Dizziness is the #1 complaint from people over 75 years old in the United States but it can be experienced by individuals of any age. Sometimes dizziness may cause a vertigo emergency, other times it does not.
You should consult your primary care doctor if you have any dizziness or vertigo, especially if it is sudden or unexplained.
All dizziness or vertigo symptoms should always be reported to your primary care physician, but sometimes your primary doctor is not immediately available to advise you or to see you.
This educational blog is intended as general information to help you decide if you need to seek vertigo emergency care right away, if you have a sudden onset of dizziness or vertigo. Always consult your physician for your individual case and specific medical advice.
When To Seek Vertigo Emergency Care
Vertigo emergency care is recommended if you are experiencing new, severe dizziness or vertigo with any of the following symptoms:
- sudden, severe headache
- shortness of breath
- rapid or irregular heartbeat
- chest pain
- neck or arm pain
- double vision or blurry vision
- numbness in your arm or leg
- difficulty moving your arm or leg (paralysis)
- facial numbness or weakness
- slurred speech
- mental confusion
- fainting
- seizure
It is critical to seek vertigo emergency care within the first hour after onset of the symptoms listed above, to be assessed for serious health problems like a heart attack or stroke. Many people call 911 to get to the emergency room more quickly.
I saw a patient last week who was suddenly unable to stand or walk the night before I met her, and she was experiencing severe nausea, vomiting and vertigo. During my exam, she had signs of a stroke in a certain part of her brain that causes vertigo, but does not cause arm or leg weakness. I called 911 from her house during my exam and sent her to the hospital for vertigo emergency care.
It is always recommended that you seek vertigo emergency care if you experience any of the following (with or without dizziness):
- are experiencing uncontrolled vomiting
- are suddenly unable to sit up on your own
- are suddenly unable to stand or walk
- have a sudden hearing loss or change in hearing
It is also recommended to seek urgent medical care if you are experiencing dizziness or vertigo with ringing in your ear to the point of pain or you have persistent dripping of clear, thin fluid from your nose or ears.
If you are having difficulty walking and you are at risk of falling due to a new onset of dizziness or vertigo, you may have a vertigo emergency. If so, then immediate medical attention is also recommended to prevent a fall with injury, like a bone fracture.
Disclaimer
This blog is provided for informational purposes only. The content and any comments by Dr. Kim Bell, DPT are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The details of any case mentioned in this post represent a typical patient that Dr. Bell might see and do not describe the circumstances of a specific individual.
I have vértigo and my supervisor told me that ill be writhen up do to lack to do my work. I work in Ashley furniture in Chippewa Falls. 2 day i havent work do to my dizziness. And tomorrow i should show to work but dont feel capable for mt duety.
Hi William
I am sorry to hear this!
You may want to get a doctor’s note for the missed work.
If your doctor will help you, maybe you can look into applying for short term disability if you have short term disability insurance coverage.
Also, this website helps you know your rights for Family Medical Leave (FMLA), which you can apply for through your employer. That will not guarantee any pay while you are off work, but it will save your job for up to 12 weeks if you need to go out of work on disability.
Just be alert that applying for short term disability through a disability application is a separate step from applying for FMLA through your employer. You may need a doctor’s note for both applications.
This article may help you find a vertigo doctor in your area.
I hope you feel better soon!
I’ve had vertigo since Monday. It came on suddenly. I didn’t have a headache on Monday but on Tuesday I began having headaches at the base of my skull. I also feel like I’m confused or can’t think straight.
Hi Lisa,
I am sorry to hear this!
You may want to go to the emergency room to get evaluated as soon as possible.
Definitely notify your doctor right away since these symptoms are new.
I hope you feel better soon.
Last month I woke up (still laying down just opened my eyes didnt even move yet extremely dizzy and lightheaded) so dizzy I couldn’t walk, the room was spinning and when I focused on things they got wider no matter what I focused on. It only lasted for about an hour that day.
Now, it lasts for 2-3 days at a time. Some days it happens some days it doesn’t there is nothing I am doing any differently that I don’t do on a daily basis when I do get it.
It continued to happen when I opened my eyes (not even sitting up yet or moving at all yet) within about the last week it started to come on randomly throughout the day sometimes when I just wake up sometimes it will start halfway through the day.
For about the past 3 weeks I have been getting extreme temple pain like somebody is squeezing my temples extremely hard and won’t stop.
Today I have just started to hear a deep ring in both of my ears at the same time when it happens and like I am going to pass out with the lightheaded and dizzyness.
Today also when I see people move I get extremely dizzy I went to the doctor and they said all my vitals were fine but vitals were all they took.
Any idea what this is?
This has never happened before it is extremely concerning to me especially when I feel like i am just going to pass out at any moment with all of those symptoms.
Please help!
Hi Gina,
That sounds miserable!
I can think of a list of possible root causes off the top of my head, but could not draw any conclusions unless I took a full history and examined you in person.
With a case this complex, the key is to find a professional who specializes in dizziness and vertigo.
If you have not already, I definitely suggest notifying your primary doctor and ask what referrals to specialists you might need.
You can use this article to search for a vertigo doctor in your area.
This article has vertigo home remedies that may help.
You can use this article to write up a case summary that is more clear and concise to take to your doctor.
I hope you find answers and get relief soon!