Dizziness and Vertigo

Summary

When you’re dizzy, you may feel lightheaded, woozy, or disoriented. If you feel like you or the room are spinning, you have vertigo. These feelings may make you lose your balance.

Dizziness can have many different causes. A sudden drop in blood pressure or being dehydrated can make you dizzy. Many people feel lightheaded if they get up too quickly from sitting or lying down. Certain medicines and problems with your inner ear may cause dizziness. So can motion sickness. Sometimes dizziness can be a symptom of other disorders.

As people get older, they may have more health problems and take more medicines. This makes them more likely to have problems with dizziness and balance.

Dizziness usually gets better by itself or is easily treated. If you are dizzy often, you should see your health care provider to find the cause.

NIH: National Institutes of Health

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Related Issues

• Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED) Vestibular Disorders Association
• Cholesteatoma American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
• Enlarged Vestibular Aqueduct (EVA) Vestibular Disorders Association
• Otosclerosis National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Older Adults

• Balance & Aging Vestibular Disorders Association

Diagnosis and Tests

• Balance Tests National Library of Medicine
• Videonystagmography (VNG) National Library of Medicine

Specifics

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo American Academy of Family Physicians
• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) Vestibular Disorders Association
• Causes of Dizziness, Vertigo, and Disequilibrium Vestibular Disorders Association
• Cervicogenic Dizziness Vestibular Disorders Association
• Labyrinthitis and Vestibular Neuritis Vestibular Disorders Association
• Mal de Debarquement (Sickness of Disembarkment) Vestibular Disorders Association
• Ototoxicity Vestibular Disorders Association
• Perilymph Fistula Vestibular Disorders Association
• Vestibular Migraine (Migraine Associated Vertigo or MAV) Vestibular Disorders Association

Patient Handouts

• Benign positional vertigo Medical Encyclopedia
• Benign positional vertigo — aftercare Medical Encyclopedia
• Dizziness Medical Encyclopedia
• Dizziness and vertigo — aftercare Medical Encyclopedia
• Electronystagmography Medical Encyclopedia
• Epley maneuver Medical Encyclopedia
• Labyrinthitis Medical Encyclopedia
• Vertigo-associated disorders Medical Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia

• Caloric stimulation Medical Encyclopedia
• Labyrinthitis — aftercare Medical Encyclopedia

Treatments and Therapies

• Canalith Repositioning Procedure Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Home-Based Exercise Vestibular Disorders Association
• Medication (for Vestibular Disorders) Vestibular Disorders Association
• Surgical Procedures for Vestibular Dysfunction Vestibular Disorders Association

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Dizziness National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Vertigo National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Vestibular Diseases National Institutes of Health

Living With

• Dealing With Dizziness: Getting Help for a Balance Disorder National Institutes of Health
• Living with a Vestibular Disorder Vestibular Disorders Association
• Support Group Directory Vestibular Disorders Association

Find an Expert

• Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders) National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
• Find an ENT American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Start Here

• Dizziness Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Children

• Dizziness and Balance Problems in Kids: Spinning Sensations and Unsteadiness National Institutes of Health
• Ototoxicity (Ear Poisoning) (For Parents) Nemours Foundation

Reference Desk

• Human Balance System Vestibular Disorders Association
• NIDCD Glossary National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
• Types of Vestibular Disorders Vestibular Disorders Association

Journal Articles

• Dizziness and Vertigo

Symptoms

• What are the Symptoms of a Vestibular Disorder? Vestibular Disorders Association