Also known as spinning sensation, balance problem.
This page is general health information, not a diagnosis. Always consult a licensed clinician about your own health.
Overview
Vertigo is the false sensation that you or the room is spinning, usually arising from the balance organs of the inner ear. The commonest type is triggered by head position changes and is curable with simple repositioning manoeuvres. Dizziness with neurological signs is a different, urgent matter.
Symptoms
Spinning sensation, often triggered by turning the head or lying down
Nausea or vomiting during episodes
Loss of balance or unsteady walking
Episodes lasting seconds to hours depending on cause
Sometimes ringing in the ear or hearing change
Causes & risk factors
Loose crystals in the inner ear (BPPV — positional vertigo)
Inner-ear inflammation after a viral infection
Meniere's disease (with hearing change and tinnitus)
Migraine
Low blood pressure, anaemia or medication effects causing non-spinning dizziness
Treatment & self-care
Positional vertigo is often cured in one or two clinic sessions with a head-repositioning manoeuvre; other causes are managed with short-term medicines, hydration and balance exercises a clinician prescribes. Move carefully during episodes and avoid driving until settled. Recurrent or unexplained vertigo deserves ENT assessment.
See a doctor urgently if
Vertigo with slurred speech, double vision, weakness or severe headache — emergency
Sudden hearing loss with vertigo
Episodes with fainting or falls
Persistent vertigo beyond a few days
Frequently asked questions
What are the first signs of Vertigo & Dizziness?
Early signs often include spinning sensation, often triggered by turning the head or lying down, nausea or vomiting during episodes, loss of balance or unsteady walking. Symptoms vary from person to person, so a proper assessment by a doctor is the only way to be sure.
Can Vertigo & Dizziness be treated?
Positional vertigo is often cured in one or two clinic sessions with a head-repositioning manoeuvre; other causes are managed with short-term medicines, hydration and balance exercises a clinician prescribes. Move carefully during episodes and avoid driving until settled. Recurrent or unexplained vertigo deserves ENT assessment.
When should I see a doctor about Vertigo & Dizziness?
See a doctor promptly if you notice: vertigo with slurred speech, double vision, weakness or severe headache — emergency; sudden hearing loss with vertigo; episodes with fainting or falls; persistent vertigo beyond a few days.