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Vertigo

James Jason Arnold, DO, FACOFP, FAAFP Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Vertigo is a sensation of perceived motion with no motion is happening. Differs from dizziness which is a disturbance of orientation without movement (1).

  • A symptom, not a disease pr...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Review current medications, specifically any recent additions or change in dosage as medication are a common cause of vertigo (1).

  • Do not rely on symptom quality—often unreliable. Fo...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

Treatments depend on cause (1,2). 
  • If medication is likely cause: stop medication and reassess.

  • BPPV: Epley maneuver and modified Epley maneuver (Epley maneuver–YouTube) (1,2...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Balance exercises should be adhered to for symptom reduction and return to normal activities of daily living (ADLs). 

Patient Monitoring

After 1 to 2 weeks, assess ...

REFERENCES

1
Rodgers TS, Noel MA. Dizziness: Evaluation and Management. Am Family Physician. 2023;107(5):514-523.
2
Muncie HL, Sirmans SM, James E. Dizziness: Approach to Evaluation and Management. Am Fa...

SEE ALSO

  • Ménière Disease; Motion Sickness; Vertigo, Benign Paroxysmal Positional (BPPV)

  • Algorithm: Dizziness

CODES

ICD10

  • R42 Dizziness and giddiness

  • H81.10 Benign paroxysmal vertigo, unspecified ear

  • H81.49 Vertigo of central origin, unspecified ear

  • H81.399 Other peripheral vertigo, unspecified ear

  • H81.311 Aural v...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Ensure no medications are cause of symptoms.

  • TiTrATE your assessment.

  • Acute, spontaneous, continuous vertigo with a normal horizontal head impulse, direction-changing nystagmus, and skew...

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