Vertigo
Basics
Description
- Vertigo is a sensation of perceived motion with no motion is happening; differs from dizziness, which is a disturbance of orientation without movement (1)
- A symptom, not a disease process; causes can be peripheral or central (1)
- Often described as a sensation of movement (room spinning) when no movement is actually occurring (1)
- One of the four types of dizziness (vertigo, presyncope, lightheadedness, disequilibrium) (1),(2)
- System(s) affected: nervous, cardiovascular, psychiatry
- Synonym(s): dizziness
Epidemiology
Incidence
- Vertigo/dizziness accounts for >4 million ED visits a year in the United States, of which only 15% has a serious underlying condition (2),(3).
- Women are three times more likely to experience vertiginous migraine (2).
Geriatric Considerations
Etiology and Pathophysiology
- Dysfunction of the rotational velocity sensors of the inner ear results in asymmetric central processing; combination of sensory disturbance of motion and malfunction of the central vestibular apparatus (1)
- Peripheral causes: acute vestibular neuritis, BPPV caused by otoliths in the posterior canal 85–95% and lateral canal 5–15%, Ménière disease, otosclerosis, acute labyrinthitis, cholesteatoma, perilymphatic fistula, superior canal dehiscence syndrome, motion sickness; BPPV, vestibular neuritis, and Ménière disease account for the majority of peripheral causes (1).
- Central causes: cerebellar tumor, stroke, migraine, vestibular ischemia (1)
- Numerous drug causes (1),(2)
Genetics
Unknown
Risk Factors
- History of migraines
- History of CVD/risk factors for CVD
- Use of ototoxic medications
- Trauma/barotrauma
- Perilymphatic fistula
- Heavy weight-bearing
- Psychosocial stress/depression
- Exposure to toxins
General Prevention
If due to motion sickness, consider pretreatment with anticholinergics, such as scopolamine.
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Citation
Domino, Frank J., et al., editors. "Vertigo." 5-Minute Clinical Consult, 33rd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2025. Medicine Central, im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688707/all/Vertigo.
Vertigo. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, et al, eds. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688707/all/Vertigo. Accessed October 6, 2024.
Vertigo. (2025). In Domino, F. J., Baldor, R. A., Golding, J., & Stephens, M. B. (Eds.), 5-Minute Clinical Consult (33rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688707/all/Vertigo
Vertigo [Internet]. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, Stephens MBM, editors. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. [cited 2024 October 06]. Available from: https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688707/all/Vertigo.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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T1 - Vertigo
ID - 1688707
ED - Domino,Frank J,
ED - Baldor,Robert A,
ED - Golding,Jeremy,
ED - Stephens,Mark B,
BT - 5-Minute Clinical Consult, Updating
UR - https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/1688707/all/Vertigo
PB - Wolters Kluwer
ET - 33
DB - Medicine Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
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