Condition
Dizziness & vertigo
Dizziness is a feeling of being lightheaded, unsteady, or faint. Vertigo is a spinning sensation, as if you or the room were moving. Both have many causes, from the inner ear to blood pressure to the brain. A neurologist works out the cause from the history and examination.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Priya Raman, MBBS, MD, DM (Neurology) —
About dizziness and vertigo
Dizziness is one of the most common reasons people see a doctor, and the word covers several different feelings: spinning, lightheadedness, faintness, and unsteadiness on the feet. Sorting out which one you have is the first step, because each points to different causes.
Most vertigo comes from the balance organs of the inner ear. A common example is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which causes brief spinning episodes triggered by changes in head position, such as turning over in bed. Less often, dizziness comes from the brain, the heart, blood pressure, or medicines.
Symptoms
Depending on the cause, people describe:
- Short spells of spinning when turning in bed, lying down, or looking up
- Lightheadedness on standing up
- Unsteadiness or a pulling to one side while walking
- Nausea or vomiting with the spinning
- Ringing, fullness, or hearing change in one ear alongside vertigo
When to get help now
Get emergency help if dizziness starts suddenly and comes with double vision, slurred speech, weakness or numbness, severe imbalance, difficulty swallowing, or a sudden severe headache. These can be signs of a stroke.
This website is for information and appointments. It is not monitored for emergencies. For a suspected stroke or seizure, call 108 for an ambulance or go to the nearest emergency department.
How it is diagnosed
The history carries most of the diagnosis: what the dizziness feels like, how long each spell lasts, and what sets it off. The examination includes eye movements, balance, walking, positional tests that can reproduce brief vertigo, and blood pressure lying and standing. Hearing tests or a scan are arranged when the findings point to them.
How it is managed
Care depends on the cause. Positional vertigo is often treated at the clinic with repositioning manoeuvres, a series of guided head movements. Other causes may need balance exercises, a review of medicines, or treatment of an underlying condition. This page is educational and is not a treatment plan; the neurologist decides what applies to you at consultation.
Sources
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders — Balance disorders
Medically reviewed by Dr. Priya Raman, MBBS, MD, DM (Neurology) —
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions patients ask most.
Is vertigo always a sign of a brain problem?
No. Most vertigo comes from the inner ear, not the brain. The neurologist uses the history and examination to tell inner-ear causes from the less common brain causes.
Why does the room spin when I turn over in bed?
Brief spinning set off by head position is typical of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). It is assessed with a positional test at the clinic, and is often treated with repositioning manoeuvres.
Appointments
Plan your visit.
Share your contact details and the clinic will call you to arrange a visit.