is our recommendation that you schedule an appointment with one of the doctors at MDR Advanced Medical Associates in Boynton Beach.

1. Blurry vision or difficulty focusing
2. Problems hearing, especially in one ear
3. Ringing ears
4. Trouble maintaining balance
5. Difficulty concentrating
6. Feeling fatigued or tired all the time
7. Nausea with no other explanation
8. New onset of seasickness
9. Slurring speech
10. Double vision

VERTIGO IN BOYNTON BEACH

Chiropractic Treatment for Vertigo

Chiropractors always want to get to the root of a problem. Our doctors carefully complete a comprehensive health consultation and inventory with you because determining the cause of your vertigo symptoms identifies the chiropractic adjustment or treatment needed.

Many of the symptoms manifested in the head and ears have roots in different parts of the neck and spine. Our highly trained chiropractors will make chiropractic adjustments and utilize various adjustment techniques to treat vertigo.

Relief is often felt right away but completing a full chiropractic treatment plan is important to relieve any built-up pressure causing vertigo. Otherwise, vertigo may shortly return as the condition builds up again.

Additionally, chiropractic care is always based on a holistic, full-body approach to healing at its core. That’s why chiropractic treatment for vertigo almost always includes at least some degree of focus on less-than-healthy lifestyle issues that could be contributing to or exacerbating vertigo symptoms. Habits such as caffeine intake, poor posture, repetitive motions in the workplace, as well as undiagnosed vision issues have the potential to exacerbate vertigo.

Call the office of MDR Advanced Medical Associates in Boynton Beach and let our doctors focus on getting rid of your vertigo and making sure it stays away!