• Defined as a sensation of altered orientation or disequilibrium associated with neck dysfunction.
• More common in females and those with sitting jobs or sustained neck positions.

• Results from a sensory mismatch between neck proprioceptive input and sensory input from the visual and vestibular systems.
• Triggered by quick neck movements, reduced neck ROM, neck pain, and certain neck positions.

• Co-existing neck symptoms with gradual, episodic dizziness lasting minutes to hours.
• Dizziness described as non-rotatory, with sensations of disorientation, lightheadedness, accompanied by neck pain, reduced neck ROM, and balance issues.

• Cervicogenic dizziness is a diagnosis of exclusion, requiring other causes to be ruled out first.
• Inspection may reveal forward head posture, shoulder protraction, and slouched posture.
• Active examination includes measuring neck ROM, assessing joint position sense, and balance tests.
• Passive examination involves palpation for tenderness and mobility assessment of the cervical and upper thoracic spine.

• Strength and Endurance Testing includes cranio-cervical flexion test, deep neck flexor endurance test, and cervical extensor endurance test.

• Dizziness-specific assessment tests like cervical torsion test, smooth pursuit neck torsion test, and others focus on postural balance and eye/head coordination.

• Treatment based on examination findings, including manual therapy for ROM restrictions.
• Strengthening and endurance exercises for the upper cervical spine.
• Sensorimotor training for errors in joint position sense, eye movement control, and postural balance.

De Vestel C, Vereeck L, Van Rompaey V, Reid SA, De Hertogh W. Clinical characteristics and diagnostic aspects of cervicogenic dizziness in patients with chronic dizziness: A cross-sectional study. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2022 Aug;60:102559. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2022.102559. Epub 2022 Mar 26. PMID: 35364427.

Malmström EM, Karlberg M, Melander A, Magnusson M, Moritz U. Cervicogenic dizziness – musculoskeletal findings before and after treatment and long-term outcome. Disabil Rehabil. 2007 Aug 15;29(15):1193-205. doi: 10.1080/09638280600948383. PMID: 17653993.

​​Devaraja K. Approach to cervicogenic dizziness: a comprehensive review of its aetiopathology and management. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2018 Oct;275(10):2421-2433. doi: 10.1007/s00405-018-5088-z. Epub 2018 Aug 9. PMID: 30094486.

Yaseen K, Hendrick P, Ismail A, Felemban M, Alshehri MA. The effectiveness of manual therapy in treating cervicogenic dizziness: a systematic review. J Phys Ther Sci. 2018 Jan;30(1):96-102. doi: 10.1589/jpts.30.96. Epub 2018 Jan 27. PMID: 29410575; PMCID: PMC5788784.

Knapstad MK, Nordahl SHG, Goplen FK. Clinical characteristics in patients with cervicogenic dizziness: A systematic review. Health Sci Rep. 2019 Jul 26;2(9):e134. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.134. PMID: 31624772; PMCID: PMC6784794.

Yacovino DA, Hain TC. Clinical characteristics of cervicogenic-related dizziness and vertigo. Semin Neurol. 2013 Jul;33(3):244-55. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1354592. Epub 2013 Sep 21. PMID: 24057828.

Reid SA, Callister R, Snodgrass SJ, Katekar MG, Rivett DA. Manual therapy for cervicogenic dizziness: Long-term outcomes of a randomised trial. Man Ther. 2015 Feb;20(1):148-56. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2014.08.003. Epub 2014 Aug 27. PMID: 25220110.

Sung YH. Upper cervical spine dysfunction and dizziness. J Exerc Rehabil. 2020 Oct 27;16(5):385-391. doi: 10.12965/jer.2040612.306. PMID: 33178639; PMCID: PMC7609854.

Carrasco-Uribarren A, Rodriguez-Sanz J, López-de-Celis C, Pérez-Guillen S, Tricás-Moreno JM, Cabanillas-Barea S. Short-term effects of the traction-manipulation protocol in dizziness intensity and disability in cervicogenic dizziness: a randomized controlled trial. Disabil Rehabil. 2022 Jul;44(14):3601-3609. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2021.1872719. Epub 2021 Jan 20. PMID: 33470861.

Carrasco-Uribarren A, Rodríguez-Sanz J, López-de-Celis C, Fanlo-Mazas P, Cabanillas-Barea S. An upper cervical spine treatment protocol for cervicogenic dizziness: a randomized controlled trial. Physiother Theory Pract. 2022 Nov;38(13):2640-2649. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2021.1972500. Epub 2021 Sep 8. PMID: 34496721.

Treleaven J, Joloud V, Nevo Y, Radcliffe C, Ryder M. Normative Responses to Clinical Tests for Cervicogenic Dizziness: Clinical Cervical Torsion Test and Head-Neck Differentiation Test. Phys Ther. 2020 Jan 23;100(1):192-200. doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzz143. PMID: 31584656.

L’Heureux-Lebeau B, Godbout A, Berbiche D, Saliba I. Evaluation of paraclinical tests in the diagnosis of cervicogenic dizziness. Otol Neurotol. 2014 Dec;35(10):1858-65. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000000506. PMID: 25058834.

De Vestel C, Vereeck L, Reid SA, Van Rompaey V, Lemmens J, De Hertogh W. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the therapeutic management of patients with cervicogenic dizziness. J Man Manip Ther. 2022 Oct;30(5):273-283. doi: 10.1080/10669817.2022.2033044. Epub 2022 Apr 6. PMID: 35383538; PMCID: PMC9487935.

Chu ECP, Lo FS, Bhaumik A. Plausible impact of forward head posture on upper cervical spine stability. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020 May 31;9(5):2517-2520. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_95_20. PMID: 32754534; PMCID: PMC7380784.

Vural M, Karan A, Albayrak Gezer İ, Çalışkan A, Atar S, Yıldız Aydın F, Coşkun Benlidayı İ, Gökşen A, Koldaş Doğan Ş, Karacan G, Erdem R, Eda Kurt E, Kesiktaş FN, Aydın T, Şahin N, Aydın Z, Ordahan B, Türkoğlu G, Reşorlu H, Döner D, Yılmaz F, Bertan H, Dülgeroğlu D, Karaahmet ÖZ, Sonel Tur B, Moustafa E, Borman P, İskender Ö, Ay S, Kurtaran A, Şirzai H, Evcik D, Çapan N, Erhan B, Alptekin HK, Ural Hİ. Prevalence, etiology, and biopsychosocial risk factors of cervicogenic dizziness in patients with neck pain: A multi-center, cross-sectional study. Turk J Phys Med Rehabil. 2021 Dec 1;67(4):399-408. doi: 10.5606/tftrd.2021.7983. PMID: 35141479; PMCID: PMC8790272.