When you're dizzy, you may feel lightheaded or lose your balance. If you feel that the room is spinning, you have vertigo.
A sudden drop in blood pressure or being dehydrated can make you dizzy. Many people feel lightheaded if they get up too quickly from sitting or lying down.
Dizziness usually gets better by itself or is easily treated. However, it can be a symptom of other disorders. Medicines may cause dizziness, or problems with your ear. Motion sickness can also make you dizzy. There are many other causes.
If you are dizzy often, you should see your health care provider to find the cause.
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Balance Disorders
(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/balance/balance_disorders.asp
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Balance, Dizziness, and You(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/balance/baldizz.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/baldizz_span.asp
- Dizziness(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/dizziness/DS00435/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Dizziness and Motion Sickness(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/dizzinessMotionSickness.cfm
- Vertigo(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec06/ch080/ch080c.html
- Diagnostic Tests for Vestibular Disorders(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/diagnostic-tests.php
- Possible Symptoms of Vestibular Disorders(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/symptoms.php
- Vertigo(DSHI Systems) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.freemd.com/vertigo/visit-virtual-doctor.htm
- Canalith Repositioning Procedure(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/canalith-repositioning-procedure/MY00085/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- Surgical Procedures Used to Treat Vertigo Due to Vestibular Dysfunction(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/treatment/surgery.php
- Dietary Considerations(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/treatment/diet.php
- Balance Rehabilitation(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/balance_rehab.htm
- Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT)(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/treatment/vestibular-rehab.php
- Local Support Groups (Vestibular Disorders)(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/support-groups/find-support-group.php
- Barotrauma(American Hearing Research Foundation) - http://www.american-hearing.org/disease/barotrauma.html
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/vertigo/DS00534/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Bilateral Vestibulopathy(American Hearing Research Foundation) - http://www.american-hearing.org/disorders/bilat/bilateral_vestibulopathy.html
- Causes of Dizziness, Vertigo, and Imbalance(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/causes-of-dizziness.php
- Cervical Vertigo(American Hearing Research Foundation) - http://www.american-hearing.org/disorders/central/cervical_vertigo.html
- Cervicogenic Dizziness(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/cervicogenic-dizziness.php
- Labyrinthitis and Vestibular Neuritis(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/labyrinthitisvest-neuritis.php
- Mal de Debarquement (MDD)(American Hearing Research Foundation) - http://www.american-hearing.org/disorders/central/mdd.html
- Ototoxicity(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/ototoxicity.php
- Secondary Endolymphatic Hydrops(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/endolymphatic-hydrops.php
- Superior Canal Dehiscence Syndrome(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/canal-dehiscence.php
- Vestibular Hyperacusis(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/vestibular-hyperacusis.php
- Vestibular Migraine(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/vestibular-migraine.php
- Vestibular Neuronitis(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec19/ch220/ch220j.html
- Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/autoimmunity.php
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Balance Problems
(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/balanceproblems/toc.html
- Atlas of the Body: The Ear(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZYXNW46JC&sub_cat=198
- How Hearing & Balance Work(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/anatomy/
- Sensory Input(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/balance/sensory-input.php
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Dizziness(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Dizziness%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vertigo(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Vertigo%22
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All about Balance: Scientists Identify Building Blocks of Inner Ear Structure(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/research/stories/
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Vertigo: clinical assessment and diagnosis. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18646412&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: A practical approach to acute vertigo. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18644907&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Treatment of vertebrobasilar insufficiency--associated vertigo with a fixed combination of... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18616088&tool=MedlinePlus
- Dizziness and Vertigo -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=dizziness[majr]+OR+vertigo[majr]+NOT+meniere's+disease[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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NIDCD Glossary(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/glossary/
- Vestibular Disorders Glossary(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/glossary.php
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Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders)(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/directory/
- Find a Neurologist(American Academy of Neurology) - http://www.thebrainmatters.org/index.cfm?key=1.2.2
- Find an Otolaryngologist (ENT)(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org//findanentmore.cfm
- Search for a Vestibular Disorders Health Professional(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/find-medical-help/search-for-a-health-professional.php
- American Hearing Research Foundation - http://www.american-hearing.org/
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National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
- Vestibular Disorders Association - http://www.vestibular.org/
- Pediatric Vestibular Disorders(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/pediatric-vest.-disorders.php
- Aging, Balance, and Dizziness(Vestibular Disorders Association) - http://www.vestibular.org/vestibular-disorders/specific-disorders/aging-dizziness.php
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Balance Problems(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/balanceproblems/toc.html
- Dizziness(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=23
- What You Need to Know about Balance and Falls(American Physical Therapy Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.apta.org/AM/Images/APTAIMAGES/ContentImages/ptandbody/balance/BalanceFall.pdf
- Meniere's Disease - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/menieresdisease.html
- Motion Sickness - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/motionsickness.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
- Ear, Nose and Throat - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/earnoseandthroat.html
- Symptoms - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/symptoms.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Dizziness and Vertigo is the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/