Vertigo & Dizziness Care in San Diego
Find your balance again. Stop the spinning and start healing with drug-free vertigo relief and advanced neurological therapy.
Living with Vertigo or Dizziness?
When the world is constantly spinning or unsteady, even simple daily activities become challenging. Vertigo and chronic dizziness can cause nausea, anxiety, and falls, severely reducing your quality of life.
Vertigo affects approximately 40% of adults at some point in their lives, and for many people it becomes a recurring problem that conventional medicine struggles to resolve. Medications like meclizine may temporarily suppress symptoms, but they don't address the underlying dysfunction—and they can actually slow your brain's natural compensation process.
If you're in San Diego dealing with these symptoms, know that you are not alone and there is hope. Our clinic has helped many people find relief from persistent vertigo without relying on medication.
Do These Symptoms Sound Familiar?
If you're experiencing any of these, our comprehensive approach can help.
- Spinning sensation when you move your head or change positions
- Chronic dizziness that affects your daily activities
- Nausea or vomiting triggered by movement
- Difficulty walking straight or maintaining balance
- Feeling unsteady or like you might fall
- Lightheadedness when standing up
- Anxiety about going out due to fear of dizzy spells
Understanding Your Balance System
Why vertigo happens and why it persists
The Three Pillars of Balance
Your brain maintains balance by integrating signals from three systems simultaneously: the vestibular system (inner ear), the visual system (eyes), and proprioception (position sensors in your joints, muscles, and spine). When all three systems agree, you feel steady and oriented. When any one system sends conflicting or inaccurate signals, the result is dizziness, vertigo, or imbalance.
This is why traditional approaches that only address one system—such as an Epley maneuver alone for BPPV—sometimes fail to provide lasting relief. If the brain's ability to integrate these three inputs is compromised, symptoms persist or return.
Common Causes of Vertigo
Peripheral Causes (Inner Ear)
- BPPV – Displaced crystals in the semicircular canals cause brief spinning episodes with head movement
- Vestibular Neuritis – Inflammation of the vestibular nerve causes sudden, severe vertigo lasting days to weeks
- Ménière's Disease – Fluid buildup in the inner ear causes episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus
Central Causes (Brain & Neck)
- Vestibular Migraine – Migraine-related vertigo episodes that may occur without headache
- Cervicogenic Dizziness – Upper neck dysfunction disrupting proprioceptive input to the brain
- Post-Concussion Syndrome – Traumatic brain injury affecting vestibular processing centers
The Compensation Problem
After a vestibular injury, your brain is designed to compensate—to learn to rely more on your other balance systems (vision and proprioception) to fill the gap. This process is called vestibular compensation, and when it works properly, symptoms resolve within weeks.
However, many factors can stall compensation: anxiety and avoidance behavior (not moving enough), cervical spine dysfunction, visual processing problems, medication that suppresses vestibular signals, and even poor sleep. When compensation stalls, vertigo becomes chronic. Our functional neurology approach is specifically designed to identify what's blocking your brain's compensation and actively drive it forward through targeted rehabilitation.
How We Diagnose Your Vertigo
A thorough neurological examination to find the root cause
Comprehensive Neurological Exam
We assess cranial nerve function, cerebellar integrity, and brainstem reflexes to determine whether your vertigo has a peripheral (inner ear) or central (brain) origin. This distinction is critical because treatment differs significantly.
Vestibular Function Testing
Using the Dix-Hallpike maneuver, head impulse test (HIT), and dynamic visual acuity testing, we evaluate each semicircular canal and the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). We identify exactly which ear and which canal is involved.
Oculomotor Assessment
Your eye movements reveal how well your brain integrates vestibular and visual information. We test smooth pursuits, saccades, gaze stability, and optokinetic responses to identify specific neural pathway deficits.
Cervical Spine Evaluation
Upper cervical joint mobility, muscle tension patterns, and proprioceptive accuracy are assessed. Cervicogenic dizziness is commonly missed in standard evaluations, but it's a treatable contributor in many vertigo patients.
Balance & Gait Analysis
We assess your postural stability under various conditions—eyes open vs. closed, firm vs. foam surface, head turning—to determine how well your three balance systems are communicating with each other.
Our Drug-Free Treatment Approach
Vertigo and dizziness often have complex causes, so we use a comprehensive approach that targets all the contributing factors.
Vestibular Rehabilitation
Customized balance exercises to retrain your inner ear and brain so you regain stability.
Vision Therapy
Techniques to improve how your eyes and brain work together, reducing dizziness related to visual input.
Proprioceptive Training
Exercises to enhance your body's spatial awareness (joint and muscle signals), improving steadiness.
Chiropractic Care
Gentle adjustments to correct any cervical spine issues that may contribute to vertigo.
Autonomic Nervous System Rehab
Therapies like vagus nerve stimulation to calm the nervous system and reduce symptom triggers.
By addressing every system involved in balance (ears, eyes, nerves, neck), we address the root causes of vertigo for lasting relief.
Vestibular Exercises You Can Start Today
These evidence-based exercises can support your recovery between visits. Always consult your doctor before starting.
VOR x1 Exercise (Gaze Stabilization)
This exercise retrains the vestibulo-ocular reflex, the system that keeps your vision stable during head movement.
- Hold a business card at arm's length with a word or letter you can read
- Keep your eyes focused on the letter while turning your head side to side
- Move your head as fast as you can while keeping the letter in focus
- Continue for 1 minute, rest, then repeat with up-and-down head movements
- Perform 3 times daily; the letter should remain clear throughout
Brandt-Daroff Exercises (for BPPV)
A habituation exercise that helps your brain adapt to the dizziness caused by positional vertigo.
- Sit on the edge of your bed
- Quickly lie on one side with your nose pointed 45 degrees upward
- Stay in this position for 30 seconds or until dizziness subsides
- Return to sitting and wait 30 seconds
- Repeat on the opposite side; do 5 repetitions on each side, twice daily
Standing Balance Progression
A progressive challenge to your balance system that improves proprioception and vestibular integration.
- Level 1: Stand with feet together, eyes open, on firm ground – hold 30 seconds
- Level 2: Same position with eyes closed – hold 30 seconds
- Level 3: Stand on a foam pad or pillow, eyes open – hold 30 seconds
- Level 4: Foam pad with eyes closed – hold 30 seconds
- Progress to the next level only when the current one feels comfortable; always have a wall nearby for safety
Important: If any exercise provokes severe vertigo, nausea, or vomiting, stop and contact us. These exercises should produce mild, manageable dizziness that subsides within a minute. Your in-clinic program will be precisely calibrated to your specific diagnosis.
Why Choose Our Neurology Center for Vertigo?
We offer one of San Diego's most comprehensive vertigo programs, with experts trained in functional neurology and chiropractic care.
Proven Results
Even tough cases get better
Functional Neurology Trained
All doctors trained in neurologic rehab
Compassionate Care
We understand vertigo
Local Expertise
San Diego's trusted clinic
Drug-Free Approach
Natural, lasting relief
I suffered daily dizziness for years and was afraid to even leave my house. After care here, I feel steady and normal again. It's like a miracle, no more vertigo!
Sarah K.
Vertigo Patient, San Diego
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about vertigo, dizziness, and vestibular rehabilitation.
Treatments That May Help
Take the First Step to Balance
Don't let vertigo control your life. Our team is ready to help you stand steady and feel clear-headed again. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to learn how we can help.
Call (619) 344-0111 to speak with a specialist
More questions? Visit our FAQs page