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Tense muscles, particularly in the neck, can cause dizziness. This is often due to several factors, including stress, improper posture, and neck pain. In some cases, dizziness may be caused by cervicogenic disorders, which affect the alignment of spinal bones and the tension in the neck and upper body muscles. Additionally, conditions such as cervicogenic dizziness and cervicogenic headaches are rare but can be a common diagnosis for those seeking medical relief from dizziness.
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Stress and anxiety
Dizziness is a common issue, and there are many reasons why someone may feel dizzy. While anxiety and stress are not direct causes of dizziness, they can contribute to it.
When someone is feeling anxious, their body's level of cortisol and other stress hormones are elevated, which can negatively impact the vestibular system—the part of the inner ear that controls balance. This disruption can cause vertigo, a type of dizziness that gives the sensation that you or the world around you is spinning. Vertigo is not a medical condition but a symptom of other conditions, which can range from viral infections to the formation of calcium carbonate crystals in the inner ear.
A 2016 study found that people with anxiety disorders were 2.17 times more likely to develop benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the most common type of vertigo. Some people may experience sudden vertigo when faced with the trigger of their anxiety. For example, someone with social anxiety may experience dizziness when forced to be in a crowded room.
In addition to anxiety, stress can also cause dizziness. Inner ear disorders, neurological conditions, medications, and even stress may make you feel dizzy. Persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD), for example, is triggered by things or activities going on around you, such as being in crowds.
While dizziness is common, it is important to talk to a healthcare provider if you are experiencing frequent or serious dizzy spells, as it may be a symptom of an underlying medical issue.
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Poor posture
Tense muscles in the neck and shoulders can cause dizziness, but this is often a symptom of a wider condition, such as cervicogenic dizziness or cervicogenic headache. These conditions are rare, but they can be a common diagnosis for those seeking medical relief from dizziness or headaches. Cervicogenic dizziness is caused by abnormal sensory input, which can be triggered by abnormal head posture.
To prevent dizziness caused by poor posture, you can try exercises that strengthen your core and back muscles, while simultaneously stretching your back and relieving pressure. Physical therapy can also help, with manipulations of the neck and spinal joints performed by a physical therapist or chiropractor. To improve your posture when sitting, try to keep your head, shoulders, and spine aligned, and ensure your feet are flat on the ground, facing forward, with thighs parallel to the floor.
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Jaw problems
Tense muscles in the jaw can be a symptom of Temporomandibular joint disorder, abbreviated as TMJ. TMJ is a medical condition that impacts the jaw joint and the muscles essential for chewing and facial movements. While it is widely recognised for causing jaw pain and discomfort, TMJ can also be associated with dizziness.
TMJ arthralgia is a condition within TMD that refers to pain and inflammation inside the joints. Disorders of the joints, including disc disorders, and disorders of the muscles used for chewing (masticatory muscles) are also common. TMDs can be temporary or become long-term or chronic, and trauma, arthritis, genetics, and other factors can cause them.
Dizziness can be a symptom of TMD. The jaw joint is in close proximity to the inner ear, which plays a significant role in balance and spatial orientation. When there are issues with the jaw joint, it can impact nearby nerve pathways that influence balance. TMJ disorder often leads to muscle tension and spasms in the face, neck, and shoulders, and these tense muscles can refer pain and discomfort to various areas, including the head and neck, potentially contributing to dizziness. Poor posture, sleeping in an awkward position, or overuse (like prolonged phone use or turning the head repeatedly) can cause muscle tension or spasms, further leading to localized pain.
Additionally, the TMJ region's inflammation could affect the vestibular nuclei and interrupt the signals, putting patients with TMD off-balance. The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and nervous system that help control balance and eye movements. The inner ear contains sensors that monitor your physical position in space and your body's response to gravity. These sensors transmit signals to the brain's centres, which then notify the eye muscles, arms, and legs to make adjustments to remain upright and balanced. When these signals are hindered or transmitted inaccurately, the body's adjustments are inadequate, resulting in difficulty balancing.
If you are experiencing dizziness due to jaw problems, there are several treatment options available. These include:
- Physical therapy: Exercises and techniques can help relax jaw muscles and improve posture, reducing dizziness.
- Orthodontic treatment: In some cases, orthodontic interventions can help realign the jaw, alleviating TMJ symptoms and associated dizziness.
- Medications: Pain relievers, muscle relaxants, or anti-inflammatories may be prescribed to manage TMJ symptoms.
- Lifestyle modifications: Avoiding hard or chewy foods, practising stress management techniques, maintaining good posture, and eating softer foods can reduce strain on the jaw and help prevent flare-ups.
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Vestibular damage
The vestibular nerve is responsible for transmitting balance and spatial orientation information to the brain. When this nerve is damaged, it can lead to vestibular dysfunction, which disrupts your sense of balance and can cause dizziness and vertigo. Vestibular dysfunction can be caused by various factors, including neurological conditions such as stroke, demyelinating diseases, and head injuries.
To diagnose vestibular dysfunction, healthcare providers may perform a head impulse test (HIT) to differentiate it from non-vestibular dizziness. The HIT involves keeping the patient's eyes focused forward on a target and then turning their head sharply to the side. If the vestibular function is normal, the eyes will remain focused on the target despite the head movement. However, if the eyes are dragged off the target and then make corrective saccades, it indicates a likely peripheral vestibulopathy.
Treatment for vestibular neuritis aims to manage symptoms and includes medications, vestibular neuritis exercises (physical therapy), and, in severe cases, surgery. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy helps retrain the brain to adapt to changes caused by vestibular damage. This therapy involves tailored exercise sessions designed to improve balance and reduce dizziness.
While tense muscles in the neck and shoulders can be associated with dizziness, it is often a symptom of a wider condition, such as cervicogenic dizziness, which affects only up to 2.5% of the population. These conditions can be treated with physical therapy, manipulations of the neck and spinal joints, and exercises to strengthen the core and back muscles while improving posture.
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Cervical spondylosis
Tense muscles in the neck and shoulders can cause dizziness, but this is not usually caused by muscle tension alone. Cervical spondylosis, or advanced neck osteoarthritis, is a common disorder that can cause dizziness, and it involves wear and tear of the vertebrae and neck discs, which put pressure on the spine. This can block blood flow to the brain and disrupt nerve signals, causing dizziness and balance issues.
Cervicogenic dizziness or cervicogenic vertigo is often triggered by dysfunction in the cervical spine, where blood flow to the brain and nerve signals related to balance are disrupted. This can be caused by poor posture, neck injuries, or underlying issues like cervical spondylosis. The origin of cervical vertigo is not entirely clear, but research suggests that blockage or tearing of arteries in the neck is the cause of dizziness.
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Frequently asked questions
Tense muscles, especially in the neck, can cause dizziness. This is often due to cervicogenic general dizziness, which is caused by hyperflexion of the neck, scapular muscles, or temporalis muscle.
Symptoms of cervicogenic general dizziness include lightheadedness, rotatory vertigo, stiff shoulders, and a heavy head sensation.
Cervicogenic general dizziness can be caused by cervical spinal canal stenosis, degenerative cervical spondylosis, herniated cervical spinal discs, or other spinal conditions. It can also be caused by whiplash accidents or cervical spondylosis, which can narrow the vertebral artery and reduce circulation to the cerebellum and brainstem.
Treatment for dizziness caused by tense muscles may include physical therapy, soft tissue work, stress management techniques, or addressing underlying conditions such as anxiety or jaw problems.
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