New Research Reveals Why Some People Still Feel Dizzy After Vertigo Treatment
- Julian Simpson
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Written by Dr Julian Simpson — Chiropractor with 15+ years of experience, Board Member of the Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation, and author/reviewer of 800+ health articles.
New Research Reveals Why Some People Still Feel Dizzy After Vertigo Treatment
Understanding the Brain's Role in Vertigo Recovery
Most people think of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) as an inner ear problem.
While that's true, new research suggests the story may be more complicated.
A groundbreaking study has found that BPPV doesn't just affect the inner ear—it may also temporarily alter how different regions of the brain communicate with each other. These changes may help explain why many people continue to experience dizziness, imbalance, brain fog, or feelings of disorientation even after successful treatment.
At Health Wise Chiropractic in Sunbury, we regularly see patients who have been told their vertigo has been "fixed" but still don't feel completely back to normal. This new research provides important insights into why that may occur.
What is BPPV?
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo worldwide, accounting for approximately 20–30% of all vertigo cases.
The condition occurs when tiny calcium carbonate crystals (otoconia) become displaced within the inner ear and move into one of the balance canals.
When this happens, normal movement can trigger:
Spinning sensations (vertigo)
Dizziness
Loss of balance
Nausea
Motion sensitivity
Difficulty walking confidently
BPPV most commonly affects middle-aged and older adults and can significantly impact quality of life, independence and confidence.
The Good News: Treatment Works
The primary treatment for BPPV is a repositioning manoeuvre, such as:
These techniques are designed to move displaced crystals back to their correct location within the inner ear.
Research consistently shows that repositioning manoeuvres successfully eliminate abnormal eye movements and vertigo symptoms in approximately 80–90% of patients.
However, there is an important catch.
Why Do Many People Still Feel Dizzy?
Despite successful treatment, studies show that approximately 31–61% of patients continue to experience residual dizziness for days, weeks or even months after their vertigo has resolved.
Many people report:
Feeling "off balance"
Brain fog
Motion sensitivity
Spatial disorientation
Reduced confidence when walking
Anxiety about triggering symptoms again
Researchers have long suspected that the brain may need time to adapt after the inner ear problem has been corrected.
This new study provides some of the strongest evidence yet supporting that theory.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
Researchers compared 29 people diagnosed with BPPV to 29 healthy individuals.
Using advanced functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), they measured how different areas of the brain communicated with one another before and after repositioning treatment.
The results were striking.
Brain Connectivity Was Significantly Reduced
Before treatment, people with BPPV showed significantly lower communication between key brain regions compared to healthy individuals.
The most affected areas included:
Visual processing centres
Somatosensory (body awareness) regions
Prefrontal cortex areas involved in attention and spatial awareness
Researchers described this as a reduction in "functional connectivity" — essentially meaning that important brain networks were not working together as efficiently.
The Brain Begins to Recover After Treatment
Seven days after successful repositioning treatment, researchers observed improvements in several important brain regions.
The biggest improvements occurred in:
Visual Processing Centres
The visual cortex demonstrated significant recovery after treatment.
This is important because the brain relies heavily on visual information to maintain balance and orientation when vestibular function is disrupted.
Somatosensory Regions
Areas responsible for body awareness and proprioception also improved.
These regions help us understand where our body is positioned in space and play a critical role in maintaining balance.
But Recovery Was Not Complete
Even after successful treatment, brain connectivity remained below normal levels.
This suggests that recovery of the brain's balance networks may take considerably longer than recovery of the inner ear itself.
Why Does This Matter?
One of the most important findings was the strong relationship between brain connectivity and symptom severity.
Researchers found that people with lower levels of brain network connectivity reported significantly worse dizziness and disability scores.
In simple terms:
The more disrupted the brain networks were, the worse people felt.
This helps explain why some individuals continue experiencing symptoms despite successful treatment of the underlying vestibular problem.
The Link Between Vision, Balance and Proprioception
Balance depends on three major systems working together:
The Vestibular System
Your inner ear balance organs.
The Visual System
Information coming from your eyes.
