- Vestibular migraine: Some headache sufferers also experience periods of vertigo, even when they do not have a headache. These episodes can last for hours or even days.
- Meniere’s disease: This condition includes feelings of “stuffiness” in the ear accompanied by occasional hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the inner ear.
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): The most common cause of vertigo, BPPV affects the balance associated with the position of the head. A quick change in head position or sitting or standing up very quickly can bring on episodes of BPPV. As the name suggests, this is a benign condition that does not pose serious health risks unless the sufferer is injured in a vertigo-related fall.
- Acoustic neuroma: This is another benign condition that involves a noncancerous growth that occurs on the vestibular nerve (the nerve that connects the brain and the inner ear). Tinnitus and progressive hearing loss can be symptoms of acoustic neuroma.
- Additional considerations: While the above-listed causes are most commonly the reason for episodes of vertigo, it is possible that the dizzy sensation you experience could be a sign of more serious health issues. In rare cases, vertigo can signal stroke, multiple sclerosis or a brain hemorrhage. If one of these more severe conditions is present, there typically will be other symptoms involved, such as slurry speech, numbness in the face or extremities or vision problems.
Another form of dizziness if lightheadedness. This is the feeling that you may lose consciousness or faint. Lightheadedness is the result of a lack of blood flow to the brain. Some common causes of lightheadedness are described in the list below.
- Sudden changes in head elevation: When a person stands up too quickly blood may rush away from the head rapidly enough to cause lightheadedness. This is more common in older people or people with other health issues.
- Blood pressure drop: When your blood pressure drops quickly, you may feel lightheaded as a result.
- Dehydration: Extreme water deprivation caused by heat exhaustion, fever, vomiting or other causes can cause lightheadedness.