You’ve had your ears checked. Maybe you’ve had scans. You’ve been told everything looks normal.
But you’re still dizzy.
You might feel off balance when you walk. Your head might feel foggy or disconnected. Turning your head may make things worse. And perhaps you’ve noticed something else at the same time:
Your neck is sore, stiff or just doesn’t feel right.
So, could your neck actually be contributing to your dizziness?
In some people, it may be.
At Melbourne Headache & Concussion Group, one of the conditions we assess is cervicogenic dizziness: dizziness that may be associated with dysfunction of the cervical spine.
The important part is working out whether the neck is actually contributing to your symptoms rather than simply assuming it is.
What is cervicogenic dizziness?
Your ability to balance relies on your brain constantly combining information from several different systems.
Your eyes tell your brain what you can see.
Your inner ear provides important information about movement, acceleration and the position of your head.
And your neck contains specialised sensors that provide your brain with information about the position and movement of your head relative to your body.
Normally, these systems work together.
When the information coming from them doesn’t match as expected, some people can experience symptoms such as dizziness, unsteadiness or disorientation.
Cervicogenic dizziness is the term often used when dysfunction of the cervical spine is thought to be contributing to these symptoms.
What does cervicogenic dizziness feel like?
Dizziness doesn’t always mean the room is spinning.
People with suspected cervicogenic dizziness may describe feeling:
- Light-headed
- Unsteady on their feet
- Off balance
- Foggy or disconnected
- Disorientated
- Worse when turning or moving their head
- Worse after maintaining certain neck positions for extended periods
Neck pain, stiffness or headaches may occur alongside the dizziness.
Does this sound familiar?
You turn your head quickly and feel momentarily disorientated.
You get up after working at a computer and feel slightly off balance.
Your neck becomes sore and your dizziness seems to increase with it.
Or perhaps you’ve recovered from a neck injury or concussion but still don’t quite feel steady.
These symptoms don’t automatically mean your neck is responsible.
But they can be a reason to investigate it.
How can your neck make you feel dizzy?
The upper cervical spine contains a large amount of sensory information about head and neck position.
Your brain integrates this information with signals coming from your eyes and vestibular system to help maintain balance and spatial awareness.
If cervical information is altered, it may contribute to a mismatch between the information your brain is receiving from these different systems.
This is one proposed explanation for cervicogenic dizziness.
The key word, however, is contribute.
Dizziness can have many causes, which is why simply finding neck stiffness in someone who feels dizzy isn’t enough to conclude that the neck is responsible.
What else can cause dizziness?
This is an important question.
Dizziness isn’t a diagnosis: it’s a symptom.
There are numerous potential causes of dizziness, and some require medical or vestibular assessment rather than treatment directed at the neck.
Depending on your symptoms and history, other possibilities may need to be considered.
This is why at Melbourne Headache & Concussion Group, we don’t assume your dizziness is coming from your neck simply because you also have neck pain.
We want to determine which systems may actually be contributing.
How do you know if dizziness is coming from your neck?
This is where a detailed assessment becomes important.
The first step is understanding your story.
When did the dizziness begin?
Was there an injury?
Do certain head or neck movements provoke it?
Do you experience headaches?
Does your neck hurt?
Do you experience spinning, unsteadiness, light-headedness or something completely different?
From there, your assessment may examine your cervical spine, movement, balance and other systems relevant to your symptoms. The original MHCG draft specifically emphasises assessment of the neck, balance and movement before deciding what is driving the dizziness.
The goal isn’t simply to find something wrong with your neck.
It’s to determine whether changing cervical input appears to change your familiar symptoms and whether the overall presentation is consistent with the neck contributing to your dizziness.
What causes cervicogenic dizziness?
Cervicogenic dizziness may occur alongside cervical dysfunction or following an injury involving the neck.
The original MHCG material identifies factors such as previous neck injury, neck stiffness, muscle tension and arthritis, while also noting that symptoms may change with neck movement or position.
Rather than assuming one of these factors is the cause, however, they should form part of the broader assessment.
For example, someone can have a stiff neck and dizziness for completely unrelated reasons.
That’s why assessment matters.
How is cervicogenic dizziness treated?
Treatment depends on what we find during your assessment.
If the cervical spine appears to be contributing to your symptoms, management may include:
- Gentle hands-on treatment aimed at improving neck movement
- Treatment addressing relevant muscle and joint dysfunction
- Exercises to improve neck strength and control
- Balance and coordination exercises
- Advice around movement and activity
- Vestibular rehabilitation exercises where appropriate
These approaches are consistent with the treatment options outlined in the original MHCG draft.
But treatment shouldn’t simply be about loosening a “tight neck”.
We want to understand why you’re dizzy and address the factors that appear relevant to your individual presentation.
Can dizziness and headaches be connected?
They can occur together.
The original MHCG material notes that people experiencing this type of dizziness may also report neck pain, stiffness or headaches.
For a clinic like MHCG, this relationship is particularly important because headache, migraine, concussion, cervical dysfunction and dizziness can produce overlapping symptoms.
If you’re experiencing both recurring headaches and dizziness, understanding the pattern of both symptoms can provide valuable information during your assessment.
When should you have dizziness assessed?
If dizziness keeps returning, affects your confidence or interferes with work, exercise, driving or everyday activities, it’s worth finding out why.
In particular, consider an assessment if your dizziness occurs alongside:
- Neck pain or stiffness
- Headaches
- Symptoms associated with neck or head movement
- A previous neck injury
- Concussion or head injury
- Ongoing balance problems
The original MHCG draft particularly recommends assessment when dizziness occurs with neck pain, stiffness or headaches and symptoms appear to be influenced by neck movement.
New, severe, unusual or rapidly worsening dizziness, particularly when accompanied by other concerning neurological or medical symptoms, should be medically assessed promptly.
Cervicogenic dizziness assessment in Melbourne
Still dizzy and don’t know why?
If your dizziness keeps returning, particularly when it’s accompanied by neck pain, stiffness or headaches, it may be worth investigating whether your cervical spine is contributing.
At Melbourne Headache & Concussion Group in Williamstown, Melbourne, our clinicians assess the relationship between the neck, headaches, dizziness and balance.
Rather than assuming every dizzy patient has the same problem, we aim to identify the factors contributing to your symptoms and determine the most appropriate next step.
Still feeling dizzy?
If you haven’t been able to work out why, it’s time to take a closer look.
Book a dizziness assessment with Melbourne Headache & Concussion Group.
