Have you ever stood up and suddenly felt like the entire room was spinning? Or experienced that unsettling sensation where you feel unsteady, like you might lose your balance at any moment? If so, you know how disruptive and even frightening vertigo and dizziness can be. These symptoms affect millions of people, making simple daily activities—driving, working, even just walking across a room—feel challenging or downright impossible.
At Desoto Upper Cervical in Southaven, Dr. David Hall and Dr. Troy Reistroffer specialize in a precise approach to treating vertigo and dizziness that many people don’t know about. The connection between your upper neck and your balance system is profound, and when the top bones in your spine are misaligned, it can directly trigger or worsen vertigo symptoms. Let’s talk about what’s really happening when you experience these symptoms and how upper cervical care might be exactly what you need.
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Vertigo vs. Dizziness: What’s the Difference?
People often use these terms interchangeably, but they’re actually describing different experiences. Understanding which one you’re dealing with can help us figure out the best approach to help you.
Dizziness is kind of a catch-all term. It might mean you feel lightheaded, woozy, or unsteady on your feet—like you might faint or lose your balance. The world around you stays still, but you feel “off.”
Vertigo is more specific. It’s that distinct spinning sensation—either you feel like you’re spinning, or the room is spinning around you. It can be mild and last just a few seconds, or it can be severe and go on for hours or even days. True vertigo often comes with other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, sweating, unusual eye movements, headaches, and difficulty walking or standing.
Here’s what’s important: both dizziness and vertigo can originate from problems in your upper cervical spine. That’s why at Desoto Upper Cervical, we start by evaluating whether a misalignment in your neck might be contributing to your symptoms.
What Causes These Spinning, Dizzy Sensations?
There are several potential causes of vertigo and dizziness, and understanding what’s behind your symptoms is crucial for getting effective treatment.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo. This happens when tiny calcium crystals in your inner ear get dislodged and move into the wrong part of your ear canal. These crystals send false signals to your brain about your body’s position, creating that spinning sensation. BPPV often triggers when you change positions—rolling over in bed, looking up, or bending down.
Cervicogenic dizziness is particularly relevant to what we do at Desoto Upper Cervical. This type of dizziness literally originates from your neck. When the vertebrae in your cervical spine—especially the upper cervical vertebrae—become misaligned, or when neck muscles become tight and restricted, it affects the sensory information being sent to your brain. The result? Dizziness and balance problems.
Vestibular neuritis involves inflammation of the vestibular nerve in your inner ear, usually from a viral infection. It causes sudden, severe vertigo along with nausea and balance difficulties.
Meniere’s disease is an inner ear disorder that causes vertigo episodes along with hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and a feeling of fullness in the ear.
Poor posture and neck strain have become increasingly common culprits in our modern world of constant screen time. Forward head posture—where your head juts forward from your shoulders—puts enormous strain on your upper cervical spine, compresses nerves, and can restrict blood flow, all of which can lead to dizziness and balance issues.
The Upper Cervical Connection: Why Your Atlas Matters
Here’s where things get really interesting, and this is the core of what we do at Desoto Upper Cervical. Your atlas vertebra (C1) sits right at the base of your skull, and your axis (C2) sits just below it. This upper cervical region has a unique and critical relationship with your balance and spatial awareness.
First, the atlas and axis surround your brainstem—the part of your central nervous system that controls many automatic functions, including balance and coordination. When these bones are misaligned, even slightly, they can irritate the brainstem and interfere with its function.
Second, your upper cervical spine is packed with proprioceptors—specialized sensory receptors that constantly tell your brain where your body is in space. Think of them as position sensors. When your atlas or axis is misaligned, these proprioceptors send distorted information to your brain. Your brain is getting conflicting messages about your body’s position, which can directly cause dizziness and balance problems.
Third, important blood vessels that supply your brain and inner ear pass through and alongside your upper cervical vertebrae. Misalignment can affect blood flow to these critical areas. Reduced blood flow to the inner ear or certain parts of the brain can contribute to vertigo and dizziness.
Fourth, nerves that are essential for balance and coordination originate in the upper cervical region. When there’s pressure or irritation on these nerves from misalignment, it can disrupt normal balance function.
So you can see—your upper cervical spine is intimately connected to your balance system. It’s not surprising that misalignments in this area frequently cause or contribute to vertigo and dizziness.
How Atlas Orthogonal and Orthospinology Help
At Desoto Upper Cervical, Dr. Hall and Dr. Reistroffer use two highly specialized techniques: Atlas Orthogonal and Orthospinology. These aren’t your typical chiropractic adjustments. There’s no twisting, cracking, or forceful manipulation—especially important when you’re already feeling dizzy and off-balance.
