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What is the difference between dizziness and vertigo?

8 February 2010 3 Comments

 

Regardless other whether you feel vertigo or dizziness, both are very unpleasesant. Ian Hooton / Science Photo Library
Regardless other whether you feel vertigo or dizziness, both are very unpleasant. Ian Hooton / Science Photo Library

It’s easy to assume that they are the same thing, because in day to day life we use the terms interchangeably, but in actual fact they are different.  And as you move forward in your understanding of your vertigo or dizziness problem it is important that you understand the difference.

Vertigo specifically means a sensation of movement of either yourself or the world when you are not really moving.  It is usually a spinning sensation, most often to the side, but you may experience a feeling of flipping backward or forward as well.

Vertigo may produce a feeling of dizziness as well, but dizziness specifically is a feeling of unsteadiness (without feeling like you’re moving), lightheadedness or otherwise feeling off-balance.

So now you are aware of the difference you need to observe how you feel when you get your symptoms.  Do you get that spinning sensation?  If you do then you have vertigo.  Try also to notice how long does it last, which way are you spinning, and are there certain movements or positions that set it off (there may not be any).  They are all helpful in treating the vertigo. 

The causes of vertigo and dizziness are many and I’ll talk in more depth in later posts about them.  So let us know, do you find it difficult to tell the difference between your vertigo and dizziness?  What has been your experience with either?  Post a comment below.

3 Comments »

  • loans said:

    I want to thank the blogger very much not only for this post but also for his all previous efforts. I found treat-vertigo-now.com to be greatly interesting. I will be coming back to treat-vertigo-now.com for more information.

  • lucy said:

    Good evening, I´ve just discovered this blog and I want to thank the blogger for all those interesting posts, I found a lot of information about vertigo and dizziness, but I actually haven´t found any treatments of both of them. I guess there are some tips, but I really can´t find them anywhere. Are there any? I´ve been suffering from vertigo half year now, and it´s really unpleasant, so it would be much appreciated, if you reply me. Thank you!

  • drmatt (author) said:

    Hi Lucy, thanks for your comment. I really appreciate reader questions. The problem of vertigo and dizziness is a complex one. I think there are some treatment programs out there, but I haven’t tested them myself so I can’t comment on them. I am developing my own program at the moment. If you would like to subscribe to my newsletter I will let you know when it is ready.

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