Vertigo, Dizziness & Balance Problems
Vertigo, or dizziness, affects millions of people around the world each year. In a majority of the cases, vertigo is nothing more than a temporary inconvenience. In some cases, vertigo is a debilitating condition: day-to-day activities must be kept to a minimum due to the severe dizziness.
There are many possible causes for vertigo. A thorough examination is necessary to find the primary cause of your specific case. Dr. Kevala utilizes specific testing and equipment (such as infrared goggles orvideonystagmoscopy) that show what type of treatment will best solve your case.
In some cases you may have already had a definitive diagnosis of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo(BPPV). Dr. Kevala will verify this diagnosis and if warranted will utilize the Epley Maneuver to treat the cause.
In many cases, the cause is dysfunction in one of the hemispheres of the cerebellum. The cerebellum is in the posterior aspect (back part) of the brain and controls our coordinated movements. There are specific neurological tests that we utilize to determine cerebellar function.
Even if the vertigo/dizziness/balance problem that you are experiencing is not primarily caused by cerebellar dysfunction, if your cerebellum were functioning perfectly you would be able to overcome the symptoms more easily and permanently.
Treatment of cerebellar dysfunction may include:
- Unilateral (one-sided) Adjustments: Extremities (arms and legs), lumbar (low back) and cervical (neck) spine will be manipulated on one side only to fire muscle spindle cells and joint mechanoreceptors into the same cerebellum and opposite cerebral cortex (another part of your brain). The thoracic (mid-back) spine will be globally manipulated to fire the dorsal columns (a sensory information tract located along the back part of the spinal cord) and to reduce rib fixations.
- Caloric: A warm water caloric of 180 milliliters may be administered in the ear to stimulate the cerebellum.
- Eye Exercises: Eye exercises may be used to increase the frequency of firing to the cerebellum and frontal lobe of the brain.
- Heat Therapy: Moist heat therapy is used to promote an increased metabolic and healing rate of the involved tissue. Increased heat helps increase activation to the brain. Moist heat has immediate soothing and palliative effects such as decreased joint stiffness, decreased muscle spasms and vasodilation of the deep part of the circulatory system.
One or all of these procedures may be employed to restore the cerebellum to its normal function.
If you are interested in seeing if you are a candidate for our breakthrough procedures for treating vertigo call us to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Kevala at 805-650-0495.