Car accidents can cause neck injuries, like whiplash, that lead to pain and dizziness. These injuries may take time to show symptoms. Dizziness from neck injuries usually results from nerve or soft-tissue inflammation or damage. Doctors usually diagnose dizziness from a neck injury by ruling out other potential causes. Chiropractors can treat cervicogenic dizziness with adjustments, stretches, posture changes, exercises, and more.
Car accidents often cause neck injuries such as whiplash. Beyond pain, neck injuries can cause symptoms like dizziness that can make daily functioning difficult. It’s important not to ignore symptoms that could indicate you are suffering from a neck injury. Chiropractic treatments can help heal neck injuries and reduce dizziness and pain.
Types of Neck Injuries from Car Accidents
Car accidents involve strong opposing forces, which can take a toll on the body and cause a variety of injuries. The most common type of neck injury that people suffer from car accidents is whiplash. Whiplash happens when the neck jerks back and forth, straining the soft tissues in the area. Many types of car accidents can cause whiplash, but especially rear-end accidents.
Whiplash injuries may take several days or even weeks to manifest symptoms. This is because of the adrenaline and shock a person goes through in an accident, and because the injury may become more inflamed over time. If you notice symptoms of whiplash, it’s important to get treatment to prevent scar tissue from forming and the injuries from worsening. Whiplash can cause other symptoms such as pain, stiffness, loss of flexibility and mobility in the neck, chronic headaches or migraines, fatigue, vision problems, and more sleep.
Neck injuries can cause symptoms such as disorientation, dizziness, nausea, coordination problems, and vertigo. Neck injuries that can cause dizziness include:
- Herniated discs
- Degenerative disc disease
- Arthritis
- Neck trauma
- Poor posture
- Muscle strain
- Atherosclerosis
- Inflammation
- Stress or anxiety
Identifying the cause of your dizziness is crucial to proper treatment. Some conditions aren’t neck-related that can also cause dizziness, such as traumatic brain injuries and inner ear problems.
So, Why Do Neck Injuries Cause Dizziness?
The neck contains delicate soft tissues, including nerves and tendons. When an injury damages or compresses them, it can lead to dizziness. This dizziness may worsen with movement and can feel like lightheadedness or floating.
A neck injury can disrupt signals traveling to the brain, and your brain detects that there is a sensory mismatch. This creates dizziness and unsteadiness.
There are nerves called proprioceptors in your cervical vertebrae, and they are responsible for telling your brain your body’s position in space. When these nerves are inflamed, injured, strained, or pinched, they can send faulty signals to the brain and cause dizziness or vertigo.
Neck injuries can cause muscle tension and tightness as the body protects the area and prevents further injury. Unfortunately, this tension can cause muscle spasms and nerve irritation, which can cause dizziness sensations.
Poor posture may lead to repetitive use injury and restrict blood flow to the brain, causing dizziness. Examples include craning your neck over a desk or sleeping in an odd position.
How is Cervicogenic Dizziness Diagnosed?
The most important part of diagnosing dizziness from neck injuries is ruling out other potential causes of dizziness, since there isn’t one test in particular to diagnose cervicogenic dizziness. Your medical practitioner will review your health history and rule out other factors, such as neurological conditions, POTS, inner ear disorders, medications causing dizziness, or other conditions. Scans and other tests can determine whether a neck injury is causing the dizziness.
Treatments for Cervicogenic Dizziness
Gentle chiropractic methods can help treat dizziness from neck injuries. Your treatment plan may include mobilization, spinal adjustments, heat and ice therapy, prescribed exercises and stretches to strengthen the neck, posture correction, and vestibular rehabilitation (balance exercises to retrain your brain).
At Premier Chiropractic, we specialize in treating car accident neck injuries, including those that cause dizziness. Whether you are dealing with whiplash, disc conditions, muscle tension, or another neck injury, our experienced chiropractic team can identify the cause of your symptoms and create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Schedule an initial appointment today with Premier Chiropractic at our Tacoma or Kent location.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I seek medical help for my dizziness?
If your dizziness is chronic, is accompanied by pain, vision changes, weakness, headaches, or numbness, interferes with your daily life, or doesn’t seem to be improving, then you should seek out medical care. The sooner cervicogenic dizziness is diagnosed, the sooner you can start treatment.
Why is it important to receive medical treatment after being in a car accident?
You should get checked out by a medical professional after being in a crash, even if you think that your symptoms are mild. Early intervention can help reduce the chance of developing chronic issues such as pain and improve your quality of life.
Will I have dizziness from my neck injury forever? What’s my prognosis?
Thankfully, in most cases, treatment reduces dizziness and pain or eliminates them entirely. Treatment plans must be adjusted on a case-by-case basis to treat symptoms as effectively as possible.
How do neck injuries affect balance?
The human neck has a network of muscles, vertebrae, blood vessels, and nerves all working together to keep you balanced and hold your head upright. So when something disrupts this system, such as an injury, it can cause dizziness and other problems.
Why is dizziness from neck injuries called cervicogenic dizziness?
Cervicogenic means “originating from the neck,” and can be used to describe headaches, dizziness, and pain. Dizziness coming from other parts of the body, such as the inner ear, has different names.
Can whiplash cause dizziness without making the room feel like it is spinning?
Yes. Cervicogenic dizziness is often described as lightheadedness, floating, unsteadiness, or disorientation rather than a spinning sensation. Because dizziness can have many possible causes, a healthcare provider should evaluate your symptoms before determining that they are coming from your neck.
Can dizziness after a car accident be a sign of a concussion?
Yes. Dizziness can occur with a concussion as well as a neck injury. Car accidents can cause both injuries at the same time, which is one reason it is important to have persistent or concerning dizziness evaluated by a medical professional.
Can moving my head make cervicogenic dizziness worse?
Yes. People with cervicogenic dizziness may notice their symptoms worsen during head movements or after holding their neck in the same position for an extended period. Neck stiffness, pain, and reduced range of motion may occur along with the dizziness.
How long does cervicogenic dizziness last?
The duration varies from person to person. Individual episodes of cervicogenic dizziness may last from several minutes to several hours, while the overall condition may continue until the underlying neck problem improves. Your recovery time will depend on the cause and severity of your symptoms.
Can an MRI or X-ray diagnose cervicogenic dizziness?
No single imaging test can confirm cervicogenic dizziness. X-rays, MRIs, and other tests may help identify neck problems or rule out other potential causes of dizziness. Your healthcare provider will also consider your symptoms, medical history, and examination findings when making a diagnosis.