The conundrum of cervicogenic dizziness.

Cervicogenic or cervical dizziness is debated as an entity. However, there exists both a physiologic basis and a multitude of clinical data to make such a disease concept at least possible and worth considering. In addition, the interaction of proprioceptive and vestibular mechanisms may amplify dizziness of other origin. Cervical pain and dizziness are both common symptoms and may coincide, and neck pain or obvious dysfunction does not necessarily cause dizziness or balance disturbances. So far, there is also the lack of a proper diagnostic test for cervicogenic dizziness. On the other hand, there is growing evidence that cervical proprioceptive input is important for balance and postural control not only in animals but also in humans, and that intervention in disorders affecting the human cervical segment may relieve dizziness in some patients. It is advocated that the diagnosis should be used with care and that there is a need for better diagnostic tests. In the absence of such a test, one has to rely on preliminary criteria and a diagnosis ex juvantibus. A possible approach would require patients to present with neck pain before or in close temporal relation with dizziness; that other causes should be made at least unlikely; and that treatment of a cervical dysfunction reduces also dizziness or balance disturbance.

Change of body movement coordination during cervical proprioceptive disturbances with increased age.

BACKGROUND: To date, there are very few studies on postural stability in older adults using body movement recordings to capture the postural movement pattern. Moreover, the importance of proprioception at key areas such as the calf or neck on the postural movement pattern in older adults has rarely been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the body movement coordination strategy to calf or neck vibration was affected by aging. METHODS: Body movement measurements were taken at five locations (ankle, knee, hip, shoulder and head) from 18 younger (mean age 29.1 years) and 16 older (mean age 71.5 years) adult subjects using a 3D movement measuring system while subjected to 50 s of pseudo-random calf or neck vibratory stimulation pulses with eyes open or closed. The positions from the knee, hip, shoulder and head markers were correlated against one another to give an indication of the body coordination. RESULTS: During quiet standing, older adults had greater correlation between the head and trunk than the young. There was an age effect in the body movement coordination strategy. Older adults had a different movement pattern with neck vibration involving mainly more independent knee movements, indicating balance difficulty. CONCLUSIONS: Neck vibration affects the movement pattern in older adults more compared with younger adults and calf vibration, suggesting that, the regulation of body orientation in older adults is more difficult, especially during cervical proprioceptive disturbances.

Postural and symptomatic improvement after physiotherapy in patients with dizziness of suspected cervical origin.

OBJECTIVE: To assess postural performance in patients with dizziness of suspected cervical origin in whom extracervical causes had been excluded, and to assess the effects of physiotherapy on postural performance and subjective complaints of neck pain and dizziness. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Primary care centers and a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS AND SUBJECTS: Of 65 referrals, 43 patients were excluded because extracervical etiology was suspected. Of the remaining 22 patients, 17 completed the study (15 women, 2 men, x age 37 yr, range 26-49). The controls were 17 healthy subjects (15 women, 2 men, x age 36 yr, range 25-55). INTERVENTION: Physiotherapy based on analysis of symptoms and findings, and aimed to reduce cervical discomfort. Patients were randomized either to receive immediate physiotherapy (n = 9), or to wait 2 months, undergo repeat measurements, and then receive physiotherapy (n = 8). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Posturography, measuring velocity and variance of vibration-induced body sway and variance of galvanically induced body sway. Subjective intensity of neck pain (Visual Analog Scale ratings, 0-100), intensity and frequency of dizziness (subjective score 0-4). RESULTS: The patients manifested significantly poorer postural performance than did healthy subjects (.05 > p > .0001). Physiotherapy significantly reduced neck pain and intensity and the frequency of dizziness (p < .01), and significantly improved postural performance (.05 > p > .0007). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with dizziness of suspected cervical origin are characterized by impaired postural performance. Physiotherapy reduces neck pain and dizziness and improves postural performance. Neck disorders should be considered when assessing patients complaining of dizziness, but alternative diagnoses are common.