Health condition · plain-language reference

Dizziness and Vertigo

When you're dizzy, you may feel lightheaded, woozy, or disoriented. If you feel like you or the room are spinning, you have vertigo. These feelings may make you lose your balance . Dizziness can have many different causes. 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. Certain medicines and problems with your inner ear may cause dizziness. So can motion sickness . Sometimes dizziness can be a symptom of other disorders. As people get older, they may have more health problems and take more medicines. This makes them more likely to have problems with dizziness and balance. Dizziness usually gets better by itself or is easily treated. If you are dizzy often, you should see your health care provider to find the cause. NIH: National Institutes of Health

Plain-language summary from MedlinePlus (NIH/NLM) ↗. For informational purposes only — not medical advice.