Vertigo & Dizziness Brooklyn, NY

What Vertigo and Dizziness Feel Like

Vertigo and dizziness are different even if most people use this term interchangeably. The first is a specific sensation that feels like the room is spinning even if a person is standing still. It can come suddenly when one turns their head in the other direction. Dizziness is a broad term that can include lightheadedness and a sensation that one might faint. 

There’s also nausea present in vertigo, and many people feel like they’re walking on a boat. Others may describe a foggy environment, and they can become anxious because they might not know when the next sensation can hit them. These symptoms can make it hard to do daily activities like driving safely. 

What Causes Vertigo and Dizziness?

There are a lot of potential causes, but doctors often look at the inner ear first to check if there’s something wrong with it. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo happens when tiny calcium crystals in the ear get dislodged and move into the wrong canal, so it disrupts the signals that help the brain sense its head position. 

Any issues in the neck can cause dizziness because the upper cervical spine has a direct relationship with the body’s spatial orientation. If the joints are restricted because of conditions like whiplash, it can interfere with the signals that the brain receives, causing cervicogenic dizziness. 

Other causes include labyrinthitis, which is an inflammation in the inner ear; migraines that can trigger vertigo; Meniere’s disease, which is a condition that affects the inner ear’s fluid balance; and other neurological conditions. Sometimes, dizziness can be caused by dehydration, so a thorough evaluation is important to determine the root cause.

How We Evaluate Your Condition in Nuro Chiropractic

When you come into our clinic saying you experience dizziness, we start by listening and determining how it started. In Dr. Brian’s words, “I want to ask questions about recent injuries because we believe that the details matter. I want to know whether it occurs when you stand up or when you roll over in bed.”

Next, I will perform a focused examination and check if there are restrictions in the joints or any kind of muscle tension that comes from the cervical spine. I’ll also test your coordination and eye movements with the Dix-Hallpike maneuver and see if we can reproduce your symptoms.

For more information, I’ll take digital X-rays to check for alignment, and, in some cases, I will order additional imaging if the symptoms are outside of my scope. I’ll refer you to another specialist if the pattern doesn’t fit what I’d originally expect.

Treatment Options We Consider 

The kind of therapy that we will do will depend on what’s causing your symptoms. If we identify BPPV, I can perform an Epley maneuver to guide the displaced ear crystals back where they belong, and this process can provide immediate relief. 

When the issue comes from the neck, we’ll address any kind of joint restrictions with chiropractic adjustments to restore normal motion in the upper cervical spine. We may also add targeted stretching and recommend corrective exercises to strengthen the muscles that support your head.

For more complex cases, I’ll incorporate cold laser therapy to reduce inflammation, or dry needling to release tight muscles in the body. Other times, vestibular rehabilitation is needed, so we’ll work on exercises to recalibrate your brain and reduce your dizziness.

The important part is that we don’t use a cookie-cutter approach for everyone. After I understand what’s going on, I’ll explain your options clearly and build a plan that makes sense for your specific situation. 

Mistakes People Make with Vertigo and Dizziness

One of the biggest mistakes is waiting too long to get evaluated. People often assume the dizziness will go away on its own, and sometimes it does, but sometimes it gets worse or becomes chronic. The sooner we identify the cause, the faster we can address it.

Another common mistake is avoiding movement out of fear. If you’ve had vertigo, it’s natural to be cautious, but staying too still or limiting your head movements can actually make things worse, especially if the issue is BPPV or vestibular dysfunction. Controlled movement and specific exercises are often part of the solution.

Some people self-diagnose based on internet searches and try home maneuvers without knowing whether they have BPPV or something else. Repositioning maneuvers only work for certain types of vertigo and doing them incorrectly or for the wrong condition won’t help. It’s worth getting a proper diagnosis first.

People sometimes ignore red flags because they assume that the dizziness is harmless. However, if this is accompanied by severe headaches along with weakness, then this is an entirely different situation. 

When to Seek Medical Care Instead?

It’s best to seek medical care right away if there’s shortness of breath or one is experiencing irregular heartbeat along with dizziness. If you hit your head and lost consciousness, this is another reason to get evaluated by a doctor. 

Even if the symptoms may seem like they’re not an emergency, you should still see a doctor if the dizziness isn’t improving. This can be the case when you’re experiencing hearing loss or if you have repeated episodes that aren’t explained by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. As a practitioner, I’m always going to refer my patients to other specialists if their situations are outside of my scope.

Frequently asked questions