Vertigo & Dizziness Treatment in Grand Rapids
Chiropractic care for vertigo & dizziness
Get to the root of your vertigo & dizziness
Also known as: Dizziness, Cervicogenic Dizziness, BPPV
Are you dealing with vertigo? If so, you're not alone.
Vertigo is a condition that causes you to feel off-balance and dizzy. It can be caused by a number of things, such as infection, head injury, or inner ear problems. If you're experiencing vertigo, it's important to seek help from a healthcare professional.
Chiropractic care is an excellent option to get relief for vertigo. Our Chiropractic team in Grand Rapids specializes in identifying the root cause of your vertigo and building a custom care plan to solve the underlying problem and help alleviate your symptoms.
Find the Root Cause
Get to the bottom of what's causing your vertigo & dizziness so we can build a plan to get you feeling great again.
Custom Care Plan
We build a personalized plan of action to get your vertigo & dizziness under control and your body feeling its best.
Preventative Care
Once you're feeling better, we help keep your vertigo & dizziness from coming back so you can stay healthy for the long run.
Chiropractic Treatment for Vertigo & Dizziness
Don't suffer from vertigo & dizziness any longer. Our chiropractic team is here to get to the underlying cause of your vertigo & dizziness and help you get back to feeling great again. Book your appointment today to get started with care.
The basics
Understanding vertigo & dizziness
Vertigo and dizziness are not a single condition — they are symptoms that can come from several different systems in the body. The most important first step is determining which system is involved, because the treatment differs completely.
The two forms we most commonly evaluate and treat at Thornapple River Chiropractic are BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) and cervicogenic dizziness. BPPV occurs when calcium carbonate crystals called canaliths break loose inside the semicircular canals of the inner ear and send garbled signals to the brain whenever the head moves into certain positions. Cervicogenic dizziness arises from the upper cervical spine — the joints at the top of the neck are densely packed with proprioceptors, sensory nerve endings that help your brain track where your head is in space. When those joints are restricted, injured, or irritated, the signals they send become unreliable, and the brain interprets that as dizziness or unsteadiness. Both forms respond well to conservative, drug-free care. What chiropractic cannot treat — and will actively screen for and refer out — is dizziness rooted in serious cardiovascular, neurological, or inner-ear disease.
New Patient Special
$47
Chiropractic Consult, Full Chiropractic Exam, X-Rays (if necessary), Chiropractic Adjustment, Report of Findings, Care Recommendations
Types of vertigo & dizziness we help
“Dizziness” covers a wide range of sensations, and the right treatment depends on the cause. We regularly help Grand Rapids-area patients with:
- BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) — intense brief spinning triggered by rolling over in bed, looking up, or tilting the head. Caused by displaced ear crystals and treated with canalith-repositioning maneuvers like the Epley. Often resolves in one to three sessions.
- Cervicogenic dizziness — a persistent unsteadiness or foggy-head feeling that comes from restricted or irritated joints in the upper neck. Frequently accompanies neck stiffness, headaches, or a history of whiplash.
- Dizziness after whiplash or neck injury — trauma disrupts normal cervical proprioception, and the brain loses its reliable balance signal from the neck. Restoring upper-cervical joint motion is central to recovery.
- Postural and screen-related dizziness — forward-head posture places chronic load on the upper cervical joints and suboccipital muscles, gradually degrading the balance signals they send. Addressed with corrective exercise and postural rehab.
Conditions outside our scope — Meniere’s disease, vestibular neuritis, cardiac causes, and neurological disorders — receive prompt referral. We screen at every exam and will never overtreat.
Drug-free help for vertigo & dizziness
Antivert and other vestibular suppressants can blunt dizziness symptoms for a few hours, but they do nothing to reposition displaced crystals or restore normal neck-joint motion. Chiropractic care addresses the structural cause — so the goal isn’t just fewer dizzy spells today, but better balance and stability long-term. For most patients that means returning to driving, exercising, and working without the constant fear of an episode. And when a cause is outside our scope, we refer without delay — we’d rather send you somewhere else quickly than treat the wrong thing slowly.
When to see a chiropractor in Grand Rapids
Some dizziness is fleeting and harmless. Other dizziness is a signal worth acting on. Consider calling our Grand Rapids office if you notice:
- Spinning or unsteadiness triggered by rolling over, looking up, or turning your head
- Dizziness that accompanies neck pain, stiffness, or a recent whiplash injury
- Lightheadedness that gets worse with prolonged sitting, screen use, or forward-head posture
- Recurring episodes with no clear medical diagnosis after a prior workup
- Dizziness that is limiting your confidence while driving, working, or exercising
Seek emergency care immediately if dizziness occurs alongside sudden severe headache, one-sided weakness or numbness, slurred speech, double vision, or loss of consciousness — these can be signs of stroke and require 911, not a chiropractic appointment. We take this seriously and will never minimize a red-flag presentation.
If your symptoms fit a cervicogenic or BPPV pattern, an exam at Thornapple River Chiropractic can clarify the picture and get you started on a clear, drug-free path forward. Learn more about how neck pain and upper-cervical dysfunction contribute to dizziness, or review what to expect as a new patient.
Why Grand Rapids-area patients choose Thornapple River Chiropractic
Patients from Grand Rapids, Cascade, Ada, Forest Hills, and Kentwood choose Thornapple River Chiropractic for vertigo care because we do the work of distinguishing why they’re dizzy before we treat anything. Dr. Jonathan Waltman combines vestibular screening, upper cervical examination, and postural assessment into one visit — so nothing gets missed and nothing gets over-treated.
