Vertigo and Dizziness Treatment in Dallas, TX

It is incredibly important to differentiate your symptoms between 3 major issues: Vertigo, Dizziness, and lightheadedness. Most commonly people will have one but there is a possibility you can have multiple. Differentiating is the first step in finding the treatment that works best (Hint: it is NOT usually medications)

1. VERTIGO - Traditionally a rotational experience where the sufferer feels like they are moving (Egocentric vertigo)or the world is moving (Geocentric vertigo). People clinically report feeling like they are on marry-go-round, "in a spin cycle", or "doing cartwheels".
2. Dizzy - Dizziness is best described and often reported by patients as a feeling of swimming, being on a boat, floating sensation, or walking on a waterbed. Some variations are felt only in the head and others are a whole body experience.
3. Lightheaded - This is the most common symptom to accompany the other 2 because the way our body controls blood flow is intimately related to our perceptions of where we are in space. Think hanging upside-down on the monkey bars. Going from sitting to standing, laying down to sitting/standing is the most common time to get lightheaded. This is the feeling of about to pass out, vision gets blurry, maybe hearing sounds muffled or even ringing in the ears (tinnitus) occurs. There is typically a drastic increase in heart rate to make up for the plummeting blood pressure that can feel erratic (fibrillations). You may notice it gets worse if you haven't eaten in awhile. These are all part of a larger issue called Dysautonomia, which means a dysfunction in automatic processes controlled by the brain (blood pressure, heart rate, gastrointestinal function, sweat glands, etc).

Once you've discussed and properly diagnosed which one(s) you have, there are several types of therapies that are highly effective and provided at The Wellness Institute of Dallas. Some of these may include:

• Gyrostim therapy
• Vestibular therapy
• Visual/eye movement based therapies
• Head-eye-vestibular motion (HEVM) therapy
• Cervical (Neck) and upper cervical soft tissue therapy including dry needling, myofascial release, cervical and occipital adjustments, chiropractic,etc.
• Proprioceptive retraining
• Neuromuscular reeducation
• Whole-body vibration
• Trigeminal nerve stimulation
• Heart-rate variability (HRV) training
• Vagal nerve activation
• Nutritional counseling
• Functional medicine when chemically, toxin, or physiologically induced
• IV therapy (dehyration often exaccerbates ALL vertigo, dizziness, and lightheadedness)
• Laser therapy

Vertigo and dizziness can have many different causes. To determine the root cause of your dizzy spells, our team can perform a full evaluation of your health to find out if you're dehydrated, suffering from migraines, or have an underlying disease contributing to your vertigo or dizziness. Some symptoms individuals with vertigo or dizziness frequently experience include:

• Disorientation
• Fatigue
• Poor balance
• Confusion
• Lightheadedness

It's important to note that vertigo and dizziness are symptoms and not diseases. Vertigo and dizziness may result from a wide range of conditions, often reflecting issues in different parts of the body, particularly the inner ear and the brain. Some common risk factors and conditions associated with vertigo and dizziness include:

Inner Ear Problems

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo
• Meniere's Disease
• Vestibular Neuritis or Labyrinthitis

Neurological Issues

• Migraines
• Multiple sclerosis

Other Health Conditions

• Medications
• Age
• Dehydration or low blood pressure
• Cardiovascular disease
• Anxiety disorders
• Neck or head injuries

Lifestyle Factors

• Alcohol and drug use
• Poor diet and exercise

What are ways to ease vertigo?
To help reduce the vertigo sensation, you can lie in a quiet, dark room until the spinning feeling goes. Additionally, you can putting your head between your kneeds until the dizziness is gone. Oftentimes, just sitting down can help get rid of vertigo.

Can stress bring on vertigo?
Stress has been found to be a trigger for vertigo. High levels of anxiety, stress, and depression have all been linked to vertigo, although it's not fully understood why as of yet.

Are there foods to avoid if you have vertigo?
There are certain foods you can avoid if you get vertigo. Those include:

• High-sodium foods
• Caffeine
• Processed foods that contain MSG, artifical sweetners, and taste enhancers (instead opt for whole, fresh foods)
• Foods that trigger migraines (aged cheese, cured eats, pickled foods, seafood)

If you start to notice yourself feeling disoriented, fatigued, or lightheaded, getting help from a professional will be key to improving your quality of life. Reach out to our team at The Wellness Institute of Dallas to find out how we help patients with vertigo or dizziness resolve their symptoms and restore their lives.