Vertigo

People often use “vertigo” and “dizziness” interchangeably, but they’re different. Vertigo specifically makes you feel like you’re spinning. It usually points to an inner ear issue, which is crucial in maintaining balance. But it can also be due to inconsistent information sent from the semi-circular canals in the inner ear if the atlas (top neck vertebra C1)  is out of alignment, which in turn is a characteristic of poor jaw / neck alignment – known as CCMD (Cranio Cervical Mandibular Dysfunction).

Symptoms accompanying vertigo may include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Feeling of imbalance
  • Hearing loss
  • Ringing in the ears (medically known as “tinnitus”)
  • Headaches
  • Motion sickness
  • Ear fullness or congestion
  • Nystagmus (rapid, uncontrollable eye movement)

Types of Vertigo

Vertigo comes in two forms: peripheral and central. The more common, peripheral vertigo stems from inner ear or vestibular nerve issues. Again, it can also result from CCMD throwing the atlas (C1) out of alignment rather than nerve damage or inflammation. Central vertigo is less common and relates to brain function issues like infections, traumatic brain injuries, or strokes.

Dr. Raman can treat peripheral vertigo by aligning your neck and jaw. Proper alignment of the jaw and neck through PNMD can eliminate that spinning sensation.

Using a variety of CCMD treatments (Cranio Cervical Mandibular Dysfunction), Dr. Raman’s goal is to properly align your jaw and neck, which results in better balance, a steadier gait, and fewer ear- and balance-related symptoms.

Dizziness

Dizziness is a vague term to describe various unsettling feelings affecting your balance. When dizzy, you will likely need to sit or lie down, and you may feel nauseated, too.

Dizziness can be difficult to describe, especially when you’re ill and in a doctor’s office or an emergency room. Many issues that accompany dizziness include:

  • Lightheadedness
  • Feeling faint
  • Feeling woozy or giddy
  • Feeling weak
  • Feeling shaky
  • Feeling off balance

Dizziness is caused by countless medical problems, including neck and jaw misalignment, inner ear disturbances, and postural issues. Dr. Prabu Raman, a Kansas City Physiologic Neuromuscular Dentist, uses a range of CCMD treatments to align your neck and jaw, improving your balance and alleviating dizziness and other symptoms. With proper alignment of the jaw and neck, your balance will improve, you will no longer feel dizzy, vertigo will stop, and your painful TMJ symptoms will be alleviated.

Meniere’s disease

Meniere’s disease is believed to be an abnormality of the inner ear causing a host of symptoms, including vertigo, dizziness, tinnitus, fluctuating hearing loss, and the sensation of pressure or pain in the affected ear. The disorder usually affects only one ear and is a common cause of hearing loss. A syndrome is nothing more than a group of symptoms that occur concurrently. It is named after French physician Prosper Meniere, who described the syndrome in 1861.

Physicians believe that there is no cure for Meniere’s disease. Symptoms are controlled with diet changes, stress reduction, and diuretic medications. The theory is that lessening salt intake could reduce the osmotic gradient that draws fluid and may be a reason for the increased pressure. The focus is on reducing the increased pressure in the endolymph.

But why does the pressure increase? One reason is the pressure buildup in the middle ear since there is an oval window between the inner and middle ear. Why would the pressure build up in the middle ear? The Eustachian tube (ET) equalizes pressure in the middle ear and outside. A malfunction of the ET would lead to pressure buildup. As discussed under “ear symptoms,” TMD can cause malfunction of the ET.

The other treatment is to eliminate the balance organ. This is done with surgical removal of a balance organ (along with hearing), cutting off the nerve to the balance organ (with surgical risks), or the more popular treatment of using ototoxic medications to destroy the nerve chemically. The theory here is that if only one balanced organ is sending the input to the brain rather than two, less likely for the confusion caused by incongruent signals from two organs. However, the success rate of this surgery is far from 100%.  However, since all surgeries are irreversible, many unfortunate patients still have the symptoms but have completely lost hearing in one ear. 

TMD/TMJ

Dr. Raman offers a variety of CCMD treatments for TMD and related conditions. CCMD stands for Cranio Cervical Mandibular Dysfunction and may include any combination of the following treatments:

  • Physical therapy
  • Posture training
  • Orofacial myofunctional therapy
  • Trigger point injections
  • TENS therapy
  • SPG blocks
  • Diet changes
  • Ice/hot packs
  • Relaxation techniques
  • Behavior modification

Learn More About How PNMD Can Improve Posture, Balance, and TMD Symptoms

Kansas City, Missouri Physiologic Neuromuscular Dentist Dr. Prabu Raman has treated people worldwide who suffered for years, if not decades, with the many debilitating symptoms associated with Meniere’s disease and TMD.

If you have episodes of vertigo, dizziness, ear pain, and jaw pain, you may be a great candidate for CCMD treatments that are effective, affordable, and life-changing. Please contact the office today by calling (816) 436-4422 or filling out our online contact form. One of our team members will reach out soon to answer any questions you may have to schedule you for a new patient evaluation.