Ano ang vertigo?

It is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. An episode may also bring imbalance, nausea, vomiting, sweating, or abnormal eye movements. Light-headedness, faintness, and feeling unsteady without an illusion of movement are different sensations and may have other causes.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo commonly presents with brief spinning triggered by rolling in bed, looking up, or changing head position. Meniere's disease may present with vertigo alongside fluctuating hearing, ear pressure, or ringing. Middle ear infection can cause balance symptoms with ear pain or fever, while migraine can present with vertigo with or without a headache.

The timing, trigger, hearing changes, headache features, recent infection, medicines, and neurological symptoms help a clinician narrow the possibilities. Vertigo alone does not identify which condition is responsible.

Sit or lie down promptly and keep your head movements slow. Use support when standing, remove trip hazards, and ask someone to stay nearby if your balance is poor. Avoid driving, climbing, swimming alone, or operating machinery until the spinning and unsteadiness have resolved.

Small sips of fluid may help if nausea allows. Do not attempt an Epley manoeuvre until a trained clinician has confirmed that the pattern fits positional vertigo and has shown which side and sequence to use; neck, back, eye, or circulation problems can affect whether it is suitable.

Call emergency services for new vertigo with facial droop, arm or leg weakness, numbness, trouble speaking, severe difficulty walking, double vision, fainting, a seizure, chest pain, a sudden severe headache, or persistent vomiting that prevents fluids. These features require prompt assessment even if the spinning improves.

Arrange medical review for a first episode, repeated attacks, new hearing loss, ear discharge, fever, a recent head injury, symptoms after starting a medicine, or imbalance that does not clear. Sudden hearing loss with vertigo needs same-day assessment.

Describe whether the room seemed to spin, what you were doing at onset, how long each episode lasted, and whether one head position triggered it. Ask if hearing and neurological examinations are needed, whether your medicines could contribute, and which activities you should pause while symptoms continue.