What Is Vertigo? Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Costs

Have you ever tilted your head and suddenly felt like the room was spinning around you? You could be one of the nearly 40% of U.S. adults who have experienced vertigo.¹ This unpleasant condition is two to three times more common in women than men, and prevalence increases with age — but vertigo can affect all ages and genders.²

Keep reading to learn more about this common health problem, including different causes, treatment options and costs.

What Is Vertigo?

Vertigo is the false sensation that you’re spinning — or that the world is spinning around you — when you’re actually sitting or standing still.³ This illusion can make you feel dizzy and nauseated.³ Note that vertigo is not a disease; rather, it can be a symptom of various illnesses and disorders.⁴

Types of Vertigo

There are two main types of vertigo:⁵

• Peripheral vertigo
• Central vertigo

Here’s a quick overview of some key differences between the two:⁵

What Causes Vertigo?

Vertigo is typically caused by a problem with the vestibular system, which includes the inner ear, vestibular nerve, brain stem and cerebellum. This sensory system is responsible for regulating balance and the body’s orientation in space.¹

Causes of peripheral vertigo

Peripheral vertigo may be caused by:¹

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): This happens when small calcium deposits (canaliths) break free in the canals of your inner ear, sending confusing messages to your brain about the position of your body and causing a sensation of spinning.⁵ BPPV is the most common cause of vertigo; episodes typically last less than a minute.
• Ménière’s disease: This disease results from an imbalance of fluids in the inner ear, causing tinnitus, low-frequency hearing loss and vertigo episodes that can last for minutes or hours.
• Labyrinthitis: This is an inflammation of the inner ear that results from a viral or bacterial infection, causing vertigo episodes that can last for hours or days.

Causes of central vertigo

Central vertigo may be caused by:⁶

• Tumors
• Head trauma³
• Multiple sclerosis
• Stroke
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA)¹
• Vestibular migraine

A migraine or TIA can cause a single episode of vertigo that lasts minutes or hours, while a stroke can cause a more prolonged episode.²

Vertigo Symptoms

The main symptom of vertigo is the sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning. Other symptoms may include:⁶

• Abnormal eye movements¹
• Dizziness
• Hearing loss
• Loss of balance
• Nausea
• Tinnitus
• Vomiting

If you have central vertigo, additional symptoms may include:⁶

• Blurred vision¹
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty walking¹
• Facial paralysis
• Slurred speech
• Weakness and numbness¹

Diagnosing Vertigo

If you’re experiencing vertigo, it’s important to see your doctor for an evaluation.⁵ The doctor will review all your symptoms, take a thorough medical history and complete a physical exam to determine whether you have central or peripheral vertigo.² The physical exam may involve holding your head in a certain position while the doctor looks for abnormal eye movements.²

Typically, no additional tests are needed to diagnose peripheral vertigo. However, your doctor may order an MRI or CT scan of your brain if central vertigo is suspected.⁴

Vertigo Treatments and Costs

Vertigo treatment options depend on the diagnosis and may include head rotation maneuvers, physical therapy and medication.² In rare cases, surgery may be recommended.³

Here’s a quick summary of common vertigo treatments and costs:

Head rotation maneuvers

Head rotation maneuvers are the primary treatment for BPPV.² A simple series of head movements can displace the tiny floating crystals to a different part of your inner ear, where they won’t cause vertigo symptoms.⁵

The most common method is called the Epley maneuver, which a doctor can perform as an in-office treatment.⁴ They can also teach you to perform the maneuver at home if symptoms recur.²

However, many people experience immediate relief after the initial Epley maneuver, and may never have symptoms again.⁵ Ask your provider if this might be a viable treatment option for you.

Physical therapy

If you’re experiencing more persistent vertigo, your doctor may recommend vestibular rehabilitation.⁴ This is a specialized type of physical therapy designed to improve your balance and strengthen your muscles to help prevent falls.⁶ By strengthening your vestibular system, this treatment can help decrease symptoms of vertigo.⁷

The average cost of vestibular rehabilitation is $75 to $100 per one-hour session (with one or two sessions per week for four to eight weeks), which may be covered by insurance.⁷

Medication

If you’re experiencing acute episodes of vertigo that last a few hours or days, your doctor may prescribe medication to help reduce your symptoms. The primary medications used to relieve vertigo symptoms include antihistamines, benzodiazepines and antiemetics. Meclizine is the most commonly prescribed antihistamine for vertigo and can be particularly useful in treating episodes caused by Ménière’s disease.²

The average cost of meclizine for cash-paying customers is $11 for a supply of eight 25-milligram tablets.⁸

How Can You Prevent Vertigo?

There’s no way to prevent the first episode of vertigo.⁴ However, low levels of vitamin D may increase the incidence of vertigo — particularly BPPV — so try to get enough vitamin D from sources such as sunlight and seafood.⁹ It’s also a good idea to drink more water and less alcohol, limit your sugar intake and review medication guides for side effects like dizziness.¹⁰

To help prevent symptoms from getting worse during an episode of vertigo, sit or lie down, avoid bright lights and don’t try to read. Gradually resume activity once symptoms have subsided. And, to be on the safe side, avoid driving and operating heavy machinery until you’ve been symptom-free for about a week.⁶

Frequently Asked Questions About Vertigo

Want to know more about vertigo? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions.

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Author Bio

Robyn Tellefsen is a freelance writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience covering health and wellness, finance and more. Her work has appeared on sites such as Beachside Rehab, Wayfair, LoopNet, First Horizon Bank, SoFi, A Place for Mom, American Express, Chase and others.