Condition
Dizziness and vertigo
Dizziness is a feeling of being lightheaded, unsteady or off-balance, and vertigo is the sensation that you or the room is spinning. Both can come from the inner ear or from the brain. At INPM, Dr. Anand’s team finds the cause with in-office testing, such as VNG with posturography and carotid and transcranial Doppler, and guide your treatment.
What are dizziness and vertigo?
Dizziness describes feeling lightheaded, faint, unsteady or off-balance. Vertigo is a specific kind of dizziness: the sensation that you, or the room around you, is spinning or moving. Balance depends on the inner ear, the eyes, the body’s sense of position and the brain working together, so a problem in any of them can cause dizziness.
What can cause dizziness?
- Inner-ear problems, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), labyrinthitis, vestibular neuritis and Ménière’s disease
- Migraine-associated vertigo
- A concussion or head injury
- Whiplash or another neck injury (cervicogenic dizziness)
- Multiple sclerosis or other neurological conditions
- Stroke or reduced blood flow to the brain
- Blood pressure that drops when you stand, or other autonomic problems
- Some medicines
When should you see a doctor?
See a clinician if dizziness keeps coming back, lasts more than a few days, makes you fall or comes with hearing loss, ringing in the ears or ear fullness. Call 911 if dizziness comes on suddenly with numbness or weakness, trouble speaking, vision loss, a severe headache or chest pain.
How is dizziness evaluated at INPM?
Your clinician asks what the dizziness feels like, when it happens and what triggers it, and does a neurological exam. A key question is whether the cause is in the inner ear or in the brain, and in-office testing helps answer it:
VNG and balance testingDizziness and vertigoLearn more about VNG and balance testing
Carotid / transcranial DopplerBlood flow to the brainLearn more about Carotid / transcranial Doppler
Autonomic testingFainting and dizzinessLearn more about Autonomic testing
What treatment options are available?
Treatment depends on the cause. Test results guide the next steps, which may include treatment of the underlying condition, referral to vestibular rehabilitation, more imaging or a specialist consultation.
Who evaluates dizziness at INPM?
Dr. Amar Anand
Neurologist · Headache, stroke and neuroimaging
Jessica Beck, PA-C
Physician Assistant · Traumatic brain injury, migraine, seizures and memory loss
Alice Feng, PA-C
Physician Assistant · Traumatic brain injury, migraine, seizures and memory loss
Where can you be seen?
East BayINPM Walnut Creek
301 Lennon Lane, Suite 203Walnut Creek, CA 94598
- Wed and Fri
- 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sat
- 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
North BayINPM Vallejo
155 Glen Cove Marina Rd, Suite 100Vallejo, CA 94591
- Mon, Tue and Thu
- 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Questions
Frequently asked questions
01What is the difference between dizziness and vertigo?
Dizziness is a general term for feeling lightheaded, faint