Dr. Bruce Lambert is a chiropractor in Mississauga, Ontario who frequently works with people suffering from dizziness. It is highly likely that you, or someone you know, has experienced dizziness or vertigo. Cases of dizziness and vertigo range from mild to debilitating. Research indicates dizziness, including vertigo, affects 15 % to 20 % of adults per year, with prevalence increasing with age.
What exactly is dizziness? The Mayo Clinic describes dizziness as a range of sensations, such as feeling faint, woozy, weak, unsteady, or a loss of balance. Dizziness that creates the false sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving is called vertigo.
General balance is achieved through the complex processing of information from many locations in the body. The inner ear, upper neck, input from the eyes, and nerves around abdominal organs all contribute information that the brain is processing every second of every day. If the brain receives conflicting information from different body parts, dizziness or vertigo may result. In essence, dizziness is a defense mechanism triggered to slow an individual down while the brain organizes the chaos between the internal and external environments.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo. This occurs when a tiny crystal in your inner ear shifts and creates a false stimulus in the balance organ. These episodes are triggered with a fast head movement such are rolling in bed, sitting quickly or being struck in the head.
Dysfunction of the upper neck joints are another mechanism that creates conflicting balance information reaching the brain. The upper neck has the most mechanoreceptor nerves in the spine. If these joints are not working properly, they may be sending information to the brain that conflicts with what the eyes are seeing and what the inner ear is registering. This misinformation leads to dizziness.
Chemical stresses may also create misinformation in our balance mechanism. This may include medications, alcohol, infection, carbon monoxide poisoning and low blood sugar. Overheating and dehydration are also factors that may cause dizziness.
Circulation problems are other possible causes of dizziness. A drop in blood pressure may result in lightheadedness or feeling faint. Disruptions in circulation such as heart attack, heart arrhythmia or transient ischemic attack may cause dizziness as well, making it very important to report symptoms of dizziness to a medical professional. There are many more scenarios that may create dizziness in a person. It is important to ask your health professionals questions about your symptoms so that the source of the dizziness may be discovered. If you feel the dizziness to be a medical emergency, please consult your family doctor or the emergency department at your nearest hospital. If your dizziness is not a medical emergency, Dr. Lambert is able to answer your questions and assess the possible causes for your dizziness. In your ‘chiropractor near me’ search for Mississauga, Ontario, you will find that the Lambert Chiropractic Health Centre is here to help.