Yes, a chiropractor can help treat vertigo through several proven methods. They use special head movements called the Epley maneuver, neck adjustments, and balance exercises to reduce your spinning sensations and dizziness. Most people feel better after just a few visits.

If you’ve ever felt like the world is spinning around you, you know how scary vertigo can be. The good news is that chiropractors have safe, natural ways to help you feel steady again. This article will explain exactly what your chiropractor will do to treat your vertigo and help you get back to normal life.

Understanding Vertigo and How It Affects You

What Is Vertigo Really?

Vertigo isn’t just feeling dizzy. It’s that specific spinning feeling where you think you’re moving when you’re not, or the room seems to spin around you. What sets vertigo apart from mere dizziness is the distinct sensation of movement or spinning.

Many people mix up vertigo with regular dizziness, but they’re different. Regular dizziness feels like you might faint or feel lightheaded. Vertigo makes you feel like you’re on a carnival ride that won’t stop.

Common Types of Vertigo Chiropractors Treat

BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) This is the most common type of vertigo. According to the Cleveland Clinic, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is a common type of vertigo, a sensation of spinning or whirling and loss of balance, which has been reported to account for as many as 17 percent of all cases of dizziness. It happens when tiny crystals in your ear get loose and float around where they shouldn’t be.

Cervicogenic Vertigo This type comes from problems in your neck. One recent study of 2,361 patients concluded that up to 40% of neck pain patients will experience cervicogenic dizziness. When your neck bones aren’t lined up right, it can make you feel dizzy and off-balance.

Vestibular Neuritis This happens when the nerve in your inner ear gets swollen, usually from a virus. It can make you feel very dizzy for days or weeks.

Symptoms That Bring People to Chiropractors

Beyond the spinning feeling, vertigo often comes with:

• Feeling sick to your stomach
• Throwing up
• Sweating
• Headaches
• Feeling unsteady when walking
• Hearing ringing in your ears

How Chiropractors Diagnose Your Vertigo

The First Visit Assessment

Your chiropractor won’t just guess what’s wrong. They’ll do a thorough check to find out exactly what’s causing your vertigo. In treating vertigo, the chiropractor typically starts by performing a thorough exam to determine the cause, which is typically one of two things: an injury that occurred in the musculoskeletal system or improper blood flow to the brain.

Special Tests Chiropractors Use

Dix-Hallpike Test This maneuver will place your head on a certain position for a moment. Presence of rapid eye movement (nystagmus) and vertigo suggests that you are more likely to have BPPV. Your chiropractor will help you lie down quickly while turning your head to see if it triggers your vertigo.

Romberg Test Romberg test is one of the balance tests which you are required to close your eyes while standing upright. If you felt dizzy and tend to fall, you might have impaired proprioception. This simple test checks how well your body knows where it is in space.

Eye Movement Tests This test requires you to stare and follow through the finger of your chiropractor with one eye closed. Having uncontrolled eye movement might suggest that your external eyeball muscles aren’t functioning properly.

Neck Examination Your chiropractor will check your neck carefully. Your chiropractor will evaluate your neck, commonly through neck movement, palpation, and some special tests. This is to determine if there is presence of neck misalignment or musculoskeletal condition causing vertigo.

Main Treatments Chiropractors Use for Vertigo

The Epley Maneuver – The Gold Standard

The Epley maneuver is the most famous treatment chiropractors use for BPPV vertigo. The Epley maneuver is known to be effective for treating BPPV, with a success rate of around 90%. This technique helps move those loose crystals back where they belong.

How the Epley Maneuver Works The Epley maneuver focuses on moving the canaliths out of your semicircular canals. Your chiropractor will guide your head through specific positions for 30-60 seconds each. Your chiropractor will help position your head in a few directions for 30-60 seconds, and it is common to have vertigo or dizziness felt in the process for the first few sessions.

Success Rates Are Impressive Research shows amazing results with this treatment. Studies published by the National Institutes of Health found that among 25 case patients, 18 (72%) recovered from vertigo immediately after the Epley maneuver and 23 (92%) patients recovered from vertigo at first week of followup. Many studies report effectiveness of the Epley maneuver ranges between 78-95%.

Chiropractic Adjustments for Your Neck

Upper Cervical Adjustments Adjustments to the upper cervical spine and neck area are the most common approaches to treating vertigo. Your chiropractor will use gentle, controlled movements to realign the bones in your neck. This is especially helpful for cervicogenic vertigo.

How Neck Adjustments Help When your neck bones are out of place, they can interfere with the signals going to your brain about balance. When the underlying cause of your symptoms is caused by cervical misalignment, chiropractic treatment will focus on reducing tension on the spinal cord, allowing the autonomic nervous system to function better.

The Connection Between Neck and Balance Issues in the upper neck—especially involving the atlas (C1) and axis (C2)—can create abnormal input to the brain’s balance centers. By fixing these alignment problems, chiropractors can often reduce or eliminate vertigo symptoms.

Other Repositioning Techniques

Semont Maneuver Semont maneuver: A procedure involving rapid movement from lying on one side to lying on the other. This is another way to move crystals back to their proper place.

Brandt-Daroff Exercises Brandt-Daroff habituation exercise: An exercise that dislodges and breaks up the crystals linked to dizziness. These exercises can be done at home to help prevent vertigo from coming back.

Additional Therapies Chiropractors Provide

Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises

Your chiropractor might teach you special balance exercises. According to the Cleveland Clinic, vestibular rehabilitation therapy involves exercises that help you manage dizziness and balance issues (imbalance). These exercises help your brain learn to balance better.

Eye-Head Coordination Exercises These exercises help your eyes and head work together better. You might practice looking at a target while moving your head slowly from side to side.

