Chiropractic Care and Vertigo: Finding Balance Again With Wellness Evolved Chiropractic
Feeling like the room is spinning, losing your balance when you stand up, or getting sudden waves of dizziness can be more than just unsettling—it can be life-altering. Vertigo affects millions of people and can show up out of nowhere, making simple daily activities like driving, working, or even walking across a room feel unsafe.
The good news: many types of vertigo are highly treatable, and in some cases, chiropractic care can be a powerful, drug-free part of your solution.
At Wellness Evolved Chiropractic in Chino Hills, we see patients every week who struggle with dizziness, balance issues, and vertigo-like symptoms. This post will walk you through:
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What vertigo is and common causes
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How your neck, nervous system, and inner ear are connected
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How chiropractic care may help reduce vertigo
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Specific treatment types commonly used for vertigo
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What to expect at our office and how we can help
What Is Vertigo?
Vertigo isn’t just “feeling dizzy.” It’s a specific type of dizziness that gives you the sensation of movement when you or your surroundings are actually still. People often describe it as:
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“The room is spinning.”
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“I feel like I’m on a boat.”
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“I lose my balance randomly.”
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“It feels like I’m being pulled to one side.”
Vertigo itself is a symptom, not a diagnosis. It can range from mild and annoying to severe and disabling, sometimes accompanied by:
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Nausea or vomiting
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Headaches
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Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
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Pressure or fullness in the ears
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Sensitivity to light or sound
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Difficulty focusing or concentrating
Common Causes of Vertigo
Vertigo can come from several different systems in the body, but most commonly it involves the inner ear or the nervous system.
1. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
This is one of the most common causes of vertigo. “Benign” means not life-threatening; “paroxysmal” means sudden; “positional” means triggered by head position changes.
With BPPV, tiny calcium crystals (otoconia) in the inner ear become dislodged and migrate into the semicircular canals, confusing the brain about your head position. Simple movements like rolling over in bed, looking up, or bending down can trigger a sudden spinning sensation.
2. Vestibular Neuritis or Labyrinthitis
These are inflammatory conditions affecting the inner ear or the nerve that connects the inner ear to the brain (the vestibular nerve). They’re often linked to viral infections and can cause intense vertigo, nausea, and imbalance.
3. Ménière’s Disease
Ménière’s disease involves abnormal fluid buildup in the inner ear. It can cause episodes of vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus, and a feeling of fullness in the ear.
4. Cervicogenic Dizziness / Cervical Vertigo
In some people, dizziness and vertigo are linked to problems in the neck—especially the upper cervical spine. Tight muscles, restricted joints, or misalignment in the neck can alter sensory input from the joints and muscles to the brain, which may contribute to dizziness and unsteadiness.
Whiplash injuries, poor posture, prolonged computer work, or degenerative changes can all play a role.
5. Central (Brain-Related) Causes
In some cases, vertigo comes from the brain itself (central nervous system), such as migraines, multiple sclerosis, stroke, or other neurological conditions. These are more serious and require medical evaluation and sometimes emergency care.
How Your Neck, Nervous System, and Balance Are Connected
Your sense of balance is like a three-way conversation between:
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Inner ear (vestibular system) – detects head movement and position
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Eyes (visual system) – tells the brain where you are in space
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Neck and body (proprioceptive system) – joints and muscles send signals about movement and posture
All this information is processed by your brainstem and cerebellum, which then coordinate your movements and eye position.
If any of these systems start sending confusing or mismatched signals, you can experience vertigo, dizziness, or a feeling of being “off.”
The upper neck (upper cervical spine) is especially important. Misalignments, joint restrictions, muscle spasms, or past trauma can interfere with normal nerve and proprioceptive input. By restoring better motion and alignment in this region, chiropractic care may help normalize that sensory input and reduce dizziness in some patients.
Can Chiropractic Care Help Vertigo?
For certain types of vertigo—especially those related to neck dysfunction (cervicogenic dizziness) or BPPV—chiropractic care can play a helpful role as part of a conservative, non-invasive treatment plan.
Research and clinical experience suggest:
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Manual therapy to the neck (including spinal manipulation and mobilization) can reduce symptoms of cervicogenic dizziness in many patients by improving joint mechanics and muscle function.
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Vestibular rehabilitation exercises, including specific positional maneuvers for BPPV, can significantly reduce the frequency and intensity of vertigo episodes for many people.
