Start with understanding
Vertigo is the sensation that you or your surroundings are moving or spinning when they are not. It is a symptom, not one diagnosis, and it differs from feeling faint or generally unsteady.
Brief spinning when rolling in bed can fit a positional inner-ear problem, but other patterns have other explanations. New or changing vertigo needs an assessment that considers the timing, triggers, hearing, and neurological signs.
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Explore the written guide and illustrated lessons below.
Connect understanding to daily life
Timing and triggers guide the next step
Describe whether an episode lasts seconds, minutes, or much longer and whether a specific head movement triggers it. Include hearing changes and headache. BPPV is one possible cause; an examination is needed before choosing a repositioning maneuver.
A maneuver should match the diagnosis
The BPPV guideline recommends an appropriate canalith-repositioning procedure for confirmed posterior-canal BPPV. A random online maneuver is not a treatment for every spinning sensation. Persistent symptoms deserve reassessment rather than repeating it indefinitely.
Sudden neurological symptoms are an emergency
Call 911 for sudden dizziness with new weakness, facial droop, trouble speaking, vision changes, severe unexplained headache, or inability to walk normally. New sudden hearing loss also warrants urgent medical assessment. Do not drive while an episode makes it unsafe.
Build the plan around your life
Explain the situations that now feel uncertain: turning in bed, looking up to a shelf, or leaving home alone. Your goal may be safer everyday movement as much as fewer episodes. Ask what support is appropriate while the cause is being evaluated, and how you will know whether the chosen treatment has addressed it.
Make your next visit useful
Describe the first episode, the duration of each spell, head-position triggers, hearing symptoms, and any medication changes. Avoid repeatedly provoking a severe episode just to prove the pattern. Ask what the working diagnosis is, what alternatives were considered, and what to do if symptoms return or change.
Educational information complements individual guidance. Your health history, goals, and examination determine appropriate care.
Build your understanding
Five ideas to build your understanding. Swipe, use the arrows, or focus the slides and use your keyboard.
Is vertigo the same as lightheadedness?
No. Vertigo describes an illusion of movement; lightheadedness can feel like impending fainting. Both deserve a clear history.
Should I try the Epley maneuver for any dizziness?
No. It is used for certain confirmed positional-vertigo presentations. A clinician should identify the cause and whether the maneuver is appropriate.
Does neck discomfort prove my vertigo comes from my neck?
No. Coexisting neck discomfort does not establish the source of spinning. Other causes need appropriate assessment.
What the evidence means for you
Confirmed BPPV calls for targeted repositioning
The AAO-HNS guideline promotes accurate diagnosis and appropriate repositioning while reducing unnecessary testing and medication use.
Put it to use: Ask whether BPPV has been confirmed and which canal and procedure are relevant.
Keep in mind: The guideline applies to BPPV, not stroke, vestibular migraine, or every cause of vertigo.
AAO-HNS · clinical practice guideline →Vertigo with hearing symptoms needs a different discussion
NIDCD describes Ménière’s disease as episodes of vertigo associated with hearing loss, tinnitus, or ear fullness.
Put it to use: Mention hearing changes rather than assuming all spinning is positional.
Keep in mind: These symptoms do not diagnose Ménière’s disease by themselves; hearing evaluation and exclusion of other causes matter.
NIDCD · condition overview →