What Is BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)?
BPPV stands for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. It’s one of the most common causes of vertigo and balance disorders, affecting millions of people each year.
- Benign: It’s not life-threatening.
- Paroxysmal: The episodes are sudden and brief.
- Positional: Triggered by specific head movements or positions.
- Vertigo: Sensation of spinning or movement.
Common BPPV symptoms include:
- Intense spinning sensation (vertigo)
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Loss of balance or unsteadiness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Visual disturbances (blurred or bouncing vision)
- Symptoms triggered by rolling over in bed, looking up/down, or turning your head
Episodes can last from a few seconds to a minute but can feel extremely disorienting. Some people may also experience residual unsteadiness for hours afterward.
What Causes BPPV? Understanding the Ear Crystals
Inside your inner ear are structures responsible for your sense of balance. Two key parts of this system include:
- Otolith Organs (Utricle and Saccule): Detect gravity and linear movements.
- Semicircular Canals: Detect rotational movement.
The otolith organs contain tiny calcium carbonate crystals called otoconia. These crystals are embedded in a gel-like membrane and help detect motion and gravity.
In BPPV, these crystals become dislodged from the otolith membrane and migrate into one of the three semicircular canals. When these free-floating crystals move inside the canal during head movement, they stimulate nerve endings inappropriately, causing the brain to receive inaccurate signals.
This mismatch results in the classic symptoms of vertigo and imbalance. The posterior canal is most commonly affected, though any canal can be involved.
Why Is BPPV So Commonly Misdiagnosed?
Despite being relatively straightforward in its mechanical cause, BPPV is misdiagnosed more than 60% of the time. Reasons include:
Overlapping Symptoms
Vertigo and dizziness can result from multiple causes including:
- Meniere’s disease
- Vestibular migraine
- Labyrinthitis
- Inner ear infections
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Stroke
This overlap leads many physicians to attribute vertigo symptoms to more complex or unrelated conditions.
Normal Test Results
CT scans, MRIs, blood tests, and even some hearing or balance tests often come back normal for BPPV patients. Without abnormal test results, doctors may label symptoms as psychosomatic or anxiety-related.
Misunderstanding of the Mechanical Nature
BPPV is a mechanical disorder — not a disease or infection. If the treating provider doesn’t understand the role of ear crystals or inner ear mechanics, they may prescribe ineffective medications or treatments.
Lack of Focus on the Cervical Spine
The underlying cause of repeated BPPV — or why crystals keep coming loose — is rarely addressed. One overlooked root cause? Upper cervical spine misalignment.
The Brainstem and Vestibular System: The Neck’s Role in BPPV
Your upper cervical spine (specifically the C1 and C2 vertebrae) plays a vital role in stabilizing the head, supporting brainstem function, and enabling proper neurological communication.
The brainstem, which sits just behind the top two vertebrae, processes signals from the inner ear to help maintain balance and equilibrium. A misalignment in this area can:
- Disrupt nerve signals between the brain and the ear
- Restrict blood and cerebrospinal fluid flow
- Contribute to abnormal fluid pressure in the vestibular system
- Increase mechanical stress on the inner ear structures
This disruption may make it easier for crystals to break free, or make symptoms worse and harder to recover from. Often times vertigo is blamed on the crystals when it is actually cervicogenic.
Getting to the Root Cause: Upper Cervical Chiropractic at Lavender Family Chiropractic
At Lavender Family Chiropractic in Sarasota, we specialize in Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care — a focused, precise approach that targets the top two bones in your neck to restore nervous system balance.
Step 1: 3D CBCT Imaging
We utilize advanced Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) — a 3D imaging system that provides detailed views of your upper neck structure. This allows us to detect even the most subtle misalignments in the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae. This technology is used by very few upper cervical chiropractors due to the expense of the machine. It allows us to take a detailed image of the upper cervical region to eliminate all guesswork when it comes to making gentle and specific corrections to your upper cervical spine.
This detailed data ensures your correction is tailor-made for your unique anatomy.
Step 2: Functional Nervous System Scan
Using paraspinal infrared thermography, we assess the nervous system in real time. This scan identifies areas of stress, inflammation, and imbalance caused by upper cervical misalignments.
It’s safe, non-invasive, and helps us track how your body responds to care.
Step 3: Gentle, Precise Corrections
Our Upper Cervical Chiropractic technique involves no twisting, cracking, or popping. Instead, we deliver a highly specific correction using a gentle, hands-on approach. You lie comfortably on a specialized table, and the adjustment is barely felt — but its effects are powerful.
