If you’ve been passed around from your primary care doctor to an ENT…then a neurologist…then maybe a physical therapist…all for migraines or dizziness that still won’t go away – you’re not alone.
We hear this story all the time.
Your head hurts. You feel off balance. Your ears ring. You’ve had the MRI, the bloodwork, the hearing tests – and everything comes back “normal.” So why do you still feel like you’re spinning, foggy, or in pain?
Here’s the truth: many of these specialists are looking in the right general area – but they may be missing one crucial piece of the puzzle.
The Overlooked Link Between Migraines, Dizziness, and the Neck
When you’re dealing with migraines, vertigo, or unexplained dizziness, your brainstem is often involved. Specifically, an area where your brain connects to your spinal cord – and just happens to sit right at the top of your neck.
If the bones in this area (C1 and C2) are even slightly misaligned, it can irritate the brainstem or nearby nerves, throwing off how your body processes balance, pressure, and pain.
In many cases, the vestibulocochlear nerve (cranial nerve VIII) and the trigeminal spinal nucleus – a major relay for head and facial pain signals – are affected. These structures don’t show up well on standard scans, but they can cause huge problems when irritated.
What We Hear from Patients All the Time:
- “I’ve had every test and nothing shows up.”
- “They told me it’s just stress, anxiety, or all in my head.”
- “I have to be careful how I sleep – rolling over triggers dizziness.”
- “I’m scared to drive because I might get dizzy and crash.”
These are real, daily fears for many people. And they often come to us after months – or years – of trying everything else.
What the ENT and Neurologist Get Right (and Where It Ends)
We’re not here to bash medical specialists. In fact, they’re incredibly important for ruling out serious or life-threatening issues.
ENTs look at the inner ear and vestibular system. Neurologists check your brain function and blood vessels.
But once they rule out major causes and everything is “normal,” many patients are left with a prescription, a shrug, or a vague diagnosis like:
- Vestibular migraines
- Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD)
- Idiopathic vertigo
- Somatic symptom disorder
In other words: we’re not sure, and there’s not much else we can do.
That’s where upper cervical chiropractic – and the Blair technique – comes in.
Why We Focus on the Top of the Neck (and How It Changes Lives)
The top two bones of your spine (C1 and C2) sit right under your skull. If they’re misaligned, even by a millimeter, they can disrupt normal nerve flow, blood flow, and communication between your body and brain.
At Balanced Chiropractic, we use 3D CBCT imaging to precisely identify misalignments in this area. Then, using the Blair Upper Cervical technique, we make gentle, non-twisting corrections that restore balance to your nervous system.
No cracking. No guesswork. Just specificity.
We’ve had patients who couldn’t drive because of dizziness, or who spent years cycling through ENT and neurology visits, finally find relief – once the neck was properly addressed.
What If This Is the Missing Piece?
If you’ve tried everything else and are still struggling with migraines, dizziness, or unexplained head pressure, it’s worth asking: has anyone ever checked your upper cervical spine?
This isn’t about replacing your medical team. It’s about completing the picture – and helping your body function the way it was designed to.
Serving Riverton, Herriman, Bluffdale, South Jordan, and surrounding areas
Want to learn more? Read our blog on Vestibular Migraines, Meniere’s Disease, or The Brainstem-Migraine Connection for deeper insights.
If this sounds like your story, we’d love to meet you. Let’s talk.
Please call or text (801) 477-7222 to learn more.
