intouchpt

[intouchpt]

What is nautical vertigo?

What is nautical vertigo?

Vertigo is a sense of movement or rotation of the patient’s own or an external object. When most people think vertigo, the most common diagnosis is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). This is long for BPPV and the same condition as when people think of crystals being out of place. Most patients with BPPV report vertigo-like episodes when lying down, extending their head or neck,…

[intouchpt]

3 factors that the vestibular therapist should know about BPPV and stroke.

3 factors that the vestibular therapist should know about BPPV and stroke.

During the differential diagnosis of a patient with vertigo or dizziness, it is pertinent that the clinician determine if the symptoms are benign / non-benign or central / peripheral. This is our red light or green light system to treat or refer. This is by far the most important decision that comes out of a clinical evaluation and is especially important with neurological symptoms. The most…

[intouchpt]

5 symptoms of Cervicogenic Dizziness

5 symptoms of Cervicogenic Dizziness

There are a range of symptoms and variety of potential descriptions of cervicogenic dizziness. Cervicogenic Dizziness symptoms can vary from one person to another and still carries the weight of controversy. The description of dizziness, including a sensation of spinning and/or dysequilibrium is common (Krabak et al 2000, Kalberg 1996).  It has even been described generally as dizziness that may…

[intouchpt]

Can improving cervical lordosis help with Cervicogenic Dizziness?

Can improving cervical lordosis help with Cervicogenic Dizziness?

Cervicogenic dizziness has been described in the medical literature to be caused by functional problem of the cervical spine associated with postural alignment, proprioception and range of motion. Although cervical dizziness is controversial, we have large randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews saying that manual therapy and exercise can help with dizziness frequency, intensity and…

[intouchpt]

Can Craniosacral Osteopathy help Dizziness?

Can Craniosacral Osteopathy help Dizziness?

Can Craniosacral Osteopathy help Dizziness? As consistent authors, teachers and clinicians that diagnose and manage dizziness disorders, especially from the cervical spine, we always research the newest information out there to help persons with these conditions. I found a recent journal article out of Turkey by Atay et al examining the effect of craniosacral osteopathy on dizziness and balance…

[intouchpt]

Can Cupping Therapy help Dizziness?

Can Cupping Therapy help Dizziness?

Cupping therapy can be described as a technique that uses cups placed over the skin to create negative pressure through suction.  It has been in use all over the world for centuries for many musculoskeletal and some non-musculoskeletal conditions.  The treatment approach has created more buzz in the Physio world for the past few years for musculoskeletal conditions, mostly pain. I believe the…

[intouchpt]

Is muscle thickness different in persons with cervical vertigo?

Is muscle thickness different in persons with cervical vertigo?

Is muscle thickness different in persons with cervical vertigo? Out of Iran and part of PhD work, Dr. Ronak Zagar, and colleagues in a 2020 study examined this just question. The study examined muscle thickness of both the anterior and posterior cervical muscles using ultrasound between persons diagnosed with cervical vertigo and compared the results to healthy controls.  Figure 1 from the study…

[intouchpt]

Save 60% of time with the shortened Dizziness Handicap Inventory

Save 60% of time with the shortened Dizziness Handicap Inventory

Save 60% of time with the shortened Dizziness Handicap Inventory In any vestibular, neurological or even orthopaedic practice that treats patients with dizziness and vertigo, the use of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) is the most popular self-report questionnaire. We have written about this outcome measure for sensorimotor disorders in a previous post to utilize for clinical practice.  You…

[intouchpt]

Can the teeth cause dizziness?

Can the teeth cause dizziness?

Of course anyone reading this blog over the last several years realizes the intent is to rule in and rule out the cervical spine as a driver for the symptoms of dizziness, lightheadiness, drunkenness and unsteadiness. Therefore, the question, “Can the teeth cause dizziness” is an interesting inquiry and not a common source of dizziness.  However, for anyone treating upper quarter symptoms, it is…

[intouchpt]

Suspecting a patient has VBI? You could recommend this.

Suspecting a patient has VBI? You could recommend this.

The probability of a patient arriving to your outpatient, physical therapy office with symptoms associated with vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) is very, very, very minimal.  VBI is an important diagnosis to consider, as many symptoms can mimic benign peripheral etiologies in our industry. Most of the data in the physical therapy world on the incidence of VBI is after a manipulation, which is…

[intouchpt]

5 charts showing why therapists should learn about Cervicogenic Dizziness

5 charts showing why therapists should learn about Cervicogenic Dizziness

Science begets more science. That is how we continue to advance and propel ourselves forward in neuromusculoskeletal rehabilitation. For over the past decade, we have treated dizzy/vertigo and neck pain disorders.  We have allowed guidelines and clinical expertise guide us to treat these conditions when presented to us independently.  More memorable to us is what we have created together…

[intouchpt]

A brief overview of Cervical Dizziness

A brief overview of Cervical Dizziness

What is Cervicogenic Dizziness? Physiologically, cervical dizziness is explained by the presence of connecting fibers between the somatosensory system of the cervical spine and the vestibular nuclei.  Through these fibers, afferent somatosensory information from the cervical spine can alter the spontaneous firing rates and synchrony of firing among neurons in the vestibular nuclei. When the…

[intouchpt]

Can Botox help Cervicogenic Vertigo?

Can Botox help Cervicogenic Vertigo?

Can Botox help Cervicogenic Vertigo?

We recently read with interest a case report in 2020 by Dr. Odderson in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience describing the resolution of Cervicogenic Vertigo using botulinum toxin (botox).

Albeit a short literary piece, Dr. Odderson provides sufficient information with cause/effect relationship of success using botox for Cervicogenic Vertigo after failed…

[intouchpt]

How common is cervical vertigo in an ENT office?

How common is cervical vertigo in an ENT office?

The prevalence of Cervical Vertigo can depend on many factors.  One of the major factors that determine prevalence is if a study looks at this diagnosis as a single or double entity.

This basically differentiates if the origin of dizziness is

Single entity: solely from cervical origin

Or if the origin is a double entity — meaning the cervical spine is a component of the symptoms but the patient

[intouchpt]

Can Chiropractic care Cervicogenic Dizziness?

Can Chiropractic care Cervicogenic Dizziness?

Can Chiropractic help Cervicogenic Dizziness?

A 2019 online survey by Vindengi et al entitled, “Chiropractic treatment of older adults with neck pain with or without headache or dizziness: analysis of 288 Australian chiropractors’ self-reported views” was recently published. 

One reason we decided to examine this paper was to:

not only to confirmthat manual professionals (such as…

[intouchpt]

This is why you need to read studies and not just look at abstract

This is why you need to read studies and not just look at abstract

The following is the conclusion of a 2019 prospective, multi-center, randomized controlled clinical trial examining the difference between cervical mobilizations and traditional massage in 360 adult patients with the diagnosis of cervical vertigo.

“No differences in outcomes were detected between the SCM {Shi-Style Cervical Mobilizations) and TM {traditional massage} groups in terms of treatment…

[intouchpt]

Your patients with neck pain AND dizziness have higher disability

Your patients with neck pain AND dizziness have higher disability

When addressing disability and functional limitations for someone you’re suspecting to have Cervicogenic Dizziness, it is normal practice to use a combination of Neck Disability Index (NDI), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) to examine functional limitations for general neck pain and dizziness.  You will find this to be a frequent combo in the medical and rehabilitation literature for diagnosis…