Balance Training Balance Training exercises are used to improve steadiness so that daily activities for self-care, work, and leisure can be performed successfully. Your chiropractor will give you exercises that are challenging but safe.

Soft Tissue Work and Massage

Tight muscles in your neck and shoulders can make vertigo worse. Massage relieves vertigo and also helps you reduce stress. Your chiropractor might work on these muscles to help you feel better.

Posture Correction

Bad posture can contribute to vertigo, especially the type that comes from neck problems. Correcting your posture can improve your overall health and wellness. It’s especially useful for dealing with vertigo.

What to Expect During Your Treatment

Your First Few Visits

Don’t expect instant magic, but many people do feel better quickly. The treatment is very effective and within 3-4 treatments 80% are symptom-free. Your chiropractor will likely want to see you 1-2 times per week at first.

How Long Treatment Takes

Patients will often see improvements in their symptoms after a few sessions, with a complete correction requiring several weeks or months of treatment. Every person is different, but most people need between 4-8 visits to see major improvement.

What You Might Feel During Treatment

It’s normal to feel some dizziness during the first few treatments. It is common to have vertigo or dizziness felt in the process for the first few sessions. This usually means the treatment is working.

Lifestyle Changes Your Chiropractor Will Recommend

Dietary Improvements

Cleaning up your diet is one of the best ways to improve your overall health and reduce your risk of vertigo. Your chiropractor might suggest avoiding too much salt, caffeine, or alcohol, as these can make vertigo worse.

Stress Management

Anxiety and stress can cause vertigo and other unusual symptoms. Learning to manage stress through deep breathing, meditation, or other relaxation techniques can help prevent vertigo episodes.

Sleep Position Changes

Your chiropractor might suggest changes to how you sleep or how you get up from bed to avoid triggering vertigo episodes.

Exercise and Movement

Regular, gentle exercise can help improve your balance and reduce vertigo symptoms. Your chiropractor will give you specific exercises that are safe for your condition.

Success Stories and Research Results

Patient Satisfaction Rates

The results speak for themselves. Research from Johns Hopkins Medicine shows that 77% of individuals who saw a chiropractor rated their treatment as ‘very effective.’ When it comes to vertigo specifically, the success rates are even higher.

Research Supports Chiropractic Care

Significant research, including the 2021 ChiroUp COPS synopsis of 631,970 diagnoses, found that the combination of neck pain and vertigo is one of the ten most responsive complaints to chiropractic care.

Long-Term Benefits

Studies show that chiropractic care doesn’t just help with immediate symptoms. Most patients demonstrated improved balance, and some showed reduced dizziness and neck pain.

When to See a Chiropractor for Vertigo

Signs It’s Time for Help

You should consider seeing a chiropractor if you have:

• Spinning sensations that come and go
• Dizziness when you change positions
• Neck pain along with dizziness
• Balance problems that affect daily activities
• Vertigo that comes back repeatedly

What Makes You a Good Candidate

After potentially serious causes are ruled out, patients and primary care physicians should consider a trial of care involving a manual therapy approach, especially from a well-trained, evidence-based chiropractor.

Safety Considerations

Chiropractic treatment for vertigo is very safe when done by a trained professional. A comprehensive study published in Scientific Reports examined over 960,000 chiropractic treatments and found that among 960,140 SMT sessions for 54,846 patients, 39 AEs were identified, two were grade 3, both of which were rib fractures occurring in women age > 60 with osteoporosis, while none were grade ≥ 4.

How This Connects to Your Overall Health

The Whole-Body Approach

Chiropractors offer whole-health advice that aims to improve your overall well-being and quality of life instead of just masking or limiting the symptoms of vertigo. They look at your entire body, not just your symptoms.

Integration with Other Treatments

Your chiropractor will work with your other doctors when needed. Not only will a chiropractor help with adjustments that improve your vertigo symptoms, but they’ll also help you find the resources needed to resolve the problem completely.

Prevention Focus

Besides treating your current vertigo, your chiropractor will help you prevent future episodes through exercises, posture improvement, and lifestyle changes.

Finding the Right Chiropractor for Vertigo

Look for Special Training

Not all chiropractors have the same training in vertigo treatment. Look for one who has experience with vestibular disorders and the Epley maneuver.

Questions to Ask

When calling a chiropractic office, ask:

• Do you treat vertigo and dizziness?
• Are you trained in the Epley maneuver?
• How many vertigo patients do you see each month?
• What’s your success rate with vertigo treatment?

What to Expect in Terms of Cost

Most insurance plans cover chiropractic care for conditions like vertigo. Treatment for low-back pain by a chiropractor can cost 40% less than seeing a medical doctor. The same cost savings often apply to vertigo treatment.

Final Thoughts

Vertigo doesn’t have to control your life. Chiropractors have proven, safe methods to help you feel steady and confident again. Whether your vertigo comes from loose crystals in your ear or problems in your neck, chiropractic care offers natural relief without drugs or surgery.

The combination of the Epley maneuver, gentle neck adjustments, and balance exercises has helped thousands of people overcome their vertigo symptoms. Most people see improvement within just a few visits, and the techniques chiropractors use have success rates of 80-90% or higher.

If you’re tired of feeling dizzy and unsteady, it’s time to take action. A qualified chiropractor can evaluate your specific situation and create a treatment plan that gets you back to feeling like yourself again. Don’t let vertigo keep you from enjoying life – help is available, and it works.

Ready to get your balance back? Contact our experienced team at HealthQuest Longevity to schedule your vertigo evaluation. We’ll help you understand what’s causing your symptoms and create a personalized treatment plan to get you feeling steady again. Call us today to schedule your appointment and take the first step toward relief.