The Proprioceptive System
Information from muscles, joints and ligaments that tells the brain where your body is in space.
When vertigo develops, the brain must rapidly adapt to conflicting information coming from these systems.
Researchers believe this adaptation process may temporarily alter communication between brain regions, leading to lingering symptoms even after the inner ear has recovered.
Why Vestibular Rehabilitation May Help
The study highlights the importance of ongoing rehabilitation after vertigo treatment.
Research suggests vestibular rehabilitation exercises may help the brain:
Improve sensory integration
Restore balance control
Reduce dizziness
Improve confidence with movement
Accelerate recovery of normal brain network function
For some patients, vestibular rehabilitation may be just as important as the repositioning manoeuvre itself.
What About the Neck?
Previous research has demonstrated strong connections between the vestibular system, visual system and cervical spine.
The neck contains thousands of proprioceptive receptors that help the brain understand:
Head position
Movement direction
Balance
Spatial orientation
When neck joints or muscles become dysfunctional, altered sensory information may contribute to:
Dizziness
Balance disturbances
Headaches
Motion sensitivity
Feelings of disorientation
This may help explain why some people continue experiencing symptoms despite successful inner ear treatment.
How Chiropractic Care May Help
At Health Wise Chiropractic, we frequently assess patients experiencing:
Vertigo
Dizziness
Neck pain
Headaches
Balance problems
Postural dysfunction
Many patients recovering from vertigo also present with:
Neck stiffness
Reduced cervical mobility
Muscle tension
Postural strain
Ongoing balance concerns
A comprehensive assessment can help identify musculoskeletal factors that may be contributing to symptoms while ensuring appropriate referral for vestibular or medical assessment where required.
Practical Recommendations for People Recovering From Vertigo
If you've recently experienced BPPV, research suggests several strategies may help support recovery:
Continue Moving
Avoiding movement can slow vestibular adaptation and recovery.
Follow Professional Advice
Complete any vestibular rehabilitation exercises prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Address Neck Mobility
Persistent neck stiffness may contribute to ongoing balance disturbances.
Maintain Physical Activity
Regular walking and gentle exercise can help promote vestibular compensation.
Seek Assessment if Symptoms Persist
Ongoing dizziness, headaches, balance problems or neck pain should be professionally evaluated.
Looking for Help With Vertigo or Dizziness in Sunbury?
If you're experiencing vertigo, lingering dizziness, balance problems, headaches or neck stiffness, it is important to understand that recovery may involve more than simply correcting the inner ear problem.
At Health Wise Chiropractic in Sunbury, we provide evidence-informed assessments for dizziness, headaches, neck pain and balance-related concerns.
Our goal is to identify contributing factors, improve function and help guide patients towards the most appropriate management pathway.
How Chiropractic Care May Help
At Health Wise Chiropractic, we take a comprehensive approach to posture-related care.
Treatment may include:
We focus on addressing both the symptoms and the underlying biomechanical stress contributing to neck dysfunction.
About the Author
Dr Julian Simpson is an Australian chiropractor with over 15 years of experience in musculoskeletal healthcare and rehabilitation.
He is a Board Member of the Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation and has reviewed and written more than 800 evidence-based health articles focused on spinal health, rehabilitation, sports injuries and conservative care approaches.
His treatment focus includes:
Chiropractic adjustments
Sports chiropractic
Massage therapy
Shockwave therapy
Laser therapy
Non-surgical spinal decompression
Dr Simpson provides patient care through Healthwise Chiropractic, serving communities including Sunbury, Melton, Diggers Rest and surrounding regions.
Reference Yang TH, Chung SD, Lin HC, Liu TC. Seasonal variation in climate, air pollution, and the incidence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Sci Rep. 2026 May 21. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-52205-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42168266.
Xiao J, Pan Q, Huang R, Jin S. Dynamic changes in brain network functional connectivity following repositioning treatment for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: an fNIRS study. Front Neurol. 2026 Apr 13;17:1820148. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1820148. PMID: 42051761; PMCID: PMC13111341.
Comments