Cervicogenic Dizziness is the term used for conditions where dizziness is caused by a neck-related problem. Our cervical spine or neck plays a role in balance and coordination. So, when this area of your spine is inflamed, arthritic or injured, it can make you feel dizzy, lightheaded and unsteady.
Risk Factors of Cervicogenic Dizziness
- Poor posture
- Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) or other traumatic injuries to the neck
- Concussionsor other head injuries
- Weakness of neck muscles
- Osteoarthritis of the neck joints
- Inflammatory diseases that affect the neck such as rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis
Symptoms of Cervicogenic Dizziness
As with most conditions, patients with cervicogenic dizziness don’t always have identical symptoms, patterns or disease progressions. However, the following are can be applied to most individuals:
- Dizziness, motion sensitivity, light-headedness
- Symptoms reported as vague or hard to describe
- Neck stiffness and/or pain. Dizziness usually increases when neck symptoms increase.
- Tender trigger points or tense muscle tissue in the neck
- Dizziness with head movements (especially extending your neck back) or placing your head in poor postures for long periods of time
- Symptoms last for minutes to hours
- Symptoms are not constant but rather occur in episodes
Management of Cervicogenic Dizziness
- Manual Therapy
- Retraining Neck Proprioception
- Stretching & Strengthening exercises
- Vestibular Rehabilitation
At Your Physio, our team of therapists can help to prescribe a suitable vestibular rehabilitation program to your needs. We aim to manage your symptoms, guide you through specific exercises to challenge your vestibular systems, and ultimately get you back to doing what you love.
Prepared By
Gan Yee Jie
Your Physio Petaling Jaya