04/06/2026
Well, there are three parts to the vestibular system, which includes vision, inner ear and proprioception. Proprioception means there are receptors in your tissues that tell you where your body part is moving in space. When this information is erroneous, it sends mis-information to the brain causing dizziness. When it comes to the SCM (sternocleidomastoid) muscle, there are three major implications:
1.) The SCM is very rich in mechanical receptor activity because of the muscle controls head movement in so many directions, including extension, rotation, flexion and sidebend… so when there is dysfunction in the muscle, the vestibular system gets confused as to where the head is in space.
2.) When the SCM is in spasm (or tight), it can cause compression in the upper cervical region, which also impacts mechanical receptors there as well as can compress structures which directly leads to dizziness.
3.) Pain referral patterns from the SCM muscle itself exist on the side of the head so when there is spasm, dysfunction overlengthening, overstretching, overworking, overcompensating… You get the point, it causes this discomfort.
The solution is twofold:
Solution 1.) We need to normalize the health of that muscle, the SCM, by stretching, releasing and activating it properly.
Solution 2.) We have to figure out why it got tight in the first place? Is it overcompensating for something else? Is there a TMJ disorder at play? Is there a neck, shoulder, posture or lifestyle issue that’s causing this?
So if after trying Solution #1 to get immediate relief, if you’re having difficulty figuring out the root cause of it (AKA Solution #2), you can….
