What Is Vertigo?
Updated on March 30, 2026
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If you have vertigo, you may feel like you’re moving or spinning when you’re not. Or you may feel like your surroundings are in motion when they aren’t.
Many people describe vertigo as feeling dizzy, but it’s different from being lightheaded. Simple movements are unusually intense for people with vertigo, and the condition can impact your everyday life. About 40 percent of people have vertigo at least once.
Vertigo itself may be a symptom of another problem, such as an issue with your inner ear or the brain systems that control balance. Your symptoms will probably depend on what’s causing your episodes and the type of vertigo you have.
Types of Vertigo
The two main types of vertigo are:
- Peripheral Vertigo This is caused by a problem in your inner ear or vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear and the brain. It is the most common type of vertigo.
- Central Vertigo Less common, this occurs when an infection, injury, or stroke affects your brain, resulting in severe symptoms like trouble walking or instability.
Researchers have looked at a potential third type of vertigo called “recurrent spontaneous vertigo with head-shaking nystagmus,” which occurs after head movement and involves more serious bouts of motion sickness.
Signs and Symptoms of Vertigo
Symptoms of vertigo vary from person to person. Your symptoms might be mild or severe, depending on what’s causing the issue.
Some common signs and symptoms of peripheral vertigo include:
- Dizziness
- Feeling like you’re moving or spinning
- Vision problems
- Hearing loss in one or both ears
- Balance problems
- Ringing in the ears, or tinnitus
- Sweating
- Nausea and vomiting
- Motion sickness
Central vertigo signs and symptoms include:
- Double vision
- Difficulty swallowing
- Facial paralysis
- Eye movement difficulties
- Slurred speech
- Weak limbs
Sometimes these unpleasant sensations are worse if you’re standing up, walking, or moving your head around. Symptoms can last a few minutes, or they can persist for hours. In some people, vertigo persists for weeks or months.
Causes and Risk Factors of Vertigo
Causes may vary from person to person. Peripheral vertigo causes include:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which occurs when small crystals break loose in your inner ear
- Ménière’s disease, or fluid buildup in your ear
- Neuronitis, or inflammation of your vestibular nerve
- Labyrinthitis, or inner-ear swelling
- Medications, including diuretics (water pills) and aminoglycoside antibiotics
- Head injury
Causes of central vertigo may include:
- Medications
- Alcohol
- Vestibular migraine
- Vascular disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Stroke
- Tumor
Your risk of having a vertigo episode also may increase if you:
- Are a woman
- Are age 50 or older
- Have a family history of vertigo
- Have had a head injury
- Have had osteoporosis
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How Is Vertigo Diagnosed?
Diagnosing vertigo can be tricky because people with dizziness often have trouble describing their specific symptoms. Each person may require different testing, depending on the suspected cause.
Your doctor may start by asking questions and performing a physical exam. Tests may be necessary to determine if the issue stems from your inner ear or central nervous system. Imaging tests, such as a computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can let doctors see what’s going on inside your body. In some cases, hearing tests, vision tests, blood work, and even allergy tests are also used.
Your general practitioner may refer you to a specialist, such as an otolaryngologist or a neurologist — specialists who focus on inner-ear or balance problems — to help diagnose or treat your condition.
When Should You Call Your Doctor About Vertigo?
You should see a doctor if you have vertigo symptoms that are frequent or severe.
It’s also a good idea to see your healthcare provider if you have any type of dizziness that interferes with your daily activities.
When Should You Seek Emergency Care?
Symptoms of vertigo are rarely the result of a serious, life-threatening condition. But you should visit your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical care if you have dizziness and other symptoms, including:
- Chest pain
- A new, different, or severe headache
- Hearing loss
- Double vision or loss of vision
- Fever
- Limb weakness
- Difficulty walking
In these situations, rather than driving yourself, it’s often best to call 911 or have someone take you to the hospital.
Treatment and Medication Options for Vertigo
Several treatment options are available to help symptoms of vertigo.
The “canalith repositioning procedure,” also known as the Epley maneuver, is a popular therapy that involves exercises to reposition canaliths (calcium crystals) in your inner ear. It has a success rate of about 80 percent in helping people with BPPV.
At times, other types of physical therapy can relieve vertigo that is the result of inner-ear problems.
