Conditions We Treat
Dizziness / Vertigo
Overview
Dizziness is a feeling of being faint, woozy, weak, or unsteady. On its own it is rarely a sign of something life-threatening, but it can be unsettling and can affect your balance and daily life.
Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness that creates the false sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving. Most vertigo comes from the inner ear, which controls balance, though infections, head injury, and circulation problems can also play a role.
How your dizziness feels, what triggers it, how long it lasts, and any symptoms that come with it all give our providers clues to the cause, and to the right treatment.
Symptoms
How dizziness feels
Dizziness and vertigo can feel different from person to person. Common sensations include:
- A false sense that you or the room is spinning (vertigo)
- Lightheadedness or feeling faint
- Wooziness or unsteadiness
- Loss of balance
These feelings are often triggered or made worse by standing up, walking, or moving your head.
Common causes
What can cause vertigo
Most vertigo comes from a problem in the inner ear, which controls balance. Common causes include:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
- Inner-ear infections, often after a cold virus
- Meniere's disease
- Head injury
Less often, dizziness can come from circulation problems or, rarely, a stroke, usually alongside other neurological symptoms.
Diagnosis
How vertigo is evaluated
Finding the cause guides treatment. Evaluation may include:
- A history of your symptoms and a neurological exam
- Simple in-office balance and eye-movement tests
- Positional testing, such as the Dix-Hallpike maneuver, for BPPV
- Imaging when a central cause is suspected
Treatment
How vertigo is treated
Most vertigo responds well to treatment once the cause is known. Options include:
- Repositioning maneuvers that resolve BPPV
- Vestibular physical therapy to retrain balance
- Medication to ease symptoms or treat an underlying cause
- Time, since some inner-ear causes improve on their own
Our Approach
How we help
Because dizziness has so many possible causes, the key is finding the right one. Our providers ask about your symptoms and health history and may use simple in-office balance and eye-movement tests to pinpoint the source. Most causes of vertigo respond well to treatment, whether that is a repositioning maneuver, physical therapy, medication, or time.
Good to Know
Dizziness / Vertigo: Frequently Asked Questions
What is vertigo?
Vertigo is a type of dizziness that creates the false sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving. It is usually caused by a problem in the inner ear, which controls your balance.
What causes vertigo and dizziness?
The most common causes involve the inner ear, including benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), inner-ear infections after a cold, and Meniere's disease. Head injury, certain medications, and circulation problems can also cause it.
Is dizziness the same as vertigo?
Not exactly. Dizziness is a broad term that includes lightheadedness and feeling faint, which often come from circulation issues. Vertigo specifically means a spinning sensation, and it usually comes from the inner ear.
Can vertigo be treated?
Yes. Most causes of vertigo respond well to treatment, which may include a repositioning maneuver, physical therapy, medication, or simply time. The right treatment depends on the underlying cause, which is why an accurate diagnosis matters.
When is dizziness a medical emergency?
Seek emergency care if dizziness or vertigo comes with chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, double vision, slurred speech, a severe headache, numbness or weakness, or trouble walking. These can be signs of a stroke.
Does vertigo become more common with age?
Yes. Vertigo can occur at any age but becomes more common as we get older. It matters more later in life because a loss of balance raises the risk of falls and fractures.
We're here to help