By realigning the upper neck, we help the brainstem and inner ear return to optimal function, allowing balance to be restored naturally.
Step 4: Personalized Care Plans
Each patient receives a care plan based on their unique imaging, neurological scans, and health history. Regular progress checks ensure your nervous system is healing and stabilizing over time.
Real Patient Results: Hope for BPPV and Chronic Vertigo
At Lavender Family Chiropractic, we’ve seen remarkable improvements in patients who’ve suffered from chronic vertigo and BPPV for months or even years:
- BPPV that recurred every few months, fully resolved after neck correction
- Patients able to walk confidently without dizziness
- Elderly individuals no longer fearing falls
- Elimination of daily nausea and unsteadiness
- Patients returning to driving, working, and traveling without limitation
These outcomes come from correcting the root cause — not chasing symptoms.
Why Choose Lavender Family Chiropractic?
Lavender Family Chiropractic is the premier Upper Cervical Chiropractic office serving Sarasota and surrounding communities. Our doctors — Dr. Rusty Lavender, Dr. Jacob Temple, and Dr. Will Guzinski — have extensive training in advanced upper cervical techniques.
We serve:
- Sarasota
- Bradenton
- Lakewood Ranch
- Parrish
- Ellenton
- Venice
- Osprey
- Punta Gorda
- St. Petersburg
- Siesta Key
- Longboat Key
- Lido Key
- Myakka City
If you’ve been searching for a “Vertigo doctor near me” or a solution to dizziness that just won’t go away, we are here to help you heal.
Top 15 FAQs About BPPV and Upper Cervical Chiropractic
1. What causes ear crystals to dislodge?
Head trauma, whiplash, aging, or even infections can loosen otoconia from their normal position.
2. Can BPPV resolve on its own?
Sometimes, yes — but recurrence is common unless the root cause is addressed.
3. Is the Epley maneuver enough to fix BPPV?
It can help move crystals back temporarily, but won’t address why they became loose in the first place.
4. How does upper cervical care help BPPV?
It restores brainstem function and balances the nervous system, improving communication with the inner ear.
5. How soon will I feel better?
Many patients experience changes after just a few visits, though results vary.
6. Is the adjustment painful?
No. Our adjustments are gentle, precise, and safe for all ages.
7. Do you crack or twist the neck?
Never. We use a gentle, specific correction with no twisting or popping.
8. How do I know if my neck is misaligned?
Our CBCT imaging and nervous system scans can detect hidden misalignments with precision.
9. Do you take insurance?
Our office is out of network with insurance. Many of our patients receive a superbill to submit to their insurance for reimbursement based on their coverage. We offer many different payment options as well as finance options.
10. What if I’ve had BPPV for years?
Chronic cases often have an underlying neurological component that upper cervical care can help resolve.
11. How often do I need to come in?
Frequency depends on your scans, response to care, and health goals.
12. Is it safe for seniors?
Yes. Our techniques are gentle and effective for elderly patients with vertigo and fall risk.
13. Can kids have BPPV?
Yes — especially after head injuries. Upper cervical care is safe for children.
14. How do I get started?
Call our office or visit our website to schedule a new patient consultation and exam.
15. Where are you located?
Our office is located at 5899 Whitfield Ave Ste 107, Sarasota, FL 34243 down the road from the University Town Center and Benderson Park.
Ready to Reclaim Your Balance? Let’s Get to the Root Cause
If you’re tired of dealing with the spinning, nausea, and instability of BPPV — and want more than temporary relief — it’s time to explore the power of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care.
Lavender Family Chiropractic in Sarasota Florida offers complimentary consultations to learn more about you. Click the link below!
https://intake.chirohd.com/new-patient-scheduling/724/lavender-family-chiropractic
Visit our Website!
To learn more about us go to http://www.chiropractorsarasotaflorida.com
We also service Bradenton, Parrish, Ellenton, Ruskin, Venice, Tampa, St. Pete, Osprey, Longboat, Lakewood Ranch, Myakka City.
If you are not local, visit www.uccnearme.com to find a doctor in your area.
📞 Call us at (941) 243-3729
🌐 Visit: www.chiropractorsarasotaflorida.com
📍 Lavender Family Chiropractic – Sarasota’s leading experts in dizziness, vertigo, and upper cervical health
📸 Instagram: @lavenderfamilysrq
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Don’t let dizziness control your life any longer. At Lavender Family Chiropractic, we’re here to help you feel stable, clear, and confident again.
