DIZZINESS
Dizziness is an all encompassing, imprecise term describing many sensations of spacial perception and stability. Dizziness occurs if there is a problem in the balance system of the body. Balance is achieved by maintaining the body’s centre of mass over its base of support.
The balance system of the body is a complex system of sensorimotor controls.
Dizziness can be classified into types of sensation:
Vertigo – the sensation of spinning or having one’s surroundings spin about them. Many people find vertigo very disturbing and often report associated nausea and vomiting. It represents about 25% of cases of occurrences of dizziness-
Disequilibrium – the sensation of being off balance and is most often characterized by frequent falls in a specific direction. This condition is not often associated with nausea or vomiting.
Presyncope – Lightheadedness
THE BALANCE SYSTEM
Balance is organised by the Cerebellum and brainstem. Information is received from 3 systems –
The vestibular System – a specialised 3 dimensional canal system found in both inner ears that is filled with fluid and sensory receptors.
The visual System – sensory receptors in the retina called rods and cones send the brain visual cues as to how the person is orientated with respect to other objects.
The Proprioceptive System – special receptors found in the small muscles in the upper neck and feet send impulses to the brain constantly informing it where the body is in space.
Information from all of these systems is processed by the brain and the brain informs the body to take the correct response to maintain balance.
If one of these processes or systems is disrupted the result is often dizziness in one of its forms.
Problems in the Balance System and the Atlas Zone Connection
If there is a malfunction in one of the systems involved with balance dizziness is a common symptom.
A problem with the brain is called Central Vestibular Disorder is usually diagnosed by MRI scan and the most common disorders are brainstem strokes, head trauma, migraine-related vestibulopathy, multiple sclerosis, and cerebellar degeneration.
Peripheral Vestibular Disorders are disorders affecting the inner ear vestibular structures as well as the vestibular portion of the eighth cranial nerve. These disorders include neuritis, labyrinthitis (viral inner ear infection), Meniere’s (a combination of deafness, tinnitus and dizziness), BPPV (a problem caused by loose debri in the semi-circular canals) and vestibulopathy following surgical procedures (e.g. labyrinthectomy and acoustic neuroma).
Cervicogenic Dizziness is caused by a malfunction in the impulses that are sent to the brain from the neck. Small muscles called the Suboccipital Muscles have been researched extensively over the last decade and there possible implication in a number of conditions has been suggested.
SUBOCCIPITAL MUSCLES
The suboccipital muscles have the most muscle spindles (proprioceptive mechanoreceptors) per gram of muscle tissue than any other muscle and there role of working with the eyes to inform the brain about how the head is located in relation to the body has been accepted. Dysfunction of these small muscles due to problems in the atlanto-occipital joints and because of there necessary and underestimated role in the balance system appears to coincide with many patients who are left with chronic dizziness where conventional medicine fails to find a solution by treating the more common vestibular disorders.
Atlas Zone Practitioners understand the link between dysfunctional suboccipital muscles and there role with the balance system and this therapy may prove very beneficial to patients who have balance and dizziness symptoms particularly with associated neck pain.
NON VESTIBULAR CAUSES OF DIZZINESS
Atlas Zone Practitioners are aware and are trained to screen patients both from clinical reasoning and clinical testing procedures for dizziness caused by problems that are not only caused by disruption in the balance system but diziness caused by processes that are not related to this system. Some of these disorders which are considered are commonly linked to blood flow irregularities.