Here’s how these techniques work. We use detailed imaging and precise measurements to determine the exact angle and direction of your atlas misalignment. We’re talking about measuring to the degree—this is highly precise work. Then we use a specialized instrument that delivers a controlled, gentle correction. Most patients don’t even feel the adjustment happen because it’s so subtle. But the effects can be dramatic.
When we correct your atlas alignment, several things happen that directly address vertigo and dizziness:
The pressure on your brainstem is relieved, allowing it to function normally. This can have immediate effects on your balance and coordination.
Those proprioceptors in your upper neck start sending accurate information to your brain again. Your brain gets a clear picture of where your body is in space, which reduces or eliminates the dizzy sensation.
Blood flow to your brain and inner ear improves. When these areas receive proper circulation, they function better, and vertigo symptoms often decrease.
Nerve interference is removed. When nerves can communicate freely without pressure or irritation, your entire balance system works more effectively.
Muscle tension in your upper neck decreases. Tight, spasmed muscles can contribute to cervicogenic dizziness, and proper alignment helps these muscles relax.
What About BPPV?
If you have BPPV—where those calcium crystals are out of place in your inner ear—upper cervical care can still be helpful, though the approach is slightly different. Many upper cervical chiropractors, including Dr. Hall and Dr. Reistroffer, are trained in performing repositioning maneuvers like the Epley maneuver. This is a series of specific head and body movements designed to guide those crystals back where they belong.
The success rate for these maneuvers is quite high—many patients experience complete or significant relief after just one or two sessions. And here’s an interesting connection: research suggests that people with atlas misalignment may be more susceptible to developing BPPV in the first place. So addressing upper cervical alignment can both help resolve current BPPV and potentially prevent future episodes.
What to Expect at Desoto Upper Cervical
When you come to our office at 1134 Church Rd W in Southaven, we start with a comprehensive evaluation. Dr. Hall or Dr. Reistroffer will want to understand your complete symptom picture. When does your vertigo or dizziness happen? What triggers it? How long do episodes last? What makes it better or worse? Have you had any head or neck injuries, even from years ago?
We’ll perform a thorough examination that includes postural analysis, range of motion testing, and neurological assessments. We may also perform specific tests to evaluate your balance and coordination. In some cases, we’ll do specialized testing to help diagnose conditions like BPPV.
The key part of our evaluation is the upper cervical imaging and analysis. We need to see exactly what’s happening with your atlas and axis—the precise angle and direction of any misalignment. This level of detail is what makes upper cervical care so effective for vertigo and dizziness.
Based on what we find, we’ll explain clearly whether upper cervical misalignment is contributing to your symptoms and how correction could help. If we determine that your symptoms are likely from another cause, we’ll be honest about that and help point you in the right direction.
If upper cervical care is appropriate for you, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan. Initial corrections often focus on reducing acute symptoms and establishing proper alignment. As your spine stabilizes and your body adjusts to the corrections, many patients notice their vertigo and dizziness decreasing in frequency and intensity.
How Quickly Will I Feel Better?
This is always the million-dollar question, right? The truth is, it varies from person to person. Some patients—especially those with cervicogenic dizziness from clear upper cervical misalignment—notice improvement right away, sometimes even immediately after the first correction. It’s pretty amazing when it happens.
Others experience more gradual improvement over several weeks as their spine stabilizes and their nervous system adjusts. Factors that affect your timeline include how long you’ve had symptoms, what’s causing them, how severe the misalignment is, and your overall health.
For BPPV treated with repositioning maneuvers, relief can be quite rapid—often within one to three sessions.
The key is consistency. Following your treatment plan and keeping your appointments gives you the best chance for optimal results.
Supporting Your Recovery
While upper cervical corrections are powerful, there are things you can do to support your recovery and maintain good balance function:
Pay attention to your posture, especially if you work at a desk or spend time on your phone. That forward head posture we talked about earlier? It’s terrible for your upper cervical spine. Keep your screen at eye level, take frequent breaks to move around, and be conscious of keeping your head balanced over your shoulders.
Stay hydrated. Dehydration can worsen dizziness and vertigo symptoms. Aim for adequate water intake throughout the day.
Move carefully when you’re symptomatic. If certain movements trigger your vertigo, move slowly and deliberately. Use support when needed, and make sure your home is safe—remove tripping hazards, ensure good lighting, and use handrails.
