Vertigo is a symptom of another health condition that causes dizziness and makes you feel like you are moving or spinning — or that your surroundings are spinning around you. Vertigo is caused by a problem with your inner ear or brain.
UPMC experts provide advanced care for people with vertigo, including medications, physical therapy and lifestyle changes to help manage symptoms.
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What Is Vertigo?
Vertigo is a symptom of another health condition that causes dizziness and makes you feel like you are moving or spinning — or that your surroundings are spinning around you. Vertigo is caused by a problem with your inner ear or brain.
What are the types of vertigo?
There are two types of vertigo, including:
Peripheral vertigo
Peripheral vertigo is the most common type. It occurs when there is a problem with your inner ear or vestibular nerve that affects your balance.
Types of peripheral vertigo include:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) — Causes vertigo symptoms when you change head positions.
- Labyrinthitis — Caused by inflammation of a part of your inner ear called the labyrinth.
- Ménière’s disease — A chronic inner ear disorder that causes hearing loss, ringing in the ears, and recurrent vertigo.
- Vestibular neuritis — Causes sudden, severe vertigo resulting from a viral infection.
Central vertigo
Central vertigo occurs when you have a condition affecting your brain, such as:
- Concussion.
- Infection.
- Stroke.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI).
How common is vertigo?
Research shows that vertigo affects nearly 40% of adults at least once in their life.
What causes vertigo?
Causes of vertigo may include:
- Abnormal heart rhythms.
- Acoustic neuroma.
- Ataxia.
- Bed rest.
- Blood vessel disorders.
- Brain tumor or other disorders.
- Ear surgery.
- Head injuries.
- High or low blood pressure.
- High or low blood sugar.
- Hyperventilation.
- Medications.
- Migraine headaches.
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Osteosclerosis.
- Shingles.
- Stroke.
- Syphilis.
Vertigo risk factors
You may be at higher risk of vertigo if you:
- Are an older adult.
- Are female.
- Have a history of health conditions that may cause vertigo.
- Take medications that are linked to vertigo.
Complications of vertigo
Complications of vertigo may include:
- Inability to drive.
- Inability to work.
- Injuries from falls and other accidents.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Vertigo?
The main symptom of vertigo is a feeling of dizziness, or that you or your surroundings are spinning.
Other symptoms of vertigo may include:
- A sensation of fullness in one or both ears.
- Balance problems.
- Hearing loss.
- Nausea.
- Nystagmus (rapid, uncontrolled eye movements).
- Headaches.
- Motion sickness.
- Ringing in your ears.
- Vomiting.
How long does vertigo last?
An episode of vertigo can last anywhere from a few seconds to several weeks, depending on the cause.
When should I see a doctor about my vertigo symptoms?
You should schedule an appointment with your doctor if your vertigo is:
- Long-lasting.
- Preventing you from working or driving.
- Recurrent.
- Severe.
- Sudden.
How Do You Diagnose Vertigo?
To diagnose vertigo, your doctor will perform physical and neurological examinations and review your symptoms and medical history. Your doctor may also order tests to confirm your diagnosis or rule out other problems.
What to expect during your visit
During your visit, your doctor will:
- Ask you about your symptoms.
- Order tests.
- Perform a physical and neurological exam.
- Review your medical history.
Tests to diagnose vertigo
Your doctor may perform several tests to diagnose vertigo, including:
- CT scan — Creates images of bones, organs, and tissues inside your body.
- Fukuda-Unterberger test — Used to diagnose inner ear problems. Your doctor will ask you to march in place for 30 seconds with your eyes closed to see if you lean to one side or shift your body. This shifting could suggest a problem with the labyrinth in your inner ear.
- Head impulse test — Used to diagnose inner ear problems. Your doctor will move your head and look for abnormal eye movements.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — Creates images of your brain using contrast dye to look for damaged or abnormal areas.
- Neurological examination — A noninvasive test to check your reflexes, balance, movement, memory, and ability to think.
- Romberg’s test — Used to diagnose central nervous system problems. Your doctor will ask you to stand with your feet together and arms at your side while closing your eyes to see if you lose your balance.
- Vestibular test battery — Involves several tests to check how well your vestibular system is working.
Vertigo prognosis
Your prognosis after a vertigo diagnosis depends on the underlying cause. Some people may have one episode of vertigo that does not recur. Others have frequent episodes with severe symptoms.
Some cases of peripheral vertigo may go away on their own or with noninvasive treatment. Central vertigo typically has a worse prognosis and may require surgical treatment, medication, or ongoing management.
How Do You Treat Vertigo?
Vertigo treatment involves treating the underlying cause. Your doctor may recommend:
Home treatment
You may be able to manage your vertigo symptoms at home by:
- Avoiding bending at the waist when picking things up off the floor.
- Lying down in a dark, quiet room.
- Moving more slowly, especially when standing up, getting out of bed, or turning your head.
- Sitting down when you feel dizzy.
- Sleeping with your head elevated.
- Using a cane or walking stick.
Repositioning maneuvers
BPPV occurs when calcium carbonate crystals move out of their proper position in your ear, causing vertigo symptoms. Your doctor may perform a repositioning maneuver known as the Epley maneuver to shift the crystals back to their proper place and treat BPPV.
The Epley maneuver is noninvasive and can be performed in the office. Your doctor may be able to show you how to do it at home
Medication
Your doctor may recommend motion sickness medications or antihistamines to treat vertigo symptoms.
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy
Vestibular rehabilitation therapy involves exercises to improve dizziness, balance, and unstable vision. Your provider or a physical therapist will give you exercises tailored to your specific symptoms and the underlying cause of your vertigo.
Surgery
Most people with vertigo don’t need surgery unless their symptoms are caused by a brain or neck disorder.
Why Choose UPMC for Vertigo Care?
When you choose UPMC for vertigo care, you will receive:
- Multidisciplinary care — Our team of neurology experts will work with you to develop a customized treatment plan that optimizes your quality of life and reduces your risk of complications.
- Access to advanced clinical trials — Our team participates in national, multicenter clinical trials evaluating new treatment options, giving you the opportunity to contribute to research advancing neurology care.
- Seamless, ongoing treatment — If you are diagnosed with vertigo, our team will develop a plan for your follow-up care, including ongoing symptom management as needed.
