Vertigo Treatment in Bloomington, MN
Dizziness and a spinning sensation can sometimes be traced to the upper cervical spine. We assess whether a structural component is contributing to your symptoms.
Vertigo Treatment At A Glance
Vertigo is one of the most disorienting symptoms a patient can experience. The world spins. The floor feels uncertain. Walking becomes a careful process, driving feels unsafe, and the fatigue from constantly trying to stabilize is exhausting. Patients in Bloomington often arrive at Riverview Spine after months of trying to figure out where the dizziness is coming from, sometimes after seeing several other providers without clear answers.
Vertigo has multiple sources. Some forms come from the inner ear. Others are driven by the upper cervical spine, where joint dysfunction and muscle tension can produce dizziness that responds well to chiropractic care. At Riverview Spine, our role is to identify which type of vertigo is in play and refer when the source falls outside the scope of conservative spinal care. For cases with a cervical component, chiropractic adjustments and rehabilitation can often produce meaningful change.
Last Reviewed By: Dr. Rod Opferkew on July 2, 2026
What Is Vertigo?
Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness characterized by the sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning, tilting, or moving when no actual movement is occurring. Vertigo is different from lightheadedness, which feels more like fainting, and different from general unsteadiness, which feels more like loss of balance.
Vertigo can come from several sources. The inner ear is the most common, where the vestibular system that controls balance can be disrupted by displaced crystals, fluid changes, or inflammation. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Ménière’s disease, and vestibular neuritis are all examples of inner ear sources.
The cervical spine can also be a source. Cervicogenic dizziness occurs when joint dysfunction, muscle tension, or sensory disruption in the upper neck affects the body’s sense of head position and balance. The dizziness pattern is often subtle and tied to neck movement or posture rather than head position.
Central nervous system causes, including stroke, migraine, and certain neurological conditions, can also produce vertigo. These require medical evaluation rather than chiropractic care.
Identifying which type of vertigo is present is the most important first step.
Common Symptoms Of Vertigo
Vertigo symptoms vary based on the underlying source, and the pattern usually points toward which system is involved.
Spinning sensations, especially with specific head movements like rolling over in bed or looking up, often point toward benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, which involves displaced inner ear crystals. The episodes are usually brief but intense.
Vertigo paired with hearing changes, ringing in the ears, or a feeling of fullness in the ear often suggests Ménière’s disease or another inner ear condition. These cases warrant medical evaluation.
Cervicogenic dizziness tends to be more subtle. Patients describe unsteadiness, a sense of being off, mild floating sensations, or dizziness that worsens with neck movement, neck stiffness, or prolonged poor posture. The pattern often comes with neck pain or headaches.
Dizziness with sudden onset, severe headache, weakness or numbness in the limbs, vision changes, slurred speech, or loss of coordination requires immediate medical evaluation as possible stroke or other neurological emergency.
Fatigue, anxiety about falling, and disrupted sleep are common across all forms of chronic vertigo as the body works to maintain stability.
What Causes Vertigo
Vertigo develops from disruptions in the systems that control balance and spatial orientation.
The vestibular system in the inner ear is one of the most common sources. Displaced crystals, fluid imbalances, viral inflammation, or age-related changes can all disrupt how the inner ear sends balance information to the brain.
The cervical spine contributes through a different mechanism. The upper cervical joints and muscles contain large numbers of sensory receptors that help the body track head position. When the upper neck is dysfunctional, the sensory signals can become unreliable, and the brain has to work harder to maintain balance. This pattern often shows up after whiplash, with chronic forward head posture, or with persistent upper cervical tension.
Central nervous system conditions, including migraine variants, certain neurological disorders, and acute events like stroke, can produce vertigo through different mechanisms.
Some medications, dehydration, blood pressure changes, and anxiety can also produce dizziness that gets reported as vertigo. The clinical work is identifying which mechanism is in play before treatment begins.
Conditions That Can Mimic Vertigo
Several conditions produce dizziness that gets reported as vertigo but involves different mechanisms.
Lightheadedness from low blood pressure, dehydration, or medication side effects can feel like vertigo but is technically a different symptom. The distinction matters because the management is different.
