Vertigo: Why Dizziness May Not Be “Just an Inner Ear Problem”

Vertigo is not just dizziness, it is the environment around you spinning in circles, and sometimes can feel like you are on a boat. It can be triggered by certain head movements or positions, but can also attack you out of the blue for seemingly no reason.

It all started when you were doing the laundry, or you knelt down to play with your kids, and

there it was. That dizzy feeling that takes you by surprise every time. These dizzy spells can be accompanied with nausea and vomiting, balance issues, hearing loss, headaches, balance issues, and even that feeling of fullness in your ears.

What Causes Vertigo?

Vertigo has more than one cause or type. The most common cause of vertigo is something

known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This is when the small calcium

particles in the inner ear can be displaced into the semicircular canals. This can then lead to

balance signals being interfered with leading to those sudden brief dizzy episodes.

Another common type of vertigo is a bit more complex, involving symptoms like hearing loss,

fullness in one or both ears, and ringing in the ears otherwise known as tinnitus. High stress

levels or anxiety, a high histamine response due to allergies or infections, or even abnormally

high levels of salt intake.

Balance and coordination is directly related to your nervous system. In fact, the

vestibulocochlear nerve (Cranial nerve VIII) is the nerve responsible for controlling your auditory and equilibrium (balance) going from your inner ear all the way to the brain. This cycle left uninterrupted allows for quality hearing, and stable balance and posture.

The top bone in your spine known as the Atlas protects very important neurological structure

such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and even other functions such as balance and

coordination. If there is a misalignment with the Atlas there can be a disruption in nerve signals causing abnormal function which can eventually lead to dizziness.

How can my brainstem affect my balance?

Common Symptoms Associated With Vertigo

People dealing with Vertigo commonly experience:

● Nausea

● Vomiting

● Headaches

● Neck Pain

● Hearing loss

After countless doctor visits, tests, and lab work, you might be wondering if your vertigo is linked to your nervous system and the top bone in your spine. Often times this is the case and it's being overlooked.

Why does my vertigo keep coming back? | Why Dizziness May Not Be “Just an Inner Ear Problem”

We hear all the time at Ace Chiropractic that Epley maneuver used to help provide short term

relief, and now it is not even touching the symptoms.

This can be due to the fact that your vertigo is not related to the crystals in the ear like you’ve

been told. If that were the true cause, then the typical crystal-repositioning methods should be enough to resolve it and keep it from returning.

At Ace Chiropractic, we begin by looking at the nervous system and upper cervical spine to

determine whether it's functioning properly.

In-Depth Upper Cervical Approach at Ace Chiropractic

At locations in Scottsdale, Phoenix, or Gilbert Az Ace Chiropractic, we take a look at the

anatomy that is often overlooked in complex vertigo cases, primarily the Atlas, the brainstem,

and the rest of the nervous system as a whole.

Utilizing Functional Neurologic Thermographic Scans Ace Chiropractic is able to gain objective, reproducible data on how your nervous system is functioning. The brainstem controls your blood vessels throughout your entire body, emitting heat, and that is what the Functional Neurologic Thermographic Scans are able to measure.

We acquire long lasting results, that way you don't have to keep asking yourself “Why does my vertigo keep coming back?” Utilizing in depth images, Functional Neurologic Thermographic Scans, and an in depth analysis, we discover the root cause to your vertigo that commonly gets overlooked.

Who May Benefit From Upper Cervical Care?

People commonly seek our office for:

● Chronic Vertigo

● Migraines

● POTS

● Chronic Neck Pain

● Autonomic Dysfunction

The majority of people that find the results they were looking for at Ace Chiropractic have

already been to countless specialists, had multiple tests done and nothing worked. We strive to show patients their true healing ability can be achieved when they may have been told it was not possible.

Why People are Searching for Upper Cervical Chiropractors

Why Dizziness May Not Be “Just an Inner Ear Problem”

More and more doctors are uncovering the root cause and connection between the nervous

system and the spine.

That’s why patients searching for terms like:

● Nervous system based chiropractor

● Upper Cervical Chiropractor

● Vertigo and Chiropractic

● Chiropractic vertigo solution

Reviewed and approved by Dr. Alexzander Simmons and Dr. Brandon Keys — View Doctor Bios Last reviewed: June 2026