For BPPV, we perform canalith-repositioning maneuvers (including the Epley) in the office and teach patients a home version to reduce future episodes. For cervicogenic dizziness, we use gentle chiropractic adjustments to restore normal joint mobility in the upper neck, paired with corrective exercise to retrain posture and proprioception so the dizziness doesn’t return once care ends.
We know living with vertigo affects every part of your day — driving, working, sleeping, exercising. Our goal is to give you honest answers and real results quickly, and to refer without hesitation when something is outside our scope.
Ready to find out what’s behind your dizziness? Book an appointment online or learn more about what your first visit looks like at our new patient page.
Why choose chiropractic
Chiropractic care vs. medication for vertigo and dizziness
| Comparison factor | Chiropractic Care | Medication |
|---|---|---|
| Addresses the root cause | ✓Corrects joint or crystal displacement | ✕Suppresses symptoms only |
| Drug-free & non-invasive | ✓Always | ✕Rarely |
| Risk of side effects | ✓Minimal | ✕Drowsiness, dependency risk |
| Works for cervicogenic dizziness | ✓Highly effective | ✕Limited benefit |
| Works for BPPV | ✓Repositioning maneuvers work well | ✕Meds do not reposition crystals |
| Long-term recurrence prevention | ✓Exercise and posture correction included | ✕Seldom addressed |
Related conditions
Other conditions we treat in Grand Rapids
Patient reviews
What our Grand Rapids patients say
“Dr. Waltman's adjustments have given me so much relief. I notice a HUGE difference after just one time in to see him. I have a tendency to seize up in my neck and back sporadically and each time I've been his patient I leave feeling better--I'm able to exercise normally and sleep without pain. I'm very grateful!”
“My husband and daughter recently visited Dr. Waltman for back and hip pain, and our experience with Dr. Jonathan Waltman was exceptional. Dr. Waltman was not only knowledgeable and thorough in his explanations but also incredibly gentle and compassionate in his approach. His great sense of humor put us at ease throughout the appointments. The care and attention he provided left a lasting impression on us, to the point where I'm now tempted to schedule an appointment myself, even without immediate issues. If you're looking for a chiropractor who combines expertise with a friendly demeanor, I highly recommend Dr. Jonathan Waltman.”
“Extremely knowledgeable and very caring. Took the time to really make sure you had what you needed. Would wildly recommend and I am excited to continue visiting.”
Can a chiropractor help vertigo?+
Yes, chiropractic care can help relieve vertigo by improving the function of the neck and spine, which play key roles in balance and coordination. Many patients in Grand Rapids searching for "chiropractor for vertigo near me" find relief at Thornapple River Chiropractic through gentle adjustments and vestibular techniques.
What causes vertigo?+
Common causes include inner ear disorders, head or neck injuries, spinal misalignments, and nerve interference. At Thornapple River Chiropractic, we help patients in Grand Rapids find relief by correcting spinal alignment and improving nervous system communication.
What is the Epley maneuver?+
The Epley maneuver is a series of precise head and body positions that guide displaced calcium crystals back to where they belong inside the inner ear. It takes about five minutes in the office and often produces significant relief within one to three sessions for patients with posterior-canal BPPV. Dr. Waltman will also teach you a home version to use if symptoms return.
How long does vertigo last?+
BPPV episodes typically last seconds to a minute but can recur for days or weeks if untreated. Cervicogenic dizziness often persists as low-level unsteadiness until the underlying neck mechanics are addressed. With appropriate care, most patients see meaningful improvement within a few visits, though the timeline depends on how long the problem has been present.
How is cervicogenic dizziness different from BPPV?+
BPPV produces intense, brief spinning triggered by specific head positions (rolling over, looking up) and is caused by loose ear crystals. Cervicogenic dizziness tends to be more of a constant unsteadiness or fogginess, often accompanied by neck pain or stiffness, and is caused by faulty signals from the cervical joints. Both can coexist, and careful examination distinguishes them.
When is vertigo a medical emergency?+
Seek emergency care immediately if dizziness occurs with sudden severe headache, double vision, slurred speech, weakness or numbness on one side, difficulty walking, or loss of consciousness — these are possible stroke warning signs. We screen for red flags at every exam and will refer you without delay if anything points to a serious underlying cause.
Do I need imaging before my first visit?+
Most patients don't. We perform clinical testing in the office to identify the likely cause and screen for red flags. If we find anything that warrants imaging or a specialist referral, we'll tell you and help coordinate next steps. No referral is needed to see us in Michigan.
Can poor posture cause dizziness?+
Yes. Forward-head posture — common with desk work and phone use — places chronic stress on the upper cervical joints and suboccipital muscles. Over time this can disrupt the proprioceptive signals those joints send to your balance center, producing persistent dizziness or lightheadedness. Correcting posture is a core part of how we treat cervicogenic dizziness.
How soon will I feel better?+
Many patients with BPPV feel significant relief after one to three repositioning sessions. Cervicogenic dizziness typically improves over a few weeks of care as joint mobility and posture improve. We set a clear, time-bound plan after your exam so you always know what to expect.
Do you treat patients from Cascade or Ada for vertigo?+
Absolutely. We see patients from across the Grand Rapids area — including Cascade, Ada, Forest Hills, and Kentwood — for vertigo, dizziness, and related neck concerns. Our office is easy to reach from any of these communities, and you can book online in minutes.