Dizziness and Vertigo

Dizziness is a feeling of being lightheaded, unsteady, or off balance. Vertigo symptoms are a specific kind of dizziness, where you or the room seem to spin. Most dizziness comes from the inner ear or dehydration, but a few causes involve the heart or brain and need to be ruled out.

What Is It

Dizziness is a symptom, not a diagnosis. The cause usually falls into one of these groups:

Inner ear: BPPV, when tiny crystals in the inner ear shift out of place, is the most common cause of vertigo. Inner ear infections, vestibular neuritis, and Meniere’s disease also cause spinning.
Blood pressure and fluids: dehydration, standing up too fast, and some blood pressure medicines cause lightheadedness.
Blood sugar and blood count: low blood sugar and anemia can make you feel faint and weak.
Heart: an irregular heartbeat or heart problem can reduce blood flow to the brain.
Brain: migraines can cause vertigo, and rarely a stroke causes sudden dizziness with other warning signs.
Other: medicines, alcohol, anxiety, and viral illnesses.

Symptoms

A spinning feeling, often when turning the head or rolling over in bed
Lightheadedness or feeling faint
Trouble keeping your balance
Nausea or vomiting
Ringing or fullness in one ear
Jerky eye movements during spinning

Not sure what is causing it? Dizziness with ear pain or fullness may come from an ear infection. Lightheadedness with dark urine and thirst may be dehydration.

Treatment

At your visit: The first step is making sure the cause is not your heart or brain. Checks include blood pressure lying and standing, heart rate and rhythm, oxygen level, and blood sugar. A full nerve exam looks at your eyes, speech, strength, coordination, and walking. Ear exams and positional tests help find inner ear vertigo. Nausea and dehydration may also need treatment.

At home:

Sit or lie down right away when dizzy
Get up slowly from lying or sitting
Drink plenty of fluids and do not skip meals
Avoid driving, ladders, and heights until it passes

Most vertigo from the inner ear improves within days to a few weeks.

When to Get Care for Dizziness

Watch at Home

Brief dizziness when standing up that passes quickly
Mild spinning that is improving
Feeling better after fluids and rest

Come to Urgent Care Today

Spinning that keeps coming back with head movements
Dizziness with ear pain, fullness, or ringing
Dizziness with vomiting, but able to keep some fluids down
Lightheadedness with signs of dehydration
New dizziness after starting a medicine

Go to the Emergency Department

Dizziness with weakness or numbness on one side, slurred speech, or a drooping face
Sudden trouble walking, or vision loss or double vision
Dizziness with chest pain, a racing heart, or fainting
Sudden severe headache with dizziness
Dizziness after a head injury

FAQ

What is the difference between dizziness and vertigo?

Dizziness is a general feeling of being lightheaded or unsteady. Vertigo is a type of dizziness where you or the room seem to spin, and it usually comes from the inner ear.

What causes vertigo?

Vertigo is most often caused by BPPV, when tiny crystals in the inner ear shift out of place. Inner ear infections, Meniere’s disease, migraines, and rarely a stroke can also cause it.

How do I know if dizziness is from my heart or brain?

Dizziness from the heart often comes with a racing or irregular heartbeat, chest pain, or fainting. Dizziness from the brain comes with weakness, numbness, slurred speech, or vision loss. These need 911.

Why do I feel dizzy when I stand up?

Feeling dizzy when you stand up is usually a brief drop in blood pressure, often from dehydration or some medicines. Stand up slowly and drink fluids.

Can urgent care treat vertigo?

Yes, urgent care can evaluate and treat vertigo. At Vitality Urgent Care, a provider can check your heart, blood pressure, blood sugar, nerves, and ears to look for the cause.

When is dizziness an emergency?

Dizziness is an emergency when it comes with weakness, numbness, slurred speech, a drooping face, vision loss, chest pain, or fainting. Call 911 for these signs.

Last reviewed October 2026