Dizziness from cervical traction PT

[Jenny Wren]

Has anyone ever experienced lightheadness/dizziness from cervical traction?  I've been going to PT for about 6 sessions now, and woke up yesterday with a kinda wobbly feeling.  I have posted here before about facial tingling, my PT therapist said that I am experiencing cervical and shoulder spasms brought on probably by an old whiplash injury.  I also experience migraine type headaches on the affected side.  Had brain MRI done in April, only thing found was sinus thickening.  They were looking for lesions from MS or migraines. Can these spasms cause dizziness and facial tingling.  I also would like to add that the facial tingling has really let up alot, but in the past day it has started back about the same time as the dizziness.  Has anyone had any experience like this before?  Please let me know, starting to worry, and thats not helping my symptoms at all, there only getting worse.

[zzzzzzzzzz]

Hi Jenny, Don't panic - talk to your PT - I'm sure Demi is right. Although its a different type of treatment, when I first started seeing the osteopath, I went through a few weeks of hell - all kinds of symptoms much worse - esp. dizziness & headaches  much worse. Osteo told me it would get worse before getting better and for the most part, he was right. There are some things he has'nt been able to fix, but hes made a huge difference to the pain and headache frequency. Good luck.

[Demiguise]

Hello miss sunshine. Jen is w/ a PT & feeling good trying to
get better. The PT hasn't watched her drop to the floor/have her
complain of hearing loss/severe vertigo/vomit/tremor/seizure/
or given her a sudden whiplash. These are some of the effects of
Vertebral-Basilar Artery Insufficiency. Stopping mid-therapy
will stop the intended outcome. Get informed. The PT's a pro
& already knows to watch & listen to the patient. Yes, lesson
tension to the arteries & you get more 'flow' & a good kind of
lighted-headed. What a concept.

[heart2heart]

Jenny, I think you should stop the traction immediately and talk to your doctor. The symptoms you mention could have something to do with your vertebral artery. You may be pulling it or twisting it somehow during traction and causing a brief reduction of blood flow to the brain. Dizziness and facial tingling (especially if it's around the mouth area) are two symptoms of vertebral-basilar insufficiency. These arteries are the size of spegetti and wind through your neck bones and out of your neck bones into the brain. You do not want to end up tearing these arteries. Talk to your doctor tomorrow.

[Jenny Wren]

Hi Demi, yes, still chugging along.  No, didn't sleep through traction, I was awake.  Its amazing the relief that this procedure causes. I still have a 6 more sessions left, PT says sometimes it takes longer, may have to go back for another 12.  I hope this helps, my neck hurts and also shoulder pain on that side.  I'm just tired of worrying about these strange feelings, and they are there all the time, which makes the worrying never stop.  I hope its nothing serious, I guess after 6 years of having these feelings, if it was MS or something more serious I would have more symptoms.  I am grateful for all the input you have given me.  Your pretty knowledgable!!!!! Take care.

[Demiguise]

Hi Jen, glad to read you're still chugging along. I have a spur
in upper C-spine & think traction is best thing since popcorn.
Hard to say what's cause of dizzy at this point. Did you mean
you sleep through traction? Not good idea. The C3 in spine may
be getting a wk-out so be sure to mention the feeling to PT.
This is a slow process & in some, 'neck bent' can cause relapse
& need re-alignment. Light-headed is just flow of spine but let
PT know. May have to lesson tension. I use a home traction I
think is my life saver if I sleep wrong. Called Pronex & find on
a google. You lay flat/fit head in cradle at skull base/pump up
squeeze ball till just 'light tension'. Works like bellow. You
must breathe slowly & stay relaxed or you can over do it. Next
day will tell you! You control the pull. Ask if PT has one to try. Some PT places sell them but not returnable. If Dr gives a
script for files, you can use on taxes. Alittle pricey but I've
had relief for 8 yrs off/on & don't have to leave the bed. Others are 'over the door' types that you wrap under chin & adjust weight for stretch. Works/cheap/set-up is easy. Problem
is that you use too much weight or wobble in chair during the
use & you can mis-align/strain muscles. If I keep disks apart,
I have no compression on my spur. Daily a.m. neck side-to-side
helps. Can't remember, in UK or US? Read abt a new sinus type
procedure & need to hunt dwn print-out. It uses balloon to go up
nasal passage to open sinus & thickening in Sphenoid area (not
maxillary). Done in ofc. & takes few minutes if interested. No
surgery, just corrects narrowed passages. Talk later.

[littlears]

yes your traction can cause this i am having traction in my back and the feelings come back just as strong that the muscles strain around the spine when you have a problem the muscles contract to help support what the spine can't do its called recoil ask your pt about  it mine explained it to me well.  Good luck.