Prevalence and consequences of concurrent dizziness on disability and quality of life in patients with long-lasting neck pain

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of concurrent dizziness in patients seeking treatment for neck pain at a secondary care clinic and examine how dizziness associates with physical function, disability, quality of life, and duration of neck pain. Methods This was a cross-sectional study where patients referred for neck pain (n = 133) were recruited from an outpatient spine clinic and divided into: patients with and without dizziness. All patients were examined with posturography, global body examination-flexibility and cervical range of motion, and completed the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and RAND-12 health survey. Patients with concurrent dizziness completed the Vertigo Symptom Scale short form (VSSsf). Results Forty-three percent of the patients reported dizziness. Concurrent dizziness was associated with increased postural sway with eyes open (p < .001), eyes closed (p = .024), eyes open on foam (p = .010), eyes closed on foam (p = .003), higher disability on the NDI (beta: 2.9, p = .009), RAND-12 physical (beta: -4.3, p = .014) and mental subscales (beta: -4.0, p = .014). A higher score on NDI was associated with higher score on the VSSsf (total score: r = 0.51, p < .001, anxiety: r = 0.52, p < .001, vertigo: r = 0.43, p = .02.) Conclusion Dizziness is common among patients with long-lasting neck pain. It is associated with higher disability due to neck symptoms and general health-related quality of life. The findings highlight the importance of evaluating and addressing dizziness in patients with neck disorders.