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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffDizziness can usually be more specifically described as one of the following sensations:
- The false sense of motion or spinning (vertigo)
- Lightheadedness or the feeling of near fainting
- Loss of balance or unsteadiness (disequilibrium)
- Other sensations such as floating, swimming or heavy-headedness
A number of underlying health conditions can cause these problems. Some of these conditions disrupt or confuse the signals your brain receives from one or more of your sensory systems, including your:
- Eyes, which help you determine where your body is in space and how it's moving
- Sensory nerves, which send messages to your brain about body movements and positions
- Inner ear, which houses sensors that help detect gravity and back-and-forth motion
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you experience any unexplained, recurrent or severe dizziness.
Call 911 or emergency medical help or go to the emergency room if you experience new, severe dizziness or vertigo along with any of the following:
- Significant head injury
- A new, different or severe headache
- A very stiff neck
- Blurred vision
- Sudden hearing loss
- Trouble speaking
- Leg or arm weakness
- Loss of consciousness
- Falling or difficulty walking
- Chest pain or rapid slow heart rate
References
- Branch WT. Approach to the patient with dizziness. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Longo DL, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=9096086. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Tusa RJ. Dizziness. Medical Clinics of North America. 2009;93:263.
- Dizziness and vertigo. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/ear_nose_and_throat_disorders/approach_to_the_patient_with_ear_problems/dizziness_and_vertigo.html. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Hyperthermia: Too hot for your health. National Institute on Aging. http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/hyperthermia-too-hot-your-health. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Lai YT, et al. Epidemiology of vertigo: A national survey. Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. 2011;145:110.
- Kutz JW. The dizzy patient. Medical Clinics of North America. 2010;94:989.
- Post RE, et al. Dizziness: A diagnostic approach. American Family Physician. 2010;82:361.
- Barton J. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Dizziness and motion sickness. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/dizzinessMotionSickness.cfm. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Falls and fractures. National Institute on Aging. http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/falls-and-fractures. Accessed July 6, 2012.
- Eggers SD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 12, 2012.
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