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May 20, 2013
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Vertigo

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Vertigo Overview

Vertigo is the feeling that you or your environment is moving or spinning. It differs from dizziness in that vertigo describes an illusion of movement. When you feel as if you yourself are moving, it's called subjective vertigo, and the perception that your surroundings are moving is called objective vertigo.

Unlike nonspecific lightheadedness or dizziness, vertigo has relatively few causes.

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Vertigo - Symptoms

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What symptoms were associated with your vertigo?

Vertigo - Describe Your Experience

The eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:

How was the diagnosis as to the cause of your vertigo (dizziness and vestibular balance disorders)?

Vertigo - Causes

The eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:

What were the causes of your vertigo?

Vertigo Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Vertigo?

Vertigo implies that there is a sensation of motion either of the person or the environment, often perceived as if the room is spinning around you. This should not be confused with symptoms of lightheadedness or fainting. Vertigo differs from motion sickness in that motion sickness is a feeling of being off-balance and lacking equilibrium, caused by repeated motions such as riding in a car or boat.

  • If true vertigo exists, symptoms include a sensation of disorientation or motion. In addition, the individual may also have any or all of these symptoms:
    • nausea or vomiting,
    • sweating, and/or
    • abnormal eye movements.
  • The duration of symptoms can be from minutes to hours, and symptoms can be constant or episodic. The onset may be due to a movement or change in position....

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Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape

Dizziness, Vertigo, and Imbalance »

Dizziness and vertigo are among the most common symptoms causing patients to visit a physician (as common as back pain and headaches).

Read More on Medscape Reference »


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