Lately, I’ve seen more patients complaining of vertigo or dizziness. Many ask, what causes dizziness? While the causes can vary, the so-called “crystals” in your ear aren’t always to blame. I’ll explain why.
There’s a strong connection between neck pain, stiffness, and dizziness. I’ve noticed that a specific part of the neck often needs attention in patients with dizziness. This is closely tied to posture, particularly of the neck. Fortunately, dizziness and vertigo treatment doesn’t always require medication. If you’ve been feeling dizzy and want answers, keep reading!
Stop Blaming Your Inner Ear!
Doctors often point to the bones in your inner ear when discussing dizziness. While these ossicles are important, balance depends on more than just the ear. The vestibular portion of the brain also plays a critical role. It communicates with the inner ear to maintain balance. If this communication is disrupted, you can feel dizzy.
Tight neck muscles, especially the Sternocleidomastoid (SCM), often contribute to dizziness. The SCM becomes overactive with excessive use of digital devices. Looking down at your phone or laptop, or frequently turning your head in one direction, overstimulates this muscle. Let’s break down how this tightness affects balance.
How A Tight Neck Muscle Causes Dizziness?
The SCM is a neck flexor. It helps you look down and stabilizes the neck. It attaches to the collarbone on one end and the back of the jawbone on the other. Problems arise where it connects to the jawbone at the TMJ.
The ossicles in your ear sit at angles to one another. They provide the brain with balance information in all directions. When the SCM pulls on the ear, it disrupts this alignment. The ossicles send signals of imbalance to the brain, triggering dizziness. This isn’t caused by an infection, so antibiotics or nausea medications won’t help.
Tight SCM muscles can also cause ear pressure or pain. But this pressure isn’t from a middle ear infection—it’s due to muscle tension near the ear.
Technology Use and Dizziness
Technology has taken over our lives. While it’s convenient, it’s also affecting our posture. Look around, and you’ll see people walking with their heads down, staring at phones. This constant forward head posture leads to tight neck flexors and weak neck extensors. Over time, this becomes your default posture.
This posture contributes to a process called Negative Neuroplasticity. It disrupts the brain’s ability to support balance. The good news? You don’t have to stop using your devices—just adjust your posture. Hold your phone at eye level, with your elbows relaxed at your sides. For laptops, raise the screen to eye level and use a cordless keyboard and mouse.
Severe postural imbalances may require correction as part of dizziness treatment. Watch this video to see how to minimize the amount of damage while using your cellphone.
Natural Treatment for Dizziness?
A tight SCM is a dead giveaway and should be the first thing addressed. If this muscle remains in a hyperactive (tight) state it will continue to pull the neck forward and more so on one side than the other. Active Release Technique (ART) is what I use to start the process of dizziness treatment.
Next, we need to correct the dysfunction and posture that has resulted. The best way to do that is with Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) or Developmental Kinesiology. Let me explain more below.
What is Developmental Kinesiology?
Developmental Kinesiology studies how babies develop movement from birth all the way through the beginning of walking. We are all born with the tools necessary to move; we all use them at a certain sequence and a certain way to develop strength in each muscle; each part chimes in at the right time when it comes to movement (remember the concert example above?) Why not re-walk the same paths and sequence to re-establish the same patterns of movements?
A movement that babies begin to do at three months of age is how we all develop our neck extensor muscles, which tend to be weak and overstretched in someone with an overactive SCM (hint-hint). This three-month stomach pose shown below is how a baby strengthens the neck extensors to bring their neck back while activating the front of the neck muscles to work together and symmetrically. Both of those requirements are essential to balancing the neck over the body (the imbalance of which can be as a result of tight SCM, leading to dizziness).
Results of Postural Balance
I’ve never seen a patient with great posture and a healthy SCM complain of dizziness. Unfortunately, posture isn’t something you can fix by simply “thinking about it.” Devices that zap you or braces that pull your shoulders back won’t solve the issue. True postural correction requires addressing the nervous system, rebuilding weak areas, and following the developmental steps all infants go through before walking.
You are the Director and Designer of your own life, direct and design it the way you wish to live it. Use technology wisely, but don’t let poor posture impact your health. If you’re dealing with dizziness or related issues, take action. Addressing the root cause can help you regain control and live the life you deserve. Contact the office to get started.
Dr. Shakib
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