Vertigo: understanding spinning and staying safe

A sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning is called vertigo. Feeling faint or unsteady may have other causes. Assessment considers inner-ear conditions, migraine, medicines and nervous-system problems. Do not manage a new severe episode only by waiting for an ENT appointment or trying a home manoeuvre; check the warning signs below.

Examination assesses eye movements, balance and ear findings, with hearing tests or imaging when needed. For BPPV—benign positional vertigo—an appropriate repositioning manoeuvre may help. The same Epley manoeuvre is not suitable for every vertigo episode; do not copy online videos without diagnosis and a safety check. Other causes may need medicine, balance rehabilitation or specialist assessment.

Sit somewhere safe when spinning starts, rise slowly and ask for help if needed. Lighting at night, stable footwear and handholds may reduce falls. Do not drive, climb or operate dangerous machinery while dizzy. Longer-term exercise and any dietary change depend on diagnosis; complete inactivity or strict salt restriction is not universal.

Call 112 for dizziness with new double vision or vision loss, speech difficulty, one-sided weakness or numbness, inability to walk or altered awareness. Do not dismiss sudden hearing loss as earwax; seek immediate emergency or ENT assessment. Severe headache, fever or persistent vomiting also needs prompt care. Do not drive yourself; temporary improvement does not exclude a serious cause.