It’s important to clarify: chiropractors do not claim to cure all vertigo, and not every case is appropriate for chiropractic care. At Wellness Evolved Chiropractic, our role is to:
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Thoroughly evaluate your case
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Determine whether your vertigo appears to be related to neck/joint dysfunction, posture, or BPPV
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Refer to or co-manage with medical providers when needed
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Use safe, evidence-informed techniques to help you feel and function better where appropriate
How We Approach Vertigo at Wellness Evolved Chiropractic
At Wellness Evolved Chiropractic in Chino Hills, our vertigo and dizziness care always begins with a careful, thorough evaluation.
Step 1: Detailed History
We’ll ask questions such as:
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When did your vertigo start?
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What does it feel like—spinning, rocking, floating, lightheaded?
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What triggers it (rolling in bed, bending over, looking up, stress, fatigue)?
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Any recent head or neck injuries, car accidents, or whiplash?
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Any ringing in the ears, hearing changes, pressure, or headaches?
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Any neurological red flags (slurred speech, facial droop, severe headache, weakness, double vision)?
This helps us differentiate between inner ear vertigo, neck-related dizziness, and more serious neurological causes that may need urgent medical care.
Step 2: Physical and Neurological Exam
Our exam may include:
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Cervical spine evaluation – joint motion, muscle tightness, posture, previous injuries
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Neurological testing – reflexes, strength, coordination, eye movements
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Balance and gait assessment
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Special positional tests such as the Dix-Hallpike maneuver or roll test, which help identify BPPV and which canal is affected
If anything in your exam suggests a more serious central nervous system issue (like stroke, tumor, or severe neurological disorder), we will refer you immediately to urgent or emergency medical care.
Step 3: Imaging When Appropriate
In some cases—especially if there’s a history of trauma, significant neck pain, or red flags—we may recommend imaging such as digital X-rays of the cervical spine to better understand the structure and alignment of your neck.
Treatment Types for Vertigo
Once we understand what’s driving your vertigo, we can design a treatment plan. Here are some of the options that may be included in your care at Wellness Evolved Chiropractic:
1. Gentle Chiropractic Adjustments (Spinal Manipulation)
If we identify restrictions or misalignments in the neck, we may use precise, gentle chiropractic adjustments to:
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Improve joint mobility
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Reduce muscle tension and spasm
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Normalize nerve and proprioceptive input from the neck
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Support better posture and head position
For vertigo patients, we focus especially on the upper cervical spine (C0–C2). Adjustments are tailored to your comfort level—many patients are surprised how gentle and specific these can be.
2. Cervical Mobilization and Soft Tissue Work
In addition to adjustments, we may use:
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Joint mobilization (slow, controlled movements to improve range of motion)
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Soft tissue techniques to release tight muscles and fascia
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Trigger point therapy in the neck, shoulders, and upper back
This can help reduce tension, improve blood flow, and support healthier movement patterns that influence balance and head position.
3. BPPV Repositioning Maneuvers (Canalith Repositioning)
If your vertigo is caused by BPPV, specific positional maneuvers can be incredibly effective. These are designed to guide the displaced inner ear crystals back to where they belong.
Common maneuvers include:
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Epley maneuver
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Semont maneuver
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BBQ roll (Lempert maneuver) for horizontal canal BPPV
These techniques are non-invasive and often provide rapid relief when BPPV is the cause. Many patients notice improvement after just a few sessions, although sometimes repeated treatments are needed.
4. Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises
We may prescribe vestibular rehab exercises, which are specialized movements designed to retrain your brain and inner ear to handle head movements and visual input without triggering vertigo.
These can include:
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Gaze stabilization exercises (keeping your eyes fixed while moving your head)
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Balance training (standing on one leg, using foam surfaces, etc.)
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Habituation exercises (gradually exposing your body to movements that typically trigger dizziness)
You’ll typically perform these at home between visits, and we’ll adjust them over time as your system adapts.
5. Posture and Ergonomic Coaching
Poor posture—especially forward head posture from phones and computers—can place extra stress on the neck and upper back, worsening cervicogenic dizziness in some people.
We’ll help you:
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Set up your workstation properly
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Learn better sitting and standing posture
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Incorporate micro-breaks and movement into your day
Small daily changes can significantly reduce neck strain and support better long-term balance.
