Dizziness & Vertigo - What's the Difference?

Dizziness and vertigo are not the same things. There are a few key differences between them, but a common source for both.   Dizziness vs Vertigo Dizziness is the sensation that YOU are spinning while the world is standing still.

Dizziness can range from slight lightheadedness when you stand up too quickly all the way to being so off-balanced that you need to grab the wall just to maintain your balance. Imagine the type of unsteadiness you may experience after spinning in circles ... but that seldom goes away. It is a TERRIBLE sensation that affects your ability to function and even think straight.

No less terrible is vertigo. Vertigo is the sensation that THE WORLD is spinning while you are standing still. Imagine you spin in circles but keep spinning. A person who suffers a true vertigo attack usually drops straight to the ground as it is the only place where they feel centered until the attack subsides.

  Medical Treatment Both dizziness and vertigo come from processing errors involving the inner ear and brain's balance centers. For many people, these errors occur when little crystals within the ear break loose (if so, a very simple procedure called 'Epley's manoeuvre' usually solves the problem. For other people, it is due to a benign growth on the nerve. For other people, their symptoms come from an endocrine disorder (e.g. adrenal insufficiency or blood sugar problems).

Alas for many, many more people, these errors cannot be identified on any medical test. Physicians then attribute the problem to a virus or label the person as having 'Meniere's Syndrome.'   The Upper Cervical Connection As an Upper Cervical Specific Chiropractor, I am concerned with what the cause of the dizziness or vertigo is.

In the absence of pathology (e.g. infection or tumor), it means the cause of the symptoms must be a processing error affecting the function of the nervous system itself. I and others have written extensively about how the nerves of the upper neck are greatly affected when the vertebrae in the upper neck are misaligned:

Related article

Dizziness - A never-ending roller coaster

Jul 13, 2020

• http://menieresresearch.com/research/
• http://www.atlashealth.com.au/blog/post/vertigo_and_menieres_brisbane/
• http://www.blairchiropracticblog.com/menieresdisease/

Although we don't profess to cure or treat dizziness or vertigo, we have had an excellent success rate with helping people suffering these and related problems. In short, by correcting the alignment of the vertebrae at the top of the neck, we reduce the physical tension to your nervous system and allow your body to repair itself.

Atlas Health Australia is Brisbane's Upper Cervical Specific Centre, located just off the Bruce Highway in North Lakes. Upper Cervical is a unique and specialized form of chiropractic that has been demonstrated safe and effective for numerous health disorders. If you have been experiencing dizziness or vertigo and not finding relief, please fill out the form below or contact our office at 07 3188 9329 to schedule a complimentary assessment to see if we can help you.