As you are probably no doubt aware by now, my office spends much time dealing with patients who suffer with vertigo, dizziness, balance loss and dystonia. What you are probably not aware of is that many of these patients got that way in the first place as a result of being involved in a motor vehicular accident some time in the not too distant past, usually within five years or so.

Nonfatal car accidents cause many problems, ranging from neck and back pain to vertigo and dystonia, a painful condition causing spasm only on one side of the neck, which results in an oscillatory tremor of the head. Although we can treat patients with these conditions rather successfully, the problem lies in the fact that many affected individuals fail to present to our office until some time after these conditions have already manifested and become severe. Even then, while treatment may be successful, it is usually unnecessarily lengthened because of the delay from the time of manifestation to the time of diagnosis.

The reason why these conditions are usually associated with motor vehicle accidents is because motor vehicle accidents oftentimes involve mild head trauma. You don't have to be in a car accident for this to happen. Any type of head trauma can cause similar problems. For example, reaching under a sink to find an item far in the back and bumping your head on the way up can oftentimes result in vertigo within the next few days. Even that occasional trivial bump on the head from inadvertently banging it can lead to vertigo.

This is also more common in the elderly although possible in any age group. Further, this type of vertigo is actually the fastest from which individuals respond to treatment, so if you suffer with this type of vertigo, you are suffering unnecessarily. If you have any type of dizziness, vertigo or dystonia type symptomatology or if you have been involved in a motor vehicular accident, then you should be thinking about being evaluated.

These are not good problems to have as they invariably lead up to a fall, which causes things such as hip fractures, emboli, stroke, et cetera. My office is furnished with all of the necessary equipment to screen for risk of fall, which only takes seconds, and we do not charge for this service. However, you must take advantage of this service to derive any benefits from it.

Dr. Scopelliti is a chiropractic neurologist, practicing at the 279 Professional Arts Bldg at the rear of Monmouth Medical Center, in Long Branch, NJ. He is also currently the president of the NJ Chiropractic Council on Neurology. His office specializes in the drug free management of vertigo, dizziness, balance loss, presyncope, dystonia and headaches. Dr. Scopelliti offers a free no obligation consultation to discuss your problem prior to the commencement of any examination/treatment. The office can be reached at (732) 229-5250 to arrange a free consultation, ($75 value). Dr. Scopelliti has a wealth of information updated weekly on the web at www.dcneuro.net.