The Most Common Type of Vertigo - Understanding BPPV

Vertigo, or a feeling of spinning or whirling around when you aren’t actually moving, can have many different origins. The most common cause of vertigo is known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV. This may be an intimidating name, but let’s break it down into its pieces to better understand it:

Benign = non-life threatening
Paroxysmal = happens suddenly and in brief spells
Positional = triggered by particular movements or head positions
Vertigo = false sensation of spinning

BPPV occurs when calcium crystals become dislodged and find themselves within the inner ear where they don’t belong. When enough of these crystals accumulate in on of the canals, normal fluid motion in the ear is obstructed. This causes the inner ear to send faulty signals to the brain, creating the sensation of vertigo. Interestingly, associations have been made between BPPV and migraine, diabetes, osteoporosis, and inner ear infection.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and vertigo, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Many people with BPPV are given medications to try and help alleviate the symptoms. A common maneuver also used to try and provide some relief is called the Epley maneuver, which unfortunately does not work for all presentations of BPPV. With most traditional BPPV treatments, the reoccurrence rate is quite high – approximately 50% within 5 years.

In McKinney, TX, upper cervical chiropractor Dr. Terry Crowder sees lasting improvements in his vertigo patients by analyzing for and correcting very specific misalignments to the uppermost vertebrae in the neck. When misaligned, these vertebra can cause interruptions in nervous system communications, similar to the distorted messages sent as a result of BPPV. Dr. Crowder makes precise adjustments to the involved vertebrae, which allows the healing process to begin and normal function to return.

References:

http://vestibular.org/understanding-vestibular-disorders/types-vestibular-disorders/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Crowder, call our McKinney office at 972-449-5845. You can also click the button below.