Neck pain and dizziness have a very close relationship. Very often you would experience dizziness along with neck pain. This condition is known as cervical vertigo. This disorder is caused if a person sustains a neck injury that upsets the nervous tissue underneath the skin. When the neck receives such a trauma, the proprioceptive impulses that come from the muscles, tendons and joints, shift their route and do not reach the brain properly. This abnormal sensory input can cause the brain to respond by creating feelings of dizziness. There may also be a slight alteration in awareness of position. There is no permanent cure to this condition because of which most patients opt for alternative methods of treatment like chiropractic.
Most patients who experience this disorder complain of a dizziness which may be very intense and therefore debilitating. The sensations and the pain increases when the person tries to stand up or move. However, upon being seated again, the sensations tend to decrease drastically.
Trauma to the neck or a strong whip-lash jerk can cause cervical pain and dizziness. While the symptoms are usually similar in both kinds of injuries, it has been seen that the injuries sustained due to sudden motions of the neck and jerks cause a more severe vertigo. Some individuals may experience vertigo and trauma everyday. It has also been seen that amongst men and women who suffer from dizziness and pain, women are more likely to suffer vertigo due to a cervical trauma.
There may be some other causes of vertigo too. A common cause of this condition is when the balance mechanism of the body, which is present in the inner ear, is disturbed. When this occurs, the body may be thrown completely out of balance. This disturbance in the inner ear could be due to trauma, viral infections, inflammation, or stroke that causes brain damage.
The ear canals have tiny projections which are like small hair. Formation of crystals in these hair-like projections can also cause the fluid inside the ear to alter its motion. The altered motion of the fluid sends out wrong information to the brain. For instance, rapid movement of the head may cause these crystals to slosh around in the ear canal. This causes the ear fluid to get disturbed and the brain interprets this wrongly to cause dizziness.
Most people suffering from this condition seek help from chiropractors. This alternative healing technique can help treat the vertigo and dizziness that stem from injuries or trauma to the neck.