Did you know that your neck can make you dizzy? Most patients don’t know that dizziness also known as cervical vertigo and neck pain can be connected, and many physicians miss this diagnosis. Why? Both patients and doctors think inner ear or
Did you know that your neck can make you dizzy? Most patients don’t know that dizziness also known as cervical vertigo and neck pain can be connected, and many physicians miss this diagnosis. Why? Both patients and doctors think inner ear or brain when dizziness occurs. However, when the neck component of our balance system which consists of the inner ear, the eyes and the upper neck joints fails, this can cause neck pain and dizziness.
The Cervical Spine and Its Link to Neck Pain and Dizziness
The uppermost part of the spinal column, called the cervical spine, consists of 7 vertebrae with cushioning discs in between each level and 2 joints at the back of each vertebra (14 total, called facet joints). Together with muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves, these structures in the cervical spine support and precisely control movement in our neck. When we experience neck pain and dizziness, more often than not it’s from the upper neck (dashed box).
There are actually three different systems that work closely together to keep us balanced. These are the upper neck, the eyes, and the inner ears. Via the nerves that come from the upper neck facet joints and muscles, the upper neck provides position-sense information that coordinates with our eyes and inner ear. The purpose is to assure that we have multiple systems that can keep us upright, walking, and level-headed, and, indeed, all of the input communications must properly sync and agree for you to maintain normal balance and for you to remain in control of your positioning, both physically and mentally. In other words, when these three systems don’t jive, even if it’s just one weak link with information coming in that doesn’t agree with the other two, dizziness can occur.
In addition, the facet joints in this area of the cervical spine can refer pain to the head, which is why headaches can also be a common accompanying feature of neck pain and dizziness.
Causes of Neck Pain, and Treatment Solutions
Addressing the source of the upper-neck pain is the key to relieving the pain and eliminating dizziness. The goal is to avoid surgery, such as a cervical fusion that permanently disables neck movement and comes with many side effects and lengthy recovery times. There are many injuries and conditions that can cause neck pain and dizziness, and effective nonsurgical treatments will depend on the issue, therefore determining how long this condition will last is not easy. The simplest solution might simply be physical therapy; however, if this doesn’t r