DIZZINESS IS FREQUENT - VERTEBROBASILAR INSUFFICIENCY KO IS RAREVertebrobasilar insufficiency - uncommon, but important. We are talking about the equivalent of a boxing KO here. These pages are about quite safe methodsand see below for you use. Problems are pretty much confined to manipulation treatments, but even then are rare. When people have stiff joints in their neck, I seldom have to resort to manipulation(when one “cracks” the joint.) My preferred method of neck treatment is stretching it sideways so as to have the maximum effect in the particular joint which is stiff.This is done with them laying on their back. I always warn them to be careful as they get up after the treatment . They often have a little wobble as they stand up and resume their seat. This passes within half a minute. This mild, brief dizziness is due to stretching neck muscles.
Role of neck muscle proprioception senseYou may be aware that the inner ear is an important organ concerned with balance.Less well known is the role of the neck muscles. These are also responsible for sending information to the brain about our movement and position. This is called neck proprioception. Stretching the neck muscles can send confusing messages to our brain, with resulting balance disturbance. This is not dangerous, but there is another rare scenario which is.....
Vertebrobasilar artery syndromeThis name emphasizes the role of the arteries in vertebrobasilar insufficiency.The back of the brain is responsible for vision and for balance. The blood supply to this part is via two little arteries (the Vertebral arteries,) which run up the neck on each side of the spine very close to the joints. Some people are born with one of these two arteries very small, and later in life either of them can get partially blocked with fatty deposits (atheroma.) If the remaining dominant artery then gets irritated and tightens up, one can suddenly have the blood supply to the back of the brain severely reduced. The symptoms so produced constitute the vertebrobasilar insufficiency syndrome. This can also happen if the artery wall tears (dissecting aneurysm.) as in car accidents. I have seen presumed spasm many times in the course of my neck pain treatment - mobilizing or manipulating neck joints. I have not seen spasm from doing any of the stretches described in this website, but just in case here is the advised emergency first aid if you do get badly dizzy.
First aid for dizzinessTake a large plastic bag such as a supermarket bag, about the size of your head. Hook one edge of the open top, under your chin. Now hold the rest of the edge against your cheeks and forehead, so that you’re looking into the empty bag, full of air.As you breath, the bag should rise and fall, indicating a good seal against your face.
During the two minutes, your expired carbon dioxide will have stayed in the bag. The level of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream will have risen. This has the effect of forcing all the arteries in the head to open up to full bore, eliminating the spasm of the vertebral artery. If your dizziness has now gone, it may have been due to vertebral artery spasm, and you will need to see your doctor to investigate this, before you have any other neck treatments. Provided you know that you are allowed to (no stomach ulcer nor allergy to aspirin nor other blood thinning medication etc,) you could also now take half an aspirin.
Atlas Orthogonal, NUCCA etc - gentle upper neck methodsThere are specialist chiropractors who treat the upper cervical spine, using the methods above and others. These all have the same gentle approach, without typical manipulation.A good resource on these, is Greg Buchanan's
www.upcspine.com.
Although anecdotal, this shows the value of getting a skilled assessment of your spine, no matter what you have been told.
vertebrobasilar insufficiency can be from cervical spondylosis
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