Dizziness, Vertigo & Meniere's Disease

If you suffer from dizziness, vertigo, balance trouble, or ear pressure.. there is still hope! There are many possible causes for these symptoms, and they must not be overlooked. A person’s symptoms may be caused by an inner ear problem, a neck problem, drug side effects, brain inflammation from infection, or other known causes. Unfortunately, some of these causes are commonly overlooked or never considered. Even when they are; they are often missed!

Sometimes sufferers of these symptoms are diagnosed as having Meniere’s Disease. Meniere’s disease has a vast history, with few substantial solutions provided since it was first reported by Dr. Prosper Meniere in 1861. It may begin with just one of the above symptoms and progress gradually with others. No exact cause of Meniere’s disease has been established or agreed upon. It has been theorized that it’s related to an increase in pressure and volume of a fluid that exists outside the cells, called endolymph. Other factors that have been suggested including aspirin use, alcohol and smoking, as well as viral infection. 

There is no specific medical test for Meniere’s disease. The diagnosis is typically made as a result of other conditions and causes being ruled out. 

Doctors such as myself, who specialize in the upper neck (cervical spine) have found it most certainly can be involved in Meniere’s and any dizziness/vertigo type problem. 

Sadly, the neck aspect of diagnosis for this condition has been largely ignored by the American mainstream health care system too, despite published medical research. Researchers from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Melbourne, and Tinnitus Research and Balance Clinic in Victoria, Australia produced supportive data. Their findings (2007) revealed some critical support to our viewpoint:  

”Unquestionably, the upper cervical spine [top of the neck], the Temporomandibular joints [TMJ or jaw joint], the Eustachian tube, and the autonomic nervous system can contribute to the global symptom complex of Meniere’s disease… Clinical practice also shows that treating disorders of the upper cervical spine and temporomandibular joints can lessen Ménière’s disease symptoms, suggesting a relationship.” 

Source: Franz B, Anderson C. The potential role of joint injury and eustachian tube dysfunction in the genesis of secondary Ménière's disease. International Tinnitus Journal. 2007;13(2):132-7. 

They determined that the neck (and the TMJ) could be related to Meniere’s disease through nerve and/or blood vessel connections. Expert treatment of the upper neck has been successful in treating patients with Meniere’s symptoms.    

An older study published by Swedish scientists in the medical journal, CRANIO, The Journal of Craniomandibular Practice also revealed that the majority of patients in their Meniere’s study had neck problems:  

“Symptoms of cervical spine disorders, such as head and neck/shoulder pain, were all significantly more frequent in the patient group than in the control group. Most of the patients (75%) reported a strong association between head neck movements in the atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial joints [top of the neck] and triggered attacks of vertigo… The study shows a much higher prevalence of signs and symptoms of cervical spine disorders in patients diagnosed with Meniere's disease compared with control subjects from the general population. 

 Bjorne A, Berven A, Agerberg G. Cervical signs and symptoms in patients with Meniere's disease: a controlled study. Cranio. 1998 Jul;16(3):194-202. DOI: 10.1080/08869634.1998.11746057

The terms atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial joints are the key. Upper cervical chiropractors are the world’s only doctors who specialize in this region. There is no conventional Western medicine (pharmaceutical/surgery/physical therapy-based) specialty. Atlas Orthogonists have been the leaders in evaluation of treatment of the upper neck in support of a wide variety of medical disorders.  

A follow-up study confirmed earlier results that suggested Meniere's disease has a clear association with neck and jaw problems, and that these problems appeared to be caused by the same stress, nervousness, and muscular tension.

Source: Bjorne A, Agerberg G. Symptom relief after treatment of temporomandibular and cervical spine disorders in patients with Meniere's disease: a three-year follow-up. Cranio. 2003 Jan;21(1):50-60.DOI: 10.1080/08869634.2003.11746232

In 2008, the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a stunning study of ten patients who all experienced significant improvement in their Meniere’s condition following non-surgical upper cervical corrective care. In fact most had a complete recovery. All patients had their neck examined and x-rayed, revealing misalignment of the upper two bones (atlas and axis, or C1-C2 vertebrae). The misalignments were causing interference to normal nervous system function. 

Even more stunning were the results of a research study, published in the same journal with 60 cases of chronic vertigo. 100 percent of cases either improved or completely reversed their condition. 56 of the patients recalled a history of trauma, but all had a neck imbalance, which was treated by precision upper cervical chiropractic correction. All participants had been diagnosed by their physicians with various forms of vertigo, including Meniere’s, positional vertigo and migraine associated vertigo 

Source: Elster E. Sixty Patients With Chronic Vertigo Undergoing Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care to Correct Vertebral Subluxation: A Retrospective Analysis. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. 2006 As supportive evidence piles up, it’s clear that anybody who suffers from Meniere’s or any form of dizziness, vertigo or migraines should be examined by an upper cervical specialist.  

Through precise structural correction of upper neck imbalances, ear acupuncture, and cold laser therapy, considerable success with patients suffering Meniere’s disease has been achieved at the Liebell Clinic.  

Dizziness, vertigo, and tinnitus can have dozens of possible causes. In my experience chronic infection can also be a major cause of these symptoms, likely due to mild inflammation in the brain that is not revealed by diagnostic imaging or laboratory tests. I have been able to figure out that this was the case for some people using bio-energetic evaluation techniques. For some sufferers of dizziness, vertigo, or Meniere’s disease, ear acupuncture and bio-energetic immune support has been necessary and effective.