Vertigo

Description

Vertigo is typically associated with a sensation of dizziness and feeling off balance during walking or when changing head or body position.  Vertigo may be caused by disease affecting the inner ear or the vestibular nerve.  It may also be idiopathic (from no known cause).

Treatment

The systems found to be involved with Vertigo may include the nervous system with the cranial nerves (specifically the vestibulocochlear nerve), the dura (which is the tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord), as well as the autonomic nervous system.  Other systems often found to be involved with vertigo may include the arterial system, the lymphatic-venous system which helps to drain blood from the head and neck back to the heart, and the musculoskeletal system - in particular spinal ligaments, bone and cranial sutures. The supporting fascia of each of these systems will, in response to injury or even perceived threat, tighten up in a reflexive spasm which is intended to protect from further harm.  These protective spasms tighten the tissue and cause restrictions in mobility and contribute to less efficient blood flow.  Inside the head, tissue tension and swelling can pull on or compress local nerves, arteries, or veins, and thereby cause symptoms such as dizziness and problems with balance.  Some symptoms may take a while to develop once these reflexive spasms have been triggered. The specific systems involved in your case of vertigo are identified when your therapist performs the Counterstrain Scan.  The primary systems that require treatment are then addressed with Fascial Counterstrain manual therapy.  This is a gentle method in which the affected tissue is mechanically shortened until it relaxes completely, thus releasing the protective spasm and restoring normal function.  Your therapist will reassess with the Counterstrain Scan and continue treatment towards complete resolution of the symptoms of vertigo.  Idiopathic vertigo is more likely to resolve completely than vertigo caused by a disease process.  There being no known medical cause, it is probable that the symptoms are being caused by these protective spasms alone.  When there is a disease process involved, there is often a reflexive component to the symptoms, in addition to the pathology.  This reflexive component will respond to Fascial Counterstrain treatment.  However, the underlying disease may continue to irritate tissues and generate symptoms.  Thus, treatment can reduce symptoms, but they may not resolve completely.

Patient Testimonial

“I am a 62 year-old woman that was experiencing headaches, earaches and vertigo.  I was unsteady on my feet and had difficulty with walking and moving around.  My primary care physician requested an MRI, which had negative results and I was prescribed medication.  The medication only alleviated the headaches but not the earaches or vertigo.  I was then referred to UCLA to see a neurologist.  The neurologist diagnosed me with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.  He prescribed me more medication and told me it would take time.  The medication did not alleviate the vertigo, it just made me very groggy and tired.  My daughter works for Rob Rosenberry who is a Counterstrain Certified therapist and thought I should try getting treated.  After the first treatment I felt a huge relief.  I continued with my treatment once a week for 6 weeks and have been completely alleviated of all symptoms.”   -  E.U.