SIB# 390- Cervicogenic dizziness- A case report

The Study: Cervicogenic dizziness                    

The Facts:

a. “Dysfunction of the cervical proprioception because of various neck problems can alter

orientation in space and cause a sensation of disequilibrium.”

b. This is a case report on a 24 year old female who suffered from Cervicogenic dizziness (CGD).

c. The patient presented with neck pain and dizziness. The neck pain and dizziness were intermittent.

d. She had suffered from these problems for 2 years.

e. She usually experienced dizziness when the neck pain was severe and the dizziness “could be exacerbated by head movement.”

f. The patient had painful and restricted cervical motion.

g. There was reversal of the cervical lordosis on x-ray along with disc narrowing, spondylosis and spurring.

h. The patient received treatment with chiropractic cervical adjustments and thermal ultrasound at a rate of 3 times a week for four weeks.

i. At the end of that period the patient reported that both the neck pain and the dizziness were gone.

j. “Patient continued to receive chiropractic adjustment once a month for correcting forward head posture.” Improvement of the cervical curve was demonstrable on cervical radiographs at the 7-month follow-up (Fig. 1).”

k. 18 months after the beginning of treatment the patient remained symptom free.  

Take Home:

The symptoms of neck pain and dizziness resolved following the care and at the 7 month follow up the cervical lordosis had improved and the patient was symptom free. The cervical lordosis had been in reverse lordosis (-3 degrees using Cobb angles) to a lordosis  of +4 on the 7 month follow up radiograph.

Reviewer's Comments:

First this is just a case study. It does show how this particular patient improved and it once again points out that spinal problems can be involved with more symptoms than just pain.

Reviewer:  Roger Coleman DC

Editor: Mark R. Payne DC

Reference: Chu ECP, Chin WL, Bhaumik A. Cervicogenic dizziness. Ox Med Case Reports. 2019 Dec 9;2019(11):476-478. doi: 10.1093/omcr/omz115. eCollection 2019 Nov.

Link to Abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31844531  

Link to Full Text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6902624/pdf/omz115.pdf