Medication Options
Your doctor may prescribe or recommend medication to help resolve short-term vertigo symptoms. These may include:
- dimenhydrinate (Dramamine)
- meclizine (Antivert)
- cyclizine
Surgery
Although rare, surgery may be an option if the Epley maneuver does not address inner-ear issues in the long term.
Complementary and Integrative Therapies
Your doctor may provide you with instructions for doing modified repositioning exercises, such as the Epley maneuver, at home.
Other tips for stopping vertigo symptoms when they arise include:
- Sitting down if you feel dizzy
- Lying in a quiet, dark room if you feel like your head is spinning
- Moving slowly when you stand or turn your head
- Keeping your head elevated while sleeping
- Squatting to pick something up, rather than bending at the waist
Lifestyle Changes and Prevention of Vertigo
Most of the time, vertigo can’t be prevented. But knowing and avoiding certain risk factors may help keep it from occurring. For instance, you can protect yourself from a head injury by wearing a helmet when bicycling or playing sports or using a cane or similar supporting device if you often feel like you may fall.
Also ask your doctor about changes to your diet, exercise routine, and medication if you think additional factors could be behind your vertigo symptoms.
How Long Does Vertigo Last?
In many cases, symptoms of vertigo will resolve on their own within a few days. But for other people, it’s chronic.
Talk to your doctor if you have repeated bouts of vertigo because it may be a symptom of another health condition.
Complications of Vertigo
Vertigo can take a toll on your daily life. If your episodes are frequent or severe, you may not be able to work, drive, or perform other tasks.
Vertigo can also lead to falls, which may cause injuries. Falling is particularly a concern for older people, who are more prone to bone fractures and other complications. Falling is the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in Americans ages 65 and older.
FAQ
What is vertigo?
Vertigo is a feeling of dizziness or being off-balance, as if you’re moving when you aren’t or the room is spinning. It comes from a problem in your inner ear or your brain.
How do you get vertigo?
Vertigo symptoms can be the result of a number of medical conditions, from loose crystals in your inner ear to issues with your central nervous system.
Is vertigo dangerous?
Vertigo itself doesn’t hurt you. But it can cause you to fall and make it hard to do things like drive or work. It’s sometimes also a sign of a serious health problem.
How do you permanently cure vertigo?
If you have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), special head-positioning exercises and medication can end an episode, but they won’t prevent another one. Vertigo symptoms can resolve on their own or be chronic.
Should I see a doctor about vertigo?
If you have vertigo often, or it interferes with your daily life, talk to your doctor. Get help right away if you also have a severe headache, chest pain, hearing or vision problems, or numbness or weakness in your arms and legs.
The Takeaway
- Vertigo occurs when you feel a sensation of motion or spinning. It’s not a disease but a symptom, usually linked to problems with your inner ear or brain systems that control balance.
- Causes of vertigo symptoms vary from person to person, but they can include medications, fluid buildup or swelling in your ear, a head injury, and more.
- Vertigo symptoms may resolve on their own. Your doctor may recommend techniques to help you relieve your symptoms.
- Call your doctor if your vertigo symptoms are frequent or severe, and call 911 if they accompany symptoms like chest pain, a severe headache, or vision, hearing, and mobility problems.
Resources We Trust
- Cleveland Clinic: Vertigo
- Mayo Clinic: Canalith Repositioning Procedure
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Home Epley Maneuver
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Ménière’s Disease
- Vestibular Disorders Association: Causes of Dizziness
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
- Vertigo. UCSF Health.
- Vertigo. Cleveland Clinic. May 9, 2023.
- Lee SU et al. Recurrent Spontaneous Vertigo With Interictal Headshaking Nystagmus. Neurology. June 12, 2018.
- Vertigo-Associated Disorders. MedlinePlus. December 31, 2023.
- Vertigo. Harvard Health Publishing. February 9, 2024.
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic. December 31, 2025.
- Benign Positional Vertigo. MedlinePlus. July 17, 2025.
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): Diagnosis and Treatment. Mayo Clinic. December 31, 2025.
- Canalith Repositioning Procedure (for BPPV). Vestibular Disorders Association.
- Home Epley Maneuver. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
- Get the Facts on Falls Prevention. National Council on Aging. May 30, 2025.
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Peter Nguyen, PT, DPT
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Peter Nguyen, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist and health consultant with MovementX, based in Orange County, California.
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