Get adequate rest. Your body does a lot of healing and adjusting while you sleep. Make sure you’re getting quality sleep in a position that supports your neck properly.
Reduce stress where possible. Stress can exacerbate vertigo symptoms and contribute to muscle tension in your neck.
Common Questions About Upper Cervical Care for Vertigo
Is this the same as regular chiropractic care?
Not exactly. While all chiropractors learn about the spine, upper cervical specialists like Dr. Hall and Dr. Reistroffer have advanced training focused specifically on the atlas and axis. We use specialized imaging and extremely precise correction techniques—Atlas Orthogonal and Orthospinology—that require additional certification beyond chiropractic school. The level of precision and the gentle nature of these corrections make them particularly effective for conditions like vertigo that involve the upper cervical spine and brainstem.
Will the treatment make me more dizzy?
This is a common concern, and it’s understandable. The good news is that the Atlas Orthogonal and Orthospinology adjustments are so gentle that they rarely cause any immediate dizziness. There’s no rapid movement or twisting involved. Some patients experience mild soreness in their neck after the first adjustment, but increased dizziness is uncommon. If you’re nervous about this, just let us know—we’ll make sure you’re comfortable throughout the process.
How is this different from physical therapy for vertigo?
Physical therapy for vertigo often focuses on vestibular rehabilitation exercises—training your balance system to compensate for dysfunction. This can be helpful, but it doesn’t address structural misalignment in your upper cervical spine. Upper cervical chiropractic corrects the misalignment that may be causing the problem in the first place. In some cases, combining both approaches can be beneficial. We’re always happy to work collaboratively with your other healthcare providers.
Can you help if I’ve already tried medication?
Absolutely. Many of our patients come to us after trying medications for vertigo—drugs like meclizine or antihistamines—with limited success. These medications can help reduce symptoms temporarily, but they don’t address structural or neurological causes. If upper cervical misalignment is contributing to your vertigo, medication won’t fix that. Upper cervical care can be effective even when medications haven’t worked because we’re addressing a different aspect of the problem.
Will I need treatment forever?
Not necessarily. Our goal is to correct your misalignment, stabilize your spine, and help your body maintain proper alignment. Many patients complete an initial series of corrections and then either don’t need further care or only need occasional maintenance visits. Some patients find that periodic check-ups help them maintain optimal function and prevent recurrence, but this varies by individual. We’ll discuss realistic expectations for your specific situation.
What if my vertigo is from my inner ear, not my neck?
Great question. Even if your vertigo originates primarily from an inner ear condition, upper cervical alignment can still play a role. Your upper cervical spine affects blood flow to the inner ear and influences overall vestibular function. Additionally, many patients have multiple contributing factors. We’ll evaluate your specific situation and be honest about whether upper cervical care is likely to help you. If we think another specialist would be more appropriate, we’ll tell you that.
Do you accept insurance?
Insurance coverage for chiropractic care varies by plan. We recommend calling our office at (662) 393-4848, and our staff can discuss your specific insurance situation and help you understand your coverage and any out-of-pocket costs. We want to make care accessible and will work with you to find a solution that fits your needs.
Take Control of Your Balance and Your Life
Living with vertigo and dizziness is frustrating, frightening, and limiting. You might avoid certain activities, worry about when the next episode will strike, or feel like you can’t trust your own body. That’s no way to live.
At Desoto Upper Cervical, we’ve seen countless patients find relief from vertigo and dizziness through precise upper cervical correction. Many of these patients had suffered for months or years, trying various treatments without success. For many of them, the missing piece was addressing their atlas misalignment.
Dr. David Hall and Dr. Troy Reistroffer are committed to providing thorough evaluations, honest assessments, and the highest level of upper cervical care available. We use advanced imaging and analysis to pinpoint exactly what’s happening in your upper neck, and we use the gentle, precise Atlas Orthogonal and Orthospinology techniques to correct misalignments without forceful manipulation.
We understand how much vertigo and dizziness can impact your life. We’ve heard stories from patients who couldn’t drive, couldn’t work, couldn’t play with their grandkids—and then found relief through upper cervical care. We’d love to help you write your own success story.
Desoto Upper Cervical is conveniently located at 1134 Church Rd W in Southaven, MS. Call us at (662) 393-4848 to schedule your comprehensive vertigo evaluation. Let’s figure out together whether upper cervical misalignment is playing a role in your symptoms and create a personalized plan to help you regain your balance and confidence.
You don’t have to keep living with vertigo and dizziness. Relief may be closer than you think—just one phone call away. Contact us today, and let’s get you back to feeling steady, stable, and like yourself again.
