Vertigo, exercises to calm it down: a very frequent symptom in those suffering from neck problems, vertigo can appear following traumatic events, even years after an accident, or cyclically according to changes in the weather

Direct cold air from the air conditioner in this season can also be a triggering factor.

What is cervical vertigo

Vertigo does not necessarily mean the sensation of seeing the world upside down or experiencing difficulty with balance.

Patients often complain of a feeling of an empty head, accompanied by sudden dizziness.

Vertigo results from an abnormal position of the head in relation to the body and from the fact that the otolytic receptors in the ear, being affected by the contracted state of the neck muscles, induce this floating sensation.

In fact, the otolithic system not only registers the head’s sense of position, but also contributes to the stability of the head and gaze.

There is a strong connection between the balance in the ear and the sensors located in the muscles, cervical joints and ligaments of the neck.

This is why vertigo is always linked to a muscle contracture and tends to disappear when this problem is resolved.

Vertigo can occur as a result of:

• ancient traumas related to whiplash;
• lacerations of muscle fibres;
• presence of hernias or disc protrusions;
• indirect traumatic effects linked to arthrosis that modifies posture and triggers contracture-pain mechanisms.

During seasonal changes due to major temperature changes and the sometimes spasmodic use of incorrectly regulated air conditioners, the neck and shoulder muscles are more prone to contractures that lead to dizziness and the feeling of ‘walking on eggshells’.

How to calm vertigo

The feeling of vertigo can last for months or disappear after a few days and, generally, this occurs when the contracture of the neck muscles involved decreases.

This is why treatment is usually conservative and takes the form of physiotherapy exercises assisted by muscle relaxant medication to decontract the area.

The results are effective and, if repeated by the person who cyclically suffers from these ailments, can have a preventive effect to prevent the problem from recurring.

These are exercises that aim to

• strengthen the muscles and aim to prevent frequent contractions;
• reprogramming the balance apparatus to be carried out, but not in the acute phase.

It is a rehabilitation that aims to teach the brain not to use labyrinthine, but visual-osteotendinous information in order to preserve balance and correct posture.

7 exercises for cervical vertigo

Here are 7 rehabilitation exercises that you can do to counteract cervical vertigo:

• Supine position: Try to relax, paying attention to your breathing. Open your eyes and move them in different directions: up, down, right, left.
• Move your head in the various directions very calmly and carefully: bending, extending, turning to the right, left and tilting sideways.
• From a seated position, bend forward and down until your nose is on your right knee and then left, focusing on your breathing.
• Stand in front of the mirror. Relaxing, check your breathing. First balancing on both feet, change your base of support: at first with feet apart, then parallel, then close together, finally with one foot in front of the other.
• Still in front of the mirror, legs together parallel, lift your heels and then raise one limb at a time, with your arms outstretched as if you were balancing on an imaginary wire. Then return to the starting position and start again.
• Walk in place, taking care of your breathing and checking the coordination of your arms in the mirror as well. Accentuate the ‘march-like’ movements, first with your eyes open and then closed.
• Walk forwards then backwards, reversing the direction of walking, first with your whole foot and then only on your toes, then on your heels. First with your eyes open and then closed.

Cervical vertigo or labyrinthitis: how to recognise it

The labyrinth is a small ‘compass’ located inside our ear.

For various causes, it can happen that it does not function properly and so we feel that the environment around us rotates, resulting in a truly disabling and unpleasant experience.

In this case, one speaks of labyrinthitis as the attack is very strong and in some cases, the sufferer reports experiencing a real sensation of sky-earth inversion.

On the other hand, the condition of ‘vertigo’, so called to indicate a sense of instability and staggering, is different.

The first sensation is referable to a labyrinthine deficit; the second, on the other hand, usually has a neurological or postural origin.

It will be the specialist who, having listened to the symptoms and assessed the patient’s condition, will define the causes and frame the problem.

If the symptoms persist, it may be necessary to undergo more accurate diagnostic examinations, such as MRI or CT scans, to rule out possible spinal or brain problems.

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Source:

GSD