If you’ve just experienced your first vertigo attack, or if you’ve been living with a chronic vertigo-causing condition, you’ll want to read on to identify any risk factors you can minimize. As a chiropractor for vertigo in Kembangan, Singapore, I’m here to help.
Vertigo is defined as the sensation of whirling or spinning when no actual movement is present. This false sense of motion is distinct from feeling dizzy or faint. People who experience vertigo will often have accompanying symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, loss of balance, hearing changes, and vision disturbances.
Common Reasons Why People Get Vertigo
The vast majority – approximately 90% – of vertigo cases can be attributed to three main conditions:
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BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo)
The most common cause of vertigo, BPPV, occurs when tiny particles of calcium break loose and migrate into the fluid-filled canals in the inner ear. The presence of these crystals disrupts normal fluid movement and sends erratic signals to the brain about your sense of balance.
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Labyrinthitis/vestibular neuritis
An infection of the inner ear, usually caused by a virus, can inflame the nerve that carries signals between the inner ear and brain. This can cause sudden vertigo symptoms as well as disruptions in hearing until the virus clears up.
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Meniere’s disease
Fluid buildup in the inner ear, whether caused by increased production or decreased drainage, causes intense vertigo episodes. Other Meniere’s symptoms include pressure/fullness in the ear, fluctuating hearing loss, and tinnitus.
Less common reasons why people may develop vertigo include allergies, migraines, MS (multiple sclerosis), diabetes, and pregnancy.
Vertigo Risk Factors: What Can Be Done?
Risk factors for vertigo, or any health condition for that matter, can be tricky. Just because you have one or several risk factors doesn’t mean you’ll develop vertigo. The opposite is true as well – even if you have none of the potential risk factors, you may still develop a vertigo-causing condition.
Do You Have These Vertigo Triggers?
However, knowing what your risk factors are can be of great help when it comes to making positive changes to decrease your odds. Here are some of the risk factors that might raise your chances of experiencing vertigo:
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Age
As people grow older, vertigo becomes more prevalent. People over the age of 50 are more likely to experience dizziness or vertigo. As we age, the parts of our body that play a significant role in balance tend to deteriorate, including our eyesight and inner ear function.Â
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Gender
women are more likely to have vertigo than men.
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Use of certain medications
Dizziness and vertigo are known side-effects to some common drugs such as antidepressants and blood pressure medications.
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High stress levels
Increased stress can trigger a vertigo attack and can prompt a relapse in symptoms for chronic vertigo sufferers.
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History of head injury
A trauma to the head or neck is linked to the later development of vertigo. This cause may not always be obvious since, in many cases, several years can pass between the initial injury and the onset of vertigo.
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Alcohol consumption
Alcohol can either cause or worsen the symptoms of vertigo and can actually change the composition of the fluid in your inner ear.
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Past inner ear infection(s)
Having a history of inner ear infections may predispose you to vertigo-causing health conditions later on in life.
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Genetics
Having a family member with vertigo may put you at an increased risk of developing it as well.
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Prior vertigo episodes
Many people who have suffered from vertigo episodes in the past will experience a relapse or reoccurrence of symptoms at some point.
Natural Relief for Singapore Vertigo Sufferers
Reading through the list of risk factors, it’s easy to see that some can’t be changed. For instance, you can’t stop aging or change your family history. However, many of those risk factors can be tempered by lifestyle changes you can start incorporating now. Reducing your alcohol intake, managing stress, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy diet can improve your overall health and can decrease your odds of having a repeat vertigo attack.
One of the most important things you can do for your health right now to deal with vertigo pertains to anyone who has had an injury to the head or neck. It is easy to think back on big traumas – major car accidents or sports injuries, for example – but small injuries are equally as important to consider. If you’ve ever had a parking lot fender bender, slipped down the steps, or fallen playing around with your kids, and are now experiencing vertigo, it is vital to have your neck examined by an upper cervical chiropractor.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Yields Long-Lasting Results
Upper cervical chiropractic care is unique in that we focus on the alignment of the uppermost vertebra in the spine, the atlas. The atlas balances the weight of the head and is responsible for protecting the brainstem as it exits from the base of the skull. It’s not hard to imagine that an injury to the head or neck can displace this vertebra. The ill-effects of this misalignment may not be felt immediately, but over time, it can begin to impede normal nervous system function, blood flow, and drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). An atlas misalignment can also contribute to vertigo by interrupting the proper transmission of balance signals between the inner ear and brainstem.
Vitality Chiropractic Centres is the first upper cervical chiropractic practice in Singapore. Dr. Rai has studied extensively internationally to be able to provide specific, gentle chiropractic care to this critical part of the neck and central nervous system. If you’re seeking a chiropractor for vertigo in Kembangan, Singapore, contact us for your complimentary case review. From there, we’ll be able to determine if a consultation is a good fit for you.
References:
https://vestibular.org/article/what-is-vestibular/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/vertigo/causes-risk-factors/
Since 2013, Upper Cervical Chiropractor, Dr. Shaan Rai helped patients achieve greater health, relocating to Singapore in 2016 and founding Vitality Chiropractic Centres. He has an impressive track record in providing relief and solutions for people who experience nerve system problems, such as headaches, migraines, dizziness, vertigo or neurological conditions.
Take your life back.
For a Complimentary, no-obligation call with the Doctor or to book a Consultation, call +65 8438 9550 or email help@vitalitychiropracticcentres.com to find out if we can help you at our Chiropractic Clinic in Singapore.