What Is Vertigo?

Written by Stephanie Watson, Geri K. Metzger
Medically Reviewed by Shruthi N, MD on January 14, 2025
8 min read

Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off balance. If you have these dizzy spells, you might feel like you are spinning or that the world around you is spinning.

Vertigo isn't the same as dizziness. Feeling dizzy means that you're lightheaded, weak, or unsteady on your feet. Vertigo is a sensation of spinning and feeling off balance and dizzy. 

The causes also differ. Dizziness can result from a drop in blood pressure, medications you take, a vision problem, or a mental health condition. Vertigo occurs with conditions such as migraine, head injury, Meniere's disease, and the movement of crystals in your inner ear that keep you balanced.

Vertigo has two main types: peripheral and central. The difference between the two types is what causes them.

Peripheral vertigo

This is the most common type of vertigo. It happens because of a problem with your inner ear or the vestibular nerve in your brain. These structures help you stay balanced. One cause of peripheral vertigo is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) — an inner ear disorder. BPPV causes vertigo when you move your head a certain way, such as tipping it backward.

Central vertigo

This less common type of vertigo stems from a problem in the brain, such as a stroke or infection. It causes more severe symptoms, such as difficulty walking.

Vertigo often happens because of an inner ear problem. Some of the most common causes include:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). This inner ear disorder happens when tiny calcium particles (canaliths) get dislodged from their normal location and collect in the inner ear. The inner ear sends signals to the brain about your head and body movements to help you keep your balance.

BPPV can occur for no known reason and may worsen as you get older.

Meniere's disease. This inner ear disorder may be caused by a buildup of fluid and changing pressure in the ear. It can cause episodes of vertigo along with ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and hearing loss.

Vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis. This inner ear problem is usually related to a viral infection such as chickenpox, measles, or hepatitis. The infection inflames nerves that help your brain keep you balanced.

Can stress cause vertigo?

Dizziness and a spinning sensation can be symptoms of stress and anxiety. The same areas of the brain may be involved in producing feelings of anxiety and dizziness. Stress is also a risk factor for labyrinthitis, a cause of vertigo.

Vertigo can also happen because of:

  • A head or neck injury
  • Brain problems, such as a stroke or tumor
  • Certain medications that cause ear damage, including some antibiotics, heart drugs, and anti-inflammatory medicines
  • Migraine headaches
  • Ear infection
  • Acoustic neuroma, a noncancerous tumor in the ear
  • Stroke
  • Dehydration
  • Irregular heart rhythms
  • Ear surgery
  • Low blood pressure
  • Diseases such as multiple sclerosis or diabetes
  • Otosclerosis, abnormal bone growth in the middle ear

Vertigo is often triggered by a change in the position of your head.

People with vertigo typically describe it as feeling like they are:

  • Spinning
  • Tilting
  • Swaying
  • Unbalanced
  • Being pulled in one direction

Other symptoms that may accompany vertigo include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Abnormal or jerking eye movements (nystagmus)
  • Headache
  • Sweating
  • Ringing in the ears or hearing loss
  • A feeling of fullness in the ear
  • Double vision
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Slurred speech
  • Weakness in your arms and legs
  • Trouble moving your face

Vertigo attack

The spinning sensation of vertigo comes and goes. Each episode of symptoms is called an attack. You may have a single attack or many attacks.

How long does vertigo last?

Each vertigo attack can last from a few seconds to several hours, but the feeling of being off-balance may stay with you for much longer. For people with severe vertigo, attacks can sometimes last for days or months.

A primary care doctor or ear-nose-throat (ENT) specialist can diagnose vertigo. The doctor will ask about your symptoms, examine your inner ear, and check your eye movements.

You may have one or more of these tests to find the cause of your vertigo:

Hearing tests. These tests check for a problem with the nerve in your inner ear.

Caloric testing. An audiologist stimulates your inner ear with cold or warm air to see if it makes you dizzy. This test can detect damage to the acoustic nerve.

Electronystagmography. This test checks your eye movements to see how well the vestibular nerve and other nerves in your inner ear and brain are working.

Fukuda-Unterberger test. You march in place for 30 seconds with your eyes closed. If you turn or lean to one side, you could have an inner ear problem.

Head impulse test. Your doctor moves your head from side to side while you focus on the wall or another unmoving object. This test can detect a problem with the balance system in your inner ear.

Romberg's test. You stand still with your feet together and your eyes closed. If you feel unsteady, it could be from a problem with your brain or spinal cord.

