Vertigo Treatment in Atlanta

Definition of Vertigo:

Internal Vertigo: the sensation of your own movement (illusion of movement) of the body (vertigo): sensations such as rotating, swaying, and tilting.
External Vertigo: visual sensations of moving surroundings (illusory sensations, oscillopsia).
Dizziness: disturbed perception of the spatial orientation without illusory movement.
Standing and gait instability: problems with standing, walking and sitting.

Why are there so many definitions?
Because vertigo does not come from just one area of the brain. It comes from an entire system that is dispersed throughout the brain, the vestibular system!

What Does The Vestibular System Do?
The vestibular system integrates information from your eyes, inner ears and body. This information tells your brain about head and eye position, spatial orientation and motion. The vestibular system then sends motor commands to your body to stabilize your head and eyes, to maintain posture and balance as well as influence the functions of your autonomic nervous system like blood flow, heart rate and digestion. It also activates higher brain centers that are involved with decision making, emotional control and even effects hormone production.

Common Symptoms of Vertigo

Difficulty concentrating
Ringing in the ears
Spinning
Feeling unsteady
Tilting
Headaches
Difficulty focusing
Nausea
Dizziness
Risk of fall

Understanding the different Types of Vertigo

The Semicircular Canal

Known as the problem area for BPPV. People experience dizziness and disorientation that is brought on by moving your head, for instance- lying down, rolling over or when bending forward to brush teeth.

The Cochlea

Responsible for the transfer of pressure waves into nerve impulses. When symptoms of vertigo make changes in your hearing, this is often called Menieres Disease or an inner ear infection.

The Vestibulocochlear Nerve

Responsible for both hearing and balance – it brings information from the inner ear to the brain in order to comprehend sound and helps you understand where your head is in space. With this type of vertigo (Vestibular Neuritis), loss of hearing and loss of balance are common symptoms.

The vestibular nerve goes into the lower pons to activate the vestibular nuclei which integrates information from your eyes, body and inner ear to help control balance and movement – vertigo symptoms in this area can consist of nausea, balance, fear based anxiety and digestive issues.

The Midbrain

Does many things; it receives information about sound and light and is main area in your brain where dopamine is produced. It is involved with emotions especially ones associated with anger outbursts and anxiety. Vertigo from this area is often associated with visual disturbances, light and sound sensitivity and people may become short tempered and easily upset.

The Cerebrum

Known as the “higher brain” as opposed to your brain stem which some people call your “primitive brain”. Vertigo can come from many different parts of your cerebrum and will have slightly different symptoms depending on the specific area. One of the most common regions is an area called your parietal insular vestibular cortex. This area of the brain is a major association area. It is responsible for taking information from all the other areas in the brain and integrating it into a coherent picture. Problems in this area are often difficult for people to explain. There is almost an infinite number of different symptoms that can occur. People will often “just not feel right”, sometimes they feel disconnected to their own body or limb. They may feel like they are slowly swaying or rocking. Often, they have odd body sensations like the feeling of bugs crawling under their skin. If you are experiencing these types of odd symptoms, please call to schedule a free consult.

Common Causes of Vertigo

Vestibular Causes

Head injury
Aging
Lack of blood flow to inner ear
Displacement of “crystals in inner ear
Viral infection
Migraines
Benign tumors

Non-Vestibular Causes

Muscle strain or arthritis
Aneurysm, stroke, atherosclerosis
Medications
Damage of nerves that supply sensation to the feet
Faintness when sitting or standing
Cataracts and macular degeneration
Anxiety

Common Treatments for Vertigo

“wait it out” approach to see if the brain can adapt
vestibular rehabilitation
physical therapy
medications for symptoms associated with vertigo such as nausea, motion sickness or even anxiety

So Why Do The Symptoms Remain or More Commonly Keep Coming Back?

Because every type of vertigo is unique and requires an individualized diagnosis and treatment plan.

Individualized Treatment Plan for Vertigo:
The vestibular system is a sensory system that is responsible for providing our brain with information about motion, head position, and spatial orientation. It is also involved with motor functions that allow us to keep our balance, stabilize our head and body during movement, and maintain posture.
At Georgia Chiropractic Neurology Center, we specialize in understanding vestibular imbalances, concussions and other central nervous system deficits. Our team is trained to look at the nervous system with a unique approach, making our doctors successful at treating cases that are often not resolved in the traditional medical practice.

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