VERTIGO
BY: Dr. Kim Leis-Keeling
Everything happens for a reason right? Well, I believe that things happen to me so that I have more material to write about for the Our Towne. Here we go with another brief story from the Chronicles of Dr. Keeling’s Ailments.
Last summer on a trip back to Wisconsin (don’t worry, I didn’t smuggle cheese back on this one), I noticed that there was a chiropractic office in the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport. It was called Chiroport. I remember commenting to my husband that it was a great idea because people frequently get back and neck pain when traveling. The day we were to return home, I woke up feeling a little strange. My head felt a little woozy and dizzy. I’d had a few drinks the night before but certainly not that many as to cause a typical hangover. I ate my breakfast and drank plenty of fluids but my symptoms persisted. I noticed that every time I moved my head I felt the dizziness. As we were driving to the airport, I was processing my symptoms and tried to self -diagnose my condition. I checked my cranial nerve function to assure that I was not having a stroke. After a few minutes, I concluded that I was experiencing Cervicogenic Vertigo because I only got dizzy when I looked down. I feared this was going to be a long and nauseating flight home if I couldn’t fix this before getting on the plane. I decided I would stop at the Chiroport to get an adjustment to see if that would help.
I checked into Chiroport, talked to the doctor about my symptoms. We had a brief chat about where we went to chiropractic school. We actually did internships with some of the same doctors and the same professors. He did an exam, re-checked my cranial nerves and blood pressure...all was still good. He performed trigger point massage on my neck, a few stretches and a small cervical adjustment. I got up from the table feeling better. By the time I walked to my gate the dizziness was gone. YIPPIE! Two thumbs up for Chiroport! Thank goodness…I didn’t have to worry about puking on the airplane.
There are many reasons someone may experience vertigo. Two of the most common types that we see are Cervicogenic vertigo and Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). Cervicogenic vertigo typically presents with dizziness that is due to changes in cervical spine position which may or may not be accompanied with cervical pain. Treatment includes manual therapy to the cervical spine to alleviate muscle tension or trigger points and mobilization techniques to address any cervical malalignment.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) occurs when calcium crystals become displaced and relocate within the inner ear. Patients with BPPV will experience dizziness associated with changes in head position in relation to gravity. For example, standing to laying down or vice versa. These patients may also report a feeling of fullness in their ears. Due to the nature of BPPV, there will also be a condition called nystagmus, described as involuntary changes in eye movement patterns. These will subside when vertigo repositioning maneuver is performed.
Often these two condition will occur together and multiple procedures will be needed to address the vertigo. As always, if you have questions about this article, please feel free to contact me at the Sports & Spinal Wellness Center at 518-869-3415. Follow us on Facebook or visit our website at www.sportsandspinalwellness.com. We would love to be a part of your healthcare team.