Somatosensory Cervical Vertigo and Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency – a Differential Diagnostic and Therapeutic Problem

Overview

Imparied balance is one of the most frequent complaints in particular of elderly patients. Vertebrobasilarinsufficiency (VBI) is probably wrongly one of the most frequent diagnoses in patients withvertigo. In a group of 24 patients with the diagnosis of VBI ultrasound examination of the carotid andvertebral arteries was made incl. assessment in De Kleyn´s position, otoneurological examination.X-ray of the cervical spine. CT/MRI of the brain, head uptilt test and examination of the functionalpathology of the cervical spine focused on the craniocervical transition. Subsequently the patientswere enlisted in a 30-day ambulatory rehabilitation plan involving treatment of the revealed functionaldiserders. The effect of treatment was evaluated by means of a questionnaire and check-upexamination using T-test and comparison of paired observations. Results: Disorders of equilibriumimproved on average by 59 – 38 %, as to associated symptoms pain of head and neck improvedsignificantly similarly as nausea and resticted mobility of the cervical spine. Conlusion: Treatment offunctional disorders of the cervical spine is one of the effective therapeutic possibilities in chronicimpairment of the balance.

Key words:
impaired balance, cervical spine dysfunction, vertebrobasilar insufficiency