Some vertiginous lesions producing nystagmus (e.g. acute vestibulopathy, benign paroxysmal postural vertigo and Ménière's disease) are well-defined diseases of purely labyrinthine origin. The possible place of a functional disorder of the vertebral joints on their etiology and pathogenesis, has been discussed, but is purely hypothetical. Since the lesion almost always reaches with reduced function of the vestibular apparatus, the course of the disease depends crucially on central compensation of the peripheral disorder of vestibular function. Investigations of the effect of a functional disorder of the vertebral joints on the central compensation of vestibular functional disorders have not been described previously. Our own observations show that a functional disorder of the vertebral joints can crucially impair central compensation of peripheral vestibular vertigo. The pathological mechanism of the impaired compensation is discussed, and diagnostic and therapeutic consequences explained.