What should you know about medical medium vertigo?

People may feel that they or the room is turning, tilting or moving when it is not. Nausea, imbalance, sweating, hearing change or headache can occur alongside it. Brief attacks brought on by turning in bed can fit benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, while episodes with hearing symptoms may need assessment for Meniere's disease. Ear infection and migraine can also produce dizziness or vertigo. The timing, triggers, hearing symptoms and neurological symptoms help a clinician narrow the cause.

Sit or lie still in a safe place, move your head slowly and avoid driving, heights or machinery while symptoms continue. Keep pathways clear and ask someone to stay nearby if balance is poor. Arrange medical review for new, repeated or persistent vertigo. A clinician can check eye movements, balance, hearing and medicines; an Epley manoeuvre may help when positional vertigo is diagnosed, but it should be guided when the cause is uncertain.

Seek emergency help for vertigo with sudden weakness or numbness, facial drooping, trouble speaking, new double vision, inability to walk, severe sudden headache, fainting or chest pain. Urgent review is also sensible after a head injury, or with new severe hearing loss. Do not wait for the spinning to settle when these signs are present.

Tell your doctor when attacks began, how long they last, what movements trigger them, and whether there is hearing loss, ringing, headache, vomiting or weakness. Ask whether testing or a manoeuvre is suitable and how to reduce fall risk at home.