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 It could be the late cold season or a rampant allergy season, but I have had several patients come  in with vertigo this month. If you do not know what vertigo is, lucky you! If you have experienced the nauseating feeling of being on solid ground while your brain is telling you that the tilt-a-whirl is in full force, then you know that vertigo can seriously affect your life. Vertigo is described as a feeling of being stable while objects around you are spinning. The three systems that can cause vertigo, in order of most common to least, are the inner ear, the neck, and the brain stem. 

1. The Inner Ear has a complex system of tiny hairlike sensors, called cilia, that send information to the brain based on the movement of fluid through a maze of canals. When there is in an increase of fluid in the inner ear or the fluid gets too thick and mucousy, it affects the movement of the cilia, and can cause vertigo. This is common with inner ear infections, colds, flus, hay fever, and sinus infections. Drainage is critical to success in treating vertigo caused by inner ear congestion. Chiropractic adjustments help loosen the muscles in the neck which allows for freer lymph flow and better drainage. In addition, cranial adjustments can help pump the congested sinus and promote drainage. Drinking plenty of water will also help to thin the mucous which will help is drain. 
2. The Neck, especially the top two vertebrae called the atlas and the axis, respectively, have sensors in the joints called proprioceptors. Proprioceptors relay position to the brain.  They are found in all joints but the nerves in the neck are particularly sensitive to head movement. When these vertebrae do not move as they should, they send a mixed signal which can make the brain feel like the body is moving when it is not. Again, chiropractic adjustments will help reset proprioceptors which will restore the proper flow of position sense, thereby halting the vertigo. 
3. Brain Stem Dysfunction is by far the least treatable of the three. In general, brain injuries are extremely slow to heal. Depending on the nature of the injury, there is little hope of treatment save time and prayer. I have no empirical evidence, but I would imagine that hyperbaric therapy could be helpful. Chiropractic adjustments will not directly help but keeping the body and nervous system functioning well is always beneficial. 

If you are suffering with vertigo, there are some easy, non-invasive tests to figure out which system is causing the symptoms. Treatment is effective and we usually see results pretty quickly in most cases. 

I see it everyday. For some patients it is a major concern. They tell me their previous chiropractor diagnosed them with it. I tighten my lips and lower my eyebrows with an empathetic look. On the inside my eyes are rolling. I can tell the patient needs me to understand that this is a serious chronic issue. This is obvious learned behavior from their previous doctors. I wonder if I am the only one that thinks this is no big deal. I try not to be condescending and to acknowledge their concern. The truth is that it is another temporary sign. I am talking, of course, about having a “short leg.” 

The truth is that perfect symmetry in nature is rare. I am sure everyone has one leg a little shorter than the other if you start measuring in millimeters. This begs the question as to why one leg can look so much longer than the other? The answer is found in the mechanics of the body. 

Most movements in the body have a coupled movement to help maintain balance and flexibility. Side to side bending and rotation go together. In the low back, when a disc bulges and causes the vertebrae to bend to one side, it is accompanied by roation. Rotation, in turn, contracts…

In Jack London’s Call of the Wild, the main character, a dog named Buck, finds himself face to face with a man who has a club in his hand. Buck attacks that man in an attempt to escape his abduction, only to be hit painfully on the head nearly unconscious. He attacks again with the same result. Buck is a large and powerful dog and honestly feels he can beat this man. However, after several more attempts, he finally submits believing that if he continues, he will end up dead. He reasons that the man with the club in his hand is too persistent and strong and therefore must be obeyed.

Switching perspectives to the man with the club, there has to be some trepidation when confronted by a large animal with sharp teeth.