What are the first signs of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo?

BPPV often appears when you roll over in bed, sit up, look upward, bend down, or turn your head. The room may seem to spin for a short time, followed by mild unsteadiness. Nausea can accompany the spinning. Hearing loss, fainting, chest pain, severe headache, or weakness are not typical features of BPPV and need a different assessment.

Move carefully during an episode and sit down until the spinning settles. Avoid driving, climbing, or walking unaided while symptoms are active. Arrange a GP Consultation if episodes recur or affect daily activities; an examination can distinguish BPPV from other causes of Dizziness or Vertigo. A clinician may recommend an Epley Manoeuvre when the findings fit BPPV.

Seek urgent medical help for sudden trouble speaking, facial drooping, one-sided weakness, new severe headache, fainting, inability to walk, or persistent vomiting. Seek prompt assessment if vertigo is continuous, follows a head injury, or occurs with new hearing loss. These features can signal a problem that is not simple positional vertigo.

Ask what movements trigger the episodes, whether your eye movements support BPPV, and whether treatment can be performed safely. Tell the clinician when symptoms began, how long each episode lasts, and whether you have headache, hearing changes, or balance problems.