Dizziness & Vertigo

Dizziness is a broad term for feeling unsteady, lightheaded, faint, or off-balance. Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness in which you feel that you, or the world around you, is moving or spinning even when still. Both relate to how the body, inner ears, eyes, and brain work together to keep balance.

Dizziness is very common and is one of the more frequent reasons people seek medical advice. Brief lightheadedness after standing up quickly, being too hot, hungry, dehydrated, or anxious is usually normal and harmless. These sensations typically settle within moments. Dizziness that is severe, recurrent, or long-lasting, though, should be looked into.

Everyday dizziness often comes from standing up too fast, dehydration, low blood sugar, heat, anxiety, or tiredness. Inner-ear conditions are a leading cause of vertigo, including benign positional vertigo, infections, and other balance disorders. Some medicines, ear problems, and migraines can also bring on dizziness. Most causes are not dangerous.

The inner ear contains a delicate system that senses head movement and helps maintain balance. When this system is disturbed by tiny displaced crystals, infection, fluid changes, or inflammation, the brain receives confusing signals and you feel a spinning sensation. This is why many cases of true vertigo trace back to inner-ear conditions rather than the brain.

A doctor usually identifies the cause by asking what the dizziness feels like, how long it lasts, what triggers it, and whether other symptoms occur, then examining your balance, eyes, ears, and blood pressure. Simple positional tests can reveal inner-ear causes. Further tests or scans are used only when something less common is suspected.

Treatment depends on the cause. Mild dizziness often improves with rest, fluids, rising slowly, and avoiding sudden movements. Some inner-ear forms of vertigo respond well to specific guided head-movement exercises taught by a clinician. Infections or other conditions may need targeted treatment. Persistent or recurrent dizziness should be assessed so the right approach can be chosen.

Seek emergency help if dizziness comes with chest pain, an irregular or pounding heartbeat, severe headache, fainting, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, facial drooping, trouble walking, double vision, or follows a head injury. These could signal a serious problem affecting the heart or brain, so contact your local emergency services without delay.

Make an appointment if dizziness keeps returning, lasts a long time, affects your daily life, or has no obvious cause. Also see a doctor if it comes with hearing changes, ringing in the ears, frequent falls, or starts after beginning a new medicine. A clinician can find the cause and recommend suitable care.