Transient dizziness or vertigo that occurs with head movements is often attributed to a vestibular problem like
BPPV (displaced inner ear crystal). However, cervical spine problems that have nothing to do with the inner ear can also elicit vertigo attacks with head movements. Additional symptoms that suggest a cervicogenic source of dizziness instead of the inner ear include history of headache, neck pain, and limited cervical range of motion.
There are
three bedside tests which can further suggest the diagnosis of cervicogenic vertigo, especially if the
Dix-Hallpike test for BPPV comes back normal. These tests require the head to be kept still to prevent any activation of the inner ear balance system. As such, any test movements...
