Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

People use the term dizziness to describe many sensations. You might feel faint, unsteady, or as if your body or surroundings are spinning. Dizziness has many possible causes, including inner ear conditions, motion sickness and medicine side effects. You can have bouts of dizziness at any age. But as you get older, you become more sensitive or prone to its causes.

Dizziness can make you feel:

  • Lightheaded, as though you might pass out.
  • Less steady or at risk of losing balance.
  • Like you or your surroundings are spinning or moving, also known as vertigo.
  • A sense of floating, swimming or heavy-headedness.

Often, dizziness is a short-term issue that goes away without treatment. If you see your healthcare professional, try to describe:

  • Your specific symptoms.
  • How the dizziness makes you feel as it is coming on and after it has passed.
  • What seems to trigger it.
  • How long it lasts.

This information helps your healthcare professional find and treat the cause of your dizziness.

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Sept. 26, 2024

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