Rich first noticed something was wrong when he turned his head while driving and the world started spinning. The vertigo that began in a parking lot soon followed him home, making him feel lightheaded, disrupting his sleep, and keeping him off the golf course he loved.
Rich came to our Maple Grove office in 2021 as a working man and avid golfer who simply could not do the things he enjoyed. At the time, he spent eight to nine hours a day seated in a chair at a computer, and that kind of sustained sitting places real strain through the neck, shoulders, and low back.
Along with the vertigo, Rich was dealing with poor sleep, reduced flexibility, and low back pain that showed up in every golf swing. He wanted to explore more holistic options rather than relying on medication to manage how sick the episodes made him feel.
Key Takeaways
- THE CHALLENGE: Years of long seated workdays coincided with vertigo episodes, disrupted sleep, low back pain, and a loss of the normal curve in Rich's neck.
- THE CARE PLAN: We used specific, gentle chiropractic adjustments guided by neurological assessment, with follow-up X-rays after three months to measure structural change.
- THE RESULT: Rich's cervical curve measured about 10 degrees at his first X-ray and 26 degrees on re-examination, and he reported little to no vertigo, more flexibility, and more energy.
Chiropractic care is an option for people whose symptoms may be connected to how the spine and nervous system are functioning. Rather than changing our approach based on a symptom label, we assess where the nervous system appears to be under the most stress and address that area with a specific adjustment.
Rich's plan followed the same pattern we use across our family chiropractic care practice: assess, adjust, re-measure, then decide together what ongoing care should look like.
Rich's Care Story at a Glance
| Patient: |
Rich, a seated desk worker, avid golfer, and longtime sports fan |
| Location: |
Maple Grove, Minnesota |
| Primary Objective: |
Help Rich get back to working, driving, exercising, and golfing comfortably, starting with an Initial Chiropractic Assessment. |
| Care Approach: |
Gentle, specific spinal adjustments guided by neurological assessment as part of our Chiropractic Services. |
| Key Outcome: |
Cervical curve improved from about 10 degrees to 26 degrees after three months of care, with patient-reported relief from vertigo and back pain |
Assessing Vertigo & Neck Function
Rich's first visit included a consultation about his history, his goals, and the symptoms that were limiting him. His X-rays showed a clear loss of curvature in the neck, measured at roughly 10 degrees, with the upper half of his neck running very straight and curving in the wrong direction. There was also some thinning of a disc in the middle of his neck.
A healthy neck is meant to hold a gentle C-shape, with the apex of that curve coming forward toward the jawline. The spinal cord sits along the back edge of those vertebrae, and when the neck straightens out, that cord sits under more tension. Restoring curvature allows the cord to return to a more relaxed state, which we consider better for normal function and brain-body communication through those neural pathways.
Gentle Adjustments & Progress X-Rays
Care centered on specific adjustments to the spine and nervous system rather than on the symptom itself. We look for what we call a primary subluxation pattern — a chiropractic term for the area of altered spinal and neurological function that appears to be under the most stress during our assessment — and direct the adjustment there.
After about three months of care, we re-X-rayed Rich's neck to see what measurable progress had been made, and the curve had improved from roughly 10 degrees to 26 degrees.
"I virtually have no vertigo and can do whatever I want now with ease. Work, drive, exercise, golf, and watching TV!" - (Rich, Restore Chiropractic)
Movement was the other half of the conversation. The spine has 33 vertebrae, each one a joint with a disc in between, and bodies that sit all day tend to tense through the surrounding muscles and ligaments. We talked with Rich about building more movement into his workday alongside his adjustments, the same discussion we have with many patients who come to us as a neck pain chiropractor and hear similar stories from home-office work.
Be sure to check out some of our other chiropractic success stories from our Maple Grove patients that follow a comparable path of assessment, adjustment, and re-measurement!
Cervical X-rays showing enhanced curve measurement after three months of chiropractic care.
Rich's Results: Less Pain, More Golf, & Ongoing Wellness!
Rich reported far less pain, if any at all, along with more flexibility, little to no vertigo, better sleep, and more energy. He was able to return to driving, exercising, and golfing without the symptoms that had been dictating his days. Every patient responds differently, and there are people who do not experience this kind of change from chiropractic care, so we always re-assess and talk honestly about what we are seeing.
Since 2021, Rich has stayed with us for ongoing wellness care, and he still walks in with a smile and a Minnesota Vikings conversation ready to go. Long relationships like his are what our practice is built around — not a single round of care, but a family chiropractor who knows your history and your goals year after year.
Struggling With Vertigo or Neck Pain? Visit Our Maple Grove Chiropractic Care Office!
At Restore Chiropractic, we care for Maple Grove adults, seniors, children, and expecting mothers every week, and many of them come to us after long hours at a desk have taken a toll on the neck and low back. Our doctors use gentle, specific chiropractic techniques, providing you with a personalized care plan that's specially targeted to allecate your symptoms.
Wondering whether chiropractic care could be one option for you or someone in your family in Maple Grove? Reach out to Restore today! We would be happy to talk it through with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a chiropractor in Maple Grove help with vertigo?
Chiropractic care is one conservative option some people explore, and certain patients, like Rich, have reported fewer vertigo episodes while under care. We do not change our approach based on the symptom; we assess the spine and nervous system and adjust the areas that appear to be under the most stress. Results vary from person to person, and dizziness can have several causes, so we encourage appropriate medical evaluation as well.
How long before neck curve changes show up on X-ray?
In Rich's case, we re-X-rayed after about three months of care and measured his cervical curve at 26 degrees compared with roughly 10 degrees at his first visit. Timelines differ depending on age, history, and how long the pattern has been present. We use follow-up imaging when it is clinically appropriate so progress can be measured rather than assumed.
What can desk workers do between chiropractic visits?
Move more often. Sitting for eight or nine hours leaves the muscles and ligaments around the spine tense, and the joints of the spine are designed to move throughout the day. We talk with patients about breaking up long seated stretches and keeping up with their care plan so progress holds between visits.