Atlanto-Occipital Joint Blockage not Mentioned

Dizziness and Unstable Gait in Old Age—Etiology, Diagnosis and Treatment by Prof. Dr. med. Klaus Jahn, Prof. Dr. med. Reto W. Kressig, Dr. med. Stephanie A. Bridenbaugh, Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Brandt, Dr. med. Roman Schniepp in issue 23/2015

As so often when the subject of dizziness is concerned, this article too is lacking an important etiology of dizziness (1). A blockage of the atlanto-occipital joint causes unfocused dizziness, which in older people may well be accompanied by unstable gait, and, additionally, often headache and sensations of eye flashes on the affected side. This cause is not visible through radiography but is easily clinically palpable as a paramedian mostly painful induration on the occiput, which is different on both sides and is caused by the reflectory increase in the tone of the muscles stabilizing the atlanto-occipital joint.

Using purely a movement technique of gentle chiropractic without applying strength or impulse can resolve any blockage of the atlanto-occipital joint at any age and in the presence of any comorbidity. In my practice, I treat patients on a daily basis who have experienced symptoms of dizziness for months or years, which apparative diagnostic evaluation was not able to confirm. Clinically, the cause is often a blockage of the atlanto-occipital joint. After successful treatment in one to three sessions, patients of all ages usually describe the improvement to their quality of life as tremendous.

I am happy to explain in detail and demonstrate the technique to interested colleagues.

DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2016.0058a

Dr. med. Nicole Gorris-Vollmer

Allgemeinmedizin-Chirotherapie

Oldenburg

Conflict of interest statement

The author declares that no conflict of interest exists.

References

1. Jahn K, Kressig RW, Bridenbaugh SA, Brandt T, Schniepp R: Dizziness and unstable gait in old age—etiology, diagnosis and treatment. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2015; 112: 387–93.