6. Lifestyle and Supportive Recommendations
Vertigo can be influenced by more than just mechanics. We may also discuss:
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Hydration and nutrition – dehydration, high sodium intake (especially for Ménière’s), and blood sugar swings can affect dizziness
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Sleep quality – poor sleep can worsen neurological symptoms
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Stress management – stress can heighten sensitivity to symptoms and contribute to muscle tension
If needed, we may collaborate with or refer you to ENTs, neurologists, physical therapists, or other providers for a comprehensive approach.
What a Typical Vertigo Care Plan Might Look Like
Every plan is personalized, but to give you a general idea, a vertigo-focused care plan at Wellness Evolved Chiropractic may include:
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Initial phase (2–4 weeks):
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More frequent visits to address acute symptoms
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Chiropractic adjustments (as appropriate)
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BPPV maneuvers if indicated
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Soft tissue work and early vestibular exercises
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Stabilization phase (4–8 weeks):
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Reduced visit frequency as symptoms improve
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Progressed vestibular rehab and balance training
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Continued work on posture and lifestyle habits
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Maintenance / prevention phase:
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Periodic check-ins to maintain neck mobility and balance function
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Ongoing home exercises to keep your system stable
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Many patients report not just less vertigo, but also:
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Fewer headaches
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Less neck and shoulder tension
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Better posture
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More confidence with daily activities
When Vertigo Is an Emergency
Most vertigo cases we see in the office are not emergencies, but there are times dizziness needs urgent medical attention.
Seek emergency care immediately (call 911 or go to the ER) if your vertigo is accompanied by:
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Sudden, severe headache (“worst headache of my life”)
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Difficulty speaking or slurred speech
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Weakness or numbness in the face, arm, or leg
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Double vision or severe visual changes
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Chest pain or shortness of breath
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Sudden hearing loss in one ear
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Loss of consciousness
Chiropractic care is for stable, non-emergent cases. Your safety always comes first. If your history or exam suggests a serious underlying cause, we will refer you immediately for appropriate medical evaluation.
Our Philosophy at Wellness Evolved Chiropractic
At Wellness Evolved Chiropractic, our approach to vertigo and dizziness is:
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Patient-centered – We listen to your story, your concerns, and how vertigo affects your life.
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Evidence-informed – We use techniques and protocols supported by clinical research and experience.
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Conservative and drug-free – We focus on restoring function and balance through natural, non-invasive methods whenever appropriate.
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Collaborative – We’re happy to work alongside your primary care doctor, ENT, neurologist, or physical therapist.
Our goal is not just to “treat a symptom,” but to help you regain confidence in your body, feel safe moving again, and get back to the activities you enjoy.
Are You a Good Candidate for Chiropractic Vertigo Care?
You may benefit from an evaluation with us if:
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You feel spinning, rocking, or off-balance, especially with head movements
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You’ve had a history of neck pain, whiplash, or posture issues
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Your vertigo is triggered by rolling in bed, looking up, or bending forward
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You’ve already had medical workups that ruled out serious causes, but still feel off
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You prefer a conservative, drug-free approach where possible
On the other hand, if you have sudden severe symptoms, neurological red flags, or serious underlying conditions, you may need medical evaluation first. We can help guide you on the safest next step.
How We Can Help You at Wellness Evolved Chiropractic
Here’s what you can expect when you come to see us for vertigo or dizziness:
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Comprehensive consultation and exam – We’ll take the time to understand your symptoms, history, and concerns.
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Clear explanation – We’ll walk you through what we find, what seems to be contributing to your vertigo, and whether chiropractic care is appropriate.
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Personalized treatment plan – Including chiropractic adjustments (when indicated), BPPV maneuvers, soft tissue work, vestibular rehab, and posture coaching.
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Ongoing support – We’ll monitor your progress, adjust your plan as needed, and give you tools to maintain your improvements at home.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Living with vertigo can be frightening and exhausting, but you don’t have to go through it alone—and you don’t have to accept dizziness as your “new normal.”
If you’re in or around Chino Hills, CA, and you’re struggling with vertigo, dizziness, or balance issues, we’d be honored to help you explore a safe, conservative path forward.
📞 Call Wellness Evolved Chiropractic (909) 315-3626 to schedule a vertigo evaluation
📅 Ask for an appointment that includes a full cervical and vestibular assessment
📍 Visit us in Chino Hills and let’s work together to help your world feel steady again
Disclaimer: This blog post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for personalized advice, especially if you have sudden or severe symptoms.