General unsteadiness from peripheral neuropathy, certain joint conditions, or muscle weakness can be confused with vertigo. Anxiety can produce dizziness, breathlessness, and a sense of unreality that overlaps with vertigo presentations.
Migraine-associated vertigo, called vestibular migraine, presents similarly to inner ear disorders but is driven by migraine mechanisms and requires migraine-specific care.
A careful history and exam help separate these conditions. Identifying whether the source is the inner ear, the cervical spine, the central nervous system, or another system shapes whether chiropractic care is appropriate or referral is the right next step.
When To Seek Urgent Care For Vertigo
Some vertigo presentations require immediate medical evaluation rather than chiropractic care. Seek urgent care if vertigo comes on suddenly with severe headache, is paired with sudden weakness or numbness in the limbs, vision changes, double vision, slurred speech, facial drooping, loss of coordination, severe chest pain, or fainting. New severe vertigo with no obvious cause, vertigo after head trauma, and vertigo with hearing loss also warrant prompt medical evaluation before assuming a musculoskeletal source.
What Our Patients Are Saying
How We Diagnose Vertigo
Diagnosing vertigo at Riverview Spine begins with a careful history. When did the dizziness start? What does it feel like? What triggers it? Is there any hearing change, neck pain, or other associated symptom? The pattern often points clearly toward inner ear, cervical, or central sources.
The physical exam includes specific tests for vestibular function, cervical range of motion, and neurological screening. Positional testing helps identify benign paroxysmal positional vertigo when that pattern is suspected. Cervical assessment looks for upper neck joint dysfunction, muscle tension, and posture patterns that often drive cervicogenic dizziness.
When the exam suggests a primary inner ear, central, or systemic source, referral to the appropriate medical provider takes precedence. When the cervical spine is contributing or is the primary source, chiropractic care can be appropriate.
The goal is matching the case to the right kind of help, not assuming every dizzy patient needs the same treatment.
What to Expect From Your Care at Riverview Spine
Your care at Riverview Spine begins with a detailed consultation and physical examination, followed by X-rays to give Dr. Rod a clear structural picture. From there, he builds a personalized care plan that may include chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression for disc-related causes, and guidance on movement and posture. Many patients notice meaningful improvement within the first few visits. Your progress is tracked throughout, and the plan is updated as your condition responds.
How We Treat Cervicogenic Dizziness At Riverview Spine
For vertigo with a cervical component, care at Riverview Spine focuses on restoring upper cervical function, reducing muscle tension, and rebuilding the sensory input the brain needs for balance. Cases that are primarily driven by the inner ear, the central nervous system, or other systemic factors are referred to the appropriate provider.
Why Early Treatment For Cervicogenic Dizziness Matters
Cervicogenic dizziness responds best to early care. The upper cervical patterns that drive the dizziness tend to become more entrenched over time, and the longer the brain compensates for unreliable neck input, the more fatigue and anxiety build up around the symptoms.
Early identification also matters for ruling out other sources. A clear evaluation early in the process clarifies whether the cervical spine is the primary issue or whether the case belongs with an inner ear, neurological, or other specialist. Either way, getting the right kind of care sooner shortens the path to relief and reduces unnecessary worry.
Meet The Team Behind Your Care
Dr. Rod Opferkew
Dr. Rod Opferkew has over 23 years of chiropractic experience and focuses on identifying the root cause of pain before building a care plan around your needs.
Serving Bloomington And The Surrounding Twin Cities Communities
Riverview Spine is located in Bloomington, Minnesota, and treats patients with cervicogenic dizziness across Bloomington, Edina, Richfield, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and the surrounding south Twin Cities communities. Patients with chronic upper cervical tension and post-whiplash dizziness often come specifically for evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vertigo
Related Conditions
Start Vertigo Evaluation At Riverview Spine
Vertigo and persistent dizziness deserve a clear answer about the source. Riverview Spine evaluates the cervical spine, the vestibular system, and the broader pattern to identify what is contributing to the dizziness, then either treats the cervical contributors directly or refers to the right provider when the source is elsewhere. Book an appointment to start the evaluation, or call the clinic to talk through your symptoms first.