Meniere's Disease is a condition of the inner ear that is believed to develop due to excess fluid buildup in the inner ear. It happens most often to people between 20 and 50 years of age, with symptoms that can come on suddenly such as:
The symptoms can last from 1 to 6 hours, with the attack sometimes preceded by a full feeling in the ear. Tinnitus may start or get worse before the vertigo begins. The vertigo attacks can be disabling, and due to the severity of them, they can even cause nausea, vomiting, and loss of balance.
The specific cause of Meniere’s disease remains mostly a mystery. Some evidence points to an abnormal level of fluid in the inner ear. Within the inner ear, fluid is continuously secreted and reabsorbed to maintain a constant fluid level. There are two possible ways that can lead to abnormal quantity of fluid buildup – either an excess amount of fluid is being produced or there is a decrease in fluid reabsorption. Other risk factors may include a family history of the condition, allergies, recent illness, and certain prescription medications.
The good news is that there are drug-free, non-invasive options, which include a visit to a Farmington upper cervical chiropractor, that could potentially reduce the frequency and/or severity of episodes. Many of these natural ways of managing Meniere's disease focus on maintaining a healthy fluid balance in the body:
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Most Meniere's sufferers consider vertigo to be their most debilitating symptom. The reason for this is due to the suddenness and severity of the vertigo attacks associated with Meniere's disease. Your brain is reliant upon signals sent by your body's vestibular system to be able to effectively maintain a sense of balance. When there is too much fluid built up in the inner ear, it can disrupt the signals informing your brain about how your body is positioned in space relative to gravity, resulting in a vertigo episode.
Upper cervical chiropractic care has been growing in popularity among Meniere's disease sufferers who have been searching for answers and lasting relief. This specific type of chiropractic care primarily focuses on the uppermost vertebrae in the spine and their positioning that has a major influence on the vestibular system. A study that was done recently, of 300 Meniere's disease patients who received a course of upper cervical chiropractic care provided some incredible results:
An interesting detail to take into consideration is that it took an average of 15 years from the time of the head or neck trauma before Meniere’s disease symptoms developed.
The vertebrae of the upper cervical spine, the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) are located at the base of the skull where they could easily disrupt normal nerve function, blood flow, and fluid drainage if a subluxation were to occur. Correcting misalignments here could potentially, as shown in the study above, result in relief of Meniere’s disease symptoms.
Due to the precision of upper cervical Farmington chiropractic adjustments, they are very gentle and require very limited force. If you have experienced a head or neck injury and have any of the symptoms of Meniere’s disease (tinnitus can be an early warning sign of the condition), then getting your neck examined by an upper cervical chiropractor could be the first step toward relief. Give us a call for a free consultation to see how we can help you and your specific needs.
References:
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/menieres-disease
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If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
Dr. Perkins grew up in Novi, Michigan and attended Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. He received his Doctorate Magna Cum Laude with a focus on Upper Cervical Chiropractic care. Chris is well known in the community for his public speaking and holds a number of professional certifications. We are proud to say that Dr. Perkins and Perkins Family Wellness has been recognized by Hour Magazine as one of the Top Chiropractors in Metro Detroit for 3 years in row.