Stop the Spinning. Restore Your Balance.
If the room seems to spin, tilt, or sway without warning, you already know how disruptive vertigo and balance disorders can be.
Simple things — walking down a hallway, standing up from a chair, driving, even turning your head — can suddenly feel unsafe.
At Laneville Family Chiropractic, we focus on one specific, often-overlooked contributor to these symptoms: the alignment of the top bone in your neck (the atlas or C1 vertebra) and its relationship to your nervous system.
Our care is precise, gentle, and measurable — no twisting, no popping, and no forceful manipulation .
What Are Vertigo and Balance Disorders?
"Vertigo" and "dizziness" are often used interchangeably, but they aren't quite the same thing.
Vertigo is a specific false sensation of movement — you feel like you or your surroundings are spinning, tilting, or rocking, even while standing still.
Balance disorders are broader: they include vertigo, but also unsteadiness, a feeling of floating, difficulty walking a straight line, or a general sense of disequilibrium.
Both can range from a brief, mild annoyance to a persistent, disabling condition that affects work, driving, and daily independence.
Symptoms
- Spinning sensation
- Unsteadiness or pulling to one side
- Lightheadedness
- Nausea with dizziness
- Eye tracking problems
- Neck stiffness or headaches
- Ear ringing (tinnitus)
- Triggered by head movements
Common Conditions
- BPPV — Brief spinning from head movements
- Cervicogenic dizziness — From neck dysfunction
- Vestibular migraine — Vertigo with/without headache
- Ménière's disease — Vertigo + hearing changes
- Post-concussion syndrome — After head/neck injury
- Chronic disequilibrium — Ongoing unsteadiness
The Nervous System Connection: Why Your Neck Matters for Balance
Here's something most people don't realize...
Balance isn't controlled by one single organ.
It's the product of constant communication between:
- Your inner ear (the vestibular system)
- Your eyes
- Receptors in your neck and joints that tell your brain where your body is in space
All of that information travels through your brainstem , which sits directly behind the atlas — the topmost bone in your spine, just below the skull.
How Atlas Misalignment Creates Nervous System Imbalance
Because the atlas surrounds and protects the brainstem and upper spinal cord — and because major arteries supplying blood to the brain and inner ear pass directly through it — even a slight misalignment of this bone can matter.
When the atlas shifts out of its proper position, it may:
- Place tension on the brainstem
- Disrupt normal blood flow through the vertebral arteries
- Distort the proprioceptive signals your neck sends to your brain about head and body position
The result is what we call a nervous system imbalance : your brain is no longer receiving clear, consistent input about where you are and how you're moving.
This can show up as dizziness, spinning, or unsteadiness.
Is the Atlas the Only Cause of Vertigo?
No. This doesn't mean every case of vertigo originates in the neck — inner-ear conditions, migraine physiology, and other factors can all play a role, sometimes together.
What it does mean is that upper cervical alignment is a factor worth evaluating, particularly for people whose dizziness:
- Followed a fall, whiplash, concussion, or years of postural strain
- Hasn't fully resolved with other treatment
- Is accompanied by neck pain or stiffness
How NUCCA Works
NUCCA = Precise atlas-only correction using measurements, not force
5-Step Process
1. Evaluation
History, symptoms, postural exam
2. Precision X-rays
Angle-specific imaging measures exact misalignment
3. Gentle Correction
Light pressure behind ear — no twisting/popping
4. Verification
Re-measure to confirm correction
5. Monitoring
Track stability, space out visits as you improve
Quick Questions and Answers
What is NUCCA?
Gentle upper cervical chiropractic focusing only on atlas alignment using precise measurements.
How does it help vertigo?
Corrects atlas misalignment affecting brainstem function, blood flow, and balance signals.
Is it safe?
Yes. Uses light pressure, not forceful adjustments. Well-tolerated by dizzy patients.
How long to see results?
Varies. Some notice changes within a few visits; chronic cases take longer.
Do you use X-rays?
Yes. Specialized imaging measures exact misalignment for precise correction.
Different from regular chiropractic?
Yes. Atlas-only focus with imaging verification. No twisting or popping.
Good for concussion/whiplash vertigo?
Yes. These injuries often cause atlas misalignment and post-traumatic dizziness.
Who's a good candidate?
Anyone with vertigo, especially with neck injury history or symptoms unresolved by other treatment.
What causes vertigo?
Inner ear problems, neck misalignment, migraine, BPPV, Ménière's, concussion, or brainstem issues.
What's cervicogenic dizziness?
Dizziness from neck dysfunction rather than inner ear — often responds to atlas correction.
Can vertigo be cured?
Depends on cause. Many cases improve significantly; some need ongoing management.
Schedule Your Evaluation Today!
Phone: (630) 325-5522
Address: 1510 Plainfield Rd, Suite 6, Darien, IL, 60561