Why you've tried everything and still don't feel right
The seven-minute visit, and the one question the system was never built to ask.
upper cervical care · ann arbor, michigan
Vertigo and dizziness, when every test says you're fine
The room spins, or you feel like you're on a boat. It's worse in the supermarket and better lying down. The ear tests and the MRI came back normal.
in their words
What people say about vertigo and dizziness
"All my tests are normal, so why am I still dizzy?"
"I feel like I am on a boat, worse in supermarkets, better when I lie down"
"why do i feel off balance but not dizzy"
Why it is often missed. People describe it in many ways, and when the tests are clean the answer is often "it's anxiety." Balance is one of the things the brainstem helps regulate, and that regulation is rarely measured.
Why the upper neck may be involved. Balance depends on three sources: the inner ear, the eyes, and position sense from the joints and muscles, and the upper neck is one of the busiest sources of that position sense. The brainstem puts those signals together. When the information from the top of the neck doesn't match the rest, some people feel off balance.
what the research looked at
Six published studies on vertigo and dizziness
Published 2000 to 2026. The strongest design among them: case series. Each one is summarized in plain words in our research library: who was studied, what was measured, what was found, and where it falls short.
- 300 people with Ménière's disease, followed for six years
- Sixty people with chronic vertigo, most after a head or neck injury
- A 44-year-old office worker with three years of vertigo and suspected Ménière's disease
- A 68-year-old woman with eight years of Ménière's disease
- A 75-year-old woman with vertigo, ringing in the ears and hearing loss
- A review of what has been written about NUCCA care and dizziness
This is the most-studied topic in the library, and still none of it has a comparison group. The two large series each come from one practitioner's own patients and rely mostly on what patients reported, and the NUCCA review's author says high-quality studies are lacking. That is the honest state of this research. Dizziness has many possible causes, some of them serious, so a sudden change in dizziness belongs with your medical doctor first.
Read the vertigo and dizziness research, with every source →
The vertigo and dizziness studies, by design and year
how we measure
The Lazar Method™ measures first
Everyone else told you what might work. We measure before anything is decided. Thermal scans show how your body is regulating temperature along the spine, level by level, and digital X-ray shows the alignment of the upper neck itself.
Before any correction we measure how your nervous system is regulating your body: heart rate variability, thermal and muscle tone scans, PostureIQ™, and digital X-ray of the upper neck. Dr. Jonathan Lazar, D.C., or someone personally trained by him, will go over your scans and images with you. QSM3, the method used at our office, is a progression of NUCCA, and the correction is gentle and specific: no cracking, no twisting.
If we can help, we'll tell you. If we can't, we'll help you find someone who can.
Please note: Sudden dizziness with slurred speech, weakness, numbness, a severe headache or trouble walking needs emergency care first.
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Keep the doctors who know you in the loop.
Your doctor. QSM3 Level M Certified. One of eight doctors in the world. In practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan, since 2008. About Dr. Lazar
the dr. lazar show
Hear how Dr. Lazar thinks before you call
Heard for 17 years on WMUZ 103.5 FM, The Dr. Lazar Show is now on YouTube and as a podcast. There is no episode on vertigo and dizziness on its own yet. These two are where most people start.
The Lazar Method™: how we actually reset the system
The five steps on air for the first time: measure, identify, clarify, correct, restore, and what gets measured before anything else.
traveling for care
Coming from another state, or hours away?
People drive from across Michigan because nothing closer worked. If you live hours away, or in another state, working out the days, the hotel and the records shouldn't be yours to carry alone. Our office is at 203 S. Zeeb Rd, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Traveling with a child? Families welcome.
- IntensiveIntensive programs
Your assessment, your Report of Findings and a concentrated block of corrections in one stay in Ann Arbor, usually one to two weeks, set at your Report of Findings. We read your records before you travel, so you only make the trip if it makes sense. The prices are itemized on the page.
- StayStaying in Ann Arbor
A negotiated medical rate for patients and their families at the Holiday Inn & Suites Ann Arbor, with breakfast, Wi-Fi and parking included.
- RemoteRemote care
Can't travel to Ann Arbor at all? Dr. Lazar works with a small number of remote patients. The correction itself is hands-on, so when your case needs it, we'll tell you, and help you find a qualified upper cervical provider near you.
questions
Questions people ask about vertigo and dizziness
Still have a question? Call 734.274.5107, or book a 15-minute Clarity Call, a phone call with our team and no commitment. Cost and insurance are answered plainly on the FAQ page.
Keep reading
Can a neck problem cause dizziness?
It can for some people. The upper neck sends the brainstem a steady stream of information about where your head is. When that information doesn't match what your eyes and inner ears report, some people feel off balance or on a boat. Dizziness has many causes, so it is worth measuring rather than guessing.
Why do I feel off balance but not dizzy?
Many people describe it that way: not spinning, just unsteady, like being on a boat or slightly drunk, often worse in busy places such as supermarkets. It is a real symptom, not something you imagined, and it is common when balance signals don't agree. Telling your doctor exactly how it feels helps sort out the cause.
What does research say about upper cervical care for vertigo and Ménière's?
More than for most topics, and still none of it has a comparison group. There are two large case series, one following 300 people with Ménière's disease for six years, three single-person case reports, and a NUCCA review whose author says high-quality studies are lacking. That is why we measure your case before telling you anything.
Can I travel for care if driving makes me dizzy?
Many people can, with planning. Families are welcome, someone can come with you, and our team can help you set up a stay close to the office so you aren't driving every day. An intensive gathers the early visits into one stay, and your records are read before you travel, so you only come if it makes sense.
tried everything
When nothing else has worked, start with clarity.
In about 4 minutes, you'll see whether your symptoms point to nervous system dysfunction, and exactly what to do next. Free. Your answers stay private. No spam, ever.
Prefer to talk first?
or call 734.274.5107 · ready to come in? Book your complimentary consultation
Screening adapted from the autonomic dysfunction screening developed by Bruce Bell, MD.
A member of our team will reach out within one business day.