Start by naming the sensation as precisely as you can.
Dizziness is an umbrella word. One person may mean lightheadedness or feeling faint; another may mean unsteadiness. Vertigo generally describes an illusion or sensation that you or your surroundings are moving or spinning.
That distinction does not establish a cause. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders notes that balance symptoms can involve the inner ear, brain, medication effects, blood-pressure changes, injury, and other factors.
Sudden dizziness can belong to an emergency pattern.
The CDC lists sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination among possible stroke signs. Sudden weakness or numbness on one side, trouble speaking or understanding speech, sudden vision trouble, or a sudden severe headache are other warning signs.
If you or someone else may be having a stroke, call 911 right away. Do not use an appointment form or wait for a routine office reply.
A short symptom record can make an evaluation more useful.
A clinician may ask about onset, duration, movement triggers, hearing changes, headache, fainting, falls, recent illness or injury, and every medicine or supplement you take. Evaluation may include an examination and, depending on the situation, hearing, eye-movement, balance, blood, or imaging tests.
No single test is appropriate for everyone. The purpose of the history and examination is to decide which questions need answering next—not to fit every dizzy spell into one explanation.
- Write down whether the feeling is spinning, faintness, rocking, or imbalance.
- Note when it started, how long episodes last, and whether position or movement triggers them.
- Record hearing changes, headache, vision changes, weakness, numbness, falls, or fainting.
- Bring a complete medicine and supplement list.
What this page can tell you.
This guide offers general education about dizziness and vertigo. It cannot diagnose the cause of your symptoms or tell you which test or treatment is appropriate.
Whether an evaluation at Gates Brain Health makes sense depends on your history and situation. A phone call is the first step if you want to ask whether the practice may be a fit.