By Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants – San Antonio, TX
Many people may be surprised to learn that neck pain and dizziness are actually more connected than you’d think. While they may seem to be unrelated symptoms at first, the neck does play an important role in everything from balance, stability, and coordination. Here at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants, we’ve seen many patients who have visited our practice and report a combination of symptoms, including neck stiffness, discomfort, and chronic episodes of dizziness or lightheadedness. Throughout this post, we’ll go over the reasons behind these possible symptoms when you have neck pain and how we can help you determine what’s happening in your body and when it may be time to seek out medical care.
How the Neck Influences Balance
Your neck houses many, many complex networks of muscles, joints, nerves, and blood vessels; all of which work together simultaneously to help your body with orientation and overall spatial awareness. When you move your head in any direction, the cervical spine will send signals to your brain about the position of your head and the associated motion it’s performing. All of these signals work in conjunction with signaling and input from your inner ear and eyes to maintain adequate levels of balance and coordination. If something disrupts the neck’s signaling, whether it’s due to muscle tension, inflammation, poor posture, or injury, these signals will ultimately become disrupted. When the brain receives disrupted signals from the neck, ears, or eyes, it will likely result in dizziness. The type of dizziness originating from the neck is often referred to as cervicogenic dizziness.
Why Neck Issues Can Trigger Dizziness
There are multiple ways neck pain may end up leading to dizziness. The most common neck issues which lead to dizziness typically involve irritated or inflamed tissues, or a disruption in communication between the neck and nervous system. Muscle tension is one of the most common underlying causes of this condition. Tight muscles in the neck and upper shoulders may end up restricting normal movement, blood flow, and could also create excess tension on the nerves; all of which may lead to episodes of dizziness. If poor posture is the underlying cause, especially forward head posture from extended hours staring at the computer screen, then you’ll likely be experiencing cervical spine tension which could also be contributing to dizziness episodes.
In other cases, conditions such as arthritis, cervical disc issues, or past injuries may irritate the joints and nerves in the neck area. When this area is irritated or inflamed, there may be interference with the brain’s balance, coordination, and orientation centers. People may describe this as feeling unsteady, lightheaded, or off balance, especially so when there are certain head movements made which trigger these feelings.
What Cervicogenic Dizziness Feels Like
Dizziness episodes related to the neck usually have a distinct set of patterns. Many patients will often describe it as a sense of imbalance or general unsteadiness, rather than a spinning feeling. Symptoms may worsen when turning the head, especially during periods of activity. Neck pain, stiffness, or headaches will often occur simultaneously. These sensations will often be for a temporary period of time and will come and go throughout the day, triggered by certain movements. The discomfort and dizziness are certainly unsettling, yet it’s often treatable once the underlying issue in the neck is properly identified.
How to Reduce Dizziness Caused by Neck Pain
If you do happen to be experiencing dizziness which you believe is linked to your chronic neck pain, improving your neck’s mobility and reducing overall tension and inflammation can help your dizziness significantly in most cases. Gentle stretching, posture correction, and taking proactive breaks from extended screen time can greatly reduce strain and inflammation in the neck area. Heat therapy can be a great way to help reduce tension in your neck muscles, while ice can be good to reduce overall inflammation. Be sure to not use ice or heat for more than 20 minutes at a time. Maintaining adequate levels of hydration can be great for mobility in the neck as well.
With all of this being said, it’s important to not push through the pain or try to ignore any of your symptoms, as this can greatly worsen your condition. If dizziness is new, intense, or persistent, a medical evaluation is strongly recommended, as this will allow other conditions to be ruled out. While neck-related dizziness is common, dizziness may also stem from inner ear conditions, reaction to medications, or underlying neurological issues.
When to Seek Out Medical Help
Dizziness should always be taken very seriously, especially if it’s accompanied by any concerning symptoms such as numbness, weakness, vision changes, severe headaches, or difficulty speaking. All of these issues may indicate a much more serious, urgent issue. Even if your symptoms are mild, you should always consider seeing a specialist if your dizziness:
- Occurs regularly
- Worsens with neck movement
- Comes with persistent neck pain
- Interferes with daily activities
- Does not improve with rest or stretching
Here at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants, we fully evaluate your symptoms, perform necessary imaging, and properly determine whether your dizziness is related to the cervical spine. Many patients will recover well with personalized, non-surgical treatments aimed at reducing underlying inflammation, improving mobility, and restoring healthy neck mechanics.
Contact Us Today to Learn More About How We Can Help
If you’re experiencing neck pain and dizziness, it can be quite unsettling. These conditions may be closely connected, especially when the structures in one’s neck are irritated or strained. The balance systems your body relies on may become disrupted from issues in the neck, all of which may lead to lightheadedness or unsteadiness. When you have the proper diagnosis and the right treatment, you’ll likely experience significant improvement over time. If you do happen to be dealing with neck pain, dizziness, or both of these symptoms, our team of experts at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants can help you find the answers and long-term relief you’re seeking out. Schedule your initial consultation using the form below and we’ll be sure to have you seen by one of our amazing specialists as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
DISCLAIMER: No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.