Vestibular test battery. These tests check for problems with the vestibular system in your inner ear.

Imaging tests.MRI and CT scans can detect problems in your inner ear or brain.

Treatment for vertigo depends on what's causing it. In many cases, vertigo goes away without any treatment. This is because your brain is able to adapt, at least in part, to the inner ear changes, relying on other body processes to maintain balance.

If treatment is needed, there are many options:

Vestibular rehabilitation

This is a type of physical therapy aimed at helping strengthen the vestibular system. This system sends signals to your brain about your head and body movements. Your doctor may recommend vestibular rehabilitation if you have repeated bouts of vertigo. It helps train your other senses to compensate for vertigo.

Surgery

Some conditions that cause vertigo require surgery to fix. For example, surgery may be done to remove an acoustic neuroma if it's affecting the function of your inner ear.

If vertigo is caused by a more serious underlying problem, such as a tumor or injury to the brain or neck, treating these problems may help to relieve the vertigo.

Vertigo medication

Motion sickness medicines such as meclizine (Antivert, Bonine) or dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) can ease vertigo symptoms such as nausea and dizziness. If an infection or inflammation is the cause of your vertigo, you may need steroids to reduce swelling or antibiotics to get rid of the infection. For Meniere's disease, diuretics (water pills) reduce pressure from fluid buildup.

Epley maneuver

This procedure moves the small calcium crystals called canaliths out of your inner ear canals using a series of head movements. Either your doctor can do the Epley maneuver or you can do it yourself. Another name for it is a canalith repositioning procedure (CRP). 

To do this procedure, your doctor will:

  • Tilt your head to the side that's causing vertigo.
  • Ask you to lie on your back while keeping your head in the same position and placing it slightly off the edge of the table.
  • Slowly move your head to the opposite side.
  • Turn the rest of your body to line up with your head.

You'll lie on your side for a little bit, and then sit up. The whole procedure takes about 5-10 minutes.

You might not be able to stop vertigo with at-home methods, but you can ease symptoms with a few self-care tips. Here are a few vertigo home remedies you can try:

  • Drink more water, sports drinks, or other fluids. Dehydration can make vertigo worse.
  • Control stress. Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation to calm anxiety before it can affect your balance.
  • Limit caffeine, alcohol, salt, and tobacco. These substances make dizziness worse.
  • Lie in a dark, quiet room. This may help to relieve the spinning.
  • Move slowly. Walk, get out of bed, and turn your head slowly to prevent dizziness. Use a cane if you need it to avoid falls. Sit or lie down as soon as you start to feel dizzy. Bend from the knees instead of leaning over from the waist when you pick something up.

There is no cure for vertigo. While some people have a single episode and never experience the spinning feeling again, others may have many attacks. If you have repeated bouts of vertigo, talk to your doctor about ways to treat the cause and relieve your symptoms.

Most causes of vertigo aren't serious. But because vertigo is sometimes a sign of an underlying medical condition, it's important to see a doctor to find out if you need treatment. You can start with your primary care doctor or visit an ear, nose, and throat doctor (ENT).

Call 911 or visit your nearest emergency room if you have more serious symptoms like these with vertigo:

  • Chest pain
  • Trouble walking
  • Numbness or weakness in your arms or legs
  • Fever higher than 100.4 F
  • Vision changes such as double vision
  • Weakness in an arm or leg
  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat
  • Sudden, severe headache
  • Slurred speech
  • Vomiting that doesn't stop
  • Fainting or seizures

Vertigo is a sensation like you or the world around you is spinning. It's usually a symptom of a problem with the part of your inner ear or brain that keeps you balanced. An ENT can diagnose the cause. Treating the underlying problem or doing a procedure to reposition the crystals in your ear may help relieve vertigo.

How long does vertigo typically last?

Vertigo can last for a few seconds, a few hours, or for months, depending on the cause.

Will vertigo go away by itself?

Vertigo can go away on its own. Some people have a single episode and never experience vertigo again. Whether this symptom goes away depends on what caused it.

How to tell which ear is causing vertigo?

One way to tell which ear is causing vertigo is to roll to one side in bed. If you get dizzy when you roll to the left side, then your left ear is likely to blame.

What does vertigo feel like?

Vertigo is a spinning sensation. It feels like you're spinning or the world is spinning around you.

What triggers vertigo attacks? 

Vertigo has many possible triggers. Migraine headaches, an infection, dehydration, certain medications, or a head injury can all cause this spinning sensation.