Overview
Vertigo is the sensation that you are spinning, tilting, or moving even when you are still. It is a symptom that reflects a problem affecting balance, often involving the inner ear, brain, or the signals between them. Episodes may last seconds, minutes, hours, or longer, depending on the cause.
Key Symptoms
People with vertigo often describe spinning, swaying, tilting, or feeling pulled to one side. It can also cause nausea, vomiting, sweating, imbalance, and difficulty walking. Some people notice hearing changes, ringing in the ears, fullness in one ear, or rapid eye movements during an episode.
Causes and Risk Factors
Common causes include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), inner ear inflammation, migraine, Ménière-related inner ear problems, head injury, and less commonly stroke or other neurological conditions. Risk may be higher in older adults and in people with a history of migraines, ear disease, or recent infections. Certain medicines, alcohol, and dehydration can also worsen dizziness or balance symptoms.
Who Is Affected
Vertigo can affect people of any age, but some causes become more common with aging. It may happen after viral illness, head trauma, or in people with hearing and balance disorders. Because vertigo has many possible causes, a careful health assessment is important, especially if symptoms are new or unusual.
Diagnosis and Tests
A healthcare professional will usually ask about what the sensation feels like, how long it lasts, what triggers it, and whether hearing, headache, or neurological symptoms are present. The exam may include checking eye movements, hearing, balance, blood pressure, and how symptoms change with head position. Some people may need hearing tests, balance testing, or brain imaging depending on the history and exam findings.
Treatment Categories
Treatment depends on the cause. Some cases improve with specific head-position maneuvers, vestibular rehabilitation, or treatment of an ear or migraine-related problem. When vertigo is linked to a more serious condition such as stroke or another neurological disorder, urgent hospital-based care may be needed.
Living With It
During an episode, sitting or lying still can reduce the chance of falling. Until the cause is clearer, use caution with driving, climbing, swimming alone, or operating machinery. If episodes are recurring, keeping a record of triggers, duration, hearing symptoms, and headaches can help guide medical care.
When to Seek Medical Care
Seek medical care if vertigo is new, keeps coming back, is getting worse, or affects walking, work, or daily activities. You should also get checked if it comes with hearing loss, ear pain, ringing in one ear, repeated vomiting, recent head injury, or severe dehydration. Ongoing or unexplained vertigo should not be self-diagnosed.
When It May Be an Emergency
Get emergency help right away if vertigo starts suddenly and happens with weakness, numbness, facial droop, trouble speaking, double vision, fainting, new confusion, severe trouble walking, chest pain, or a sudden severe headache. Emergency assessment is also important after significant head injury or if stroke is a possibility.