The word "dizzy" describes different things: light-headedness near fainting, or true "vertigo" where the world spins. Most vertigo comes from the inner ear (like benign positional vertigo triggered by head turns) — a minority comes from the brain, and that's what must not be missed.

In short — what to do

  1. Sit or lie down immediately — the fall is more dangerous than the dizziness. Hold something stable and go down calmly.
  2. Don't drive or climb ladders until it fully resolves.
  3. Move slowly afterwards: lying to sitting to standing, in stages.
  4. Drink water, and eat if you've gone long without food.
  5. Recurrent positional vertigo? See the doctor — simple clinic manoeuvres treat its commonest type (BPPV) within minutes.

Videos for this topic

"Just an inner-ear infection, sleep it off"? Ordinary dizziness or a stroke?

20 seconds

The difference is not how strong the dizziness is but what comes with it: slurred speech, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg, double vision, or being unable to stand or walk in a straight line. Any one of these with dizziness may mean a stroke in the cerebellum: don't sleep and wait, go to the ER at once.

Watch it on Instagram

Capsule: a 30-second test before you tell them to "sleep it off"

12 seconds

Ask them to say a simple sentence, ask whether they see your finger double, and watch their hand and balance. Any one of these signs with dizziness means the ER at once: time is brain.

Sit down before you fall — the fall is more dangerous than the dizziness
Sit down before you fall — the fall is more dangerous than the dizziness
The full details

At the moment of dizziness

  1. Sit or lie down immediately — the fall is more dangerous than the dizziness. Hold something stable and go down calmly.
  2. Don't drive or climb ladders until it fully resolves.
  3. Move slowly afterwards: lying to sitting to standing, in stages.
  4. Drink water, and eat if you've gone long without food.
  5. Recurrent positional vertigo? See the doctor — simple clinic manoeuvres treat its commonest type (BPPV) within minutes.

Vertigo + ANY of these = ER immediately

  • Weakness or numbness in a limb or the face, or disturbed speech or swallowing.
  • Double vision, or complete inability to walk even after long sitting.
  • A violent sudden headache with the vertigo.
  • Onset after head injury, or with chest pain and palpitations.

One moment

The brain rule: vertigo alone is usually safe — vertigo with "siblings" (weakness, speech trouble, double vision, severe imbalance) means a brain problem until proven otherwise. The siblings are the verdict.

This content is for general health education only and is not medical advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. In an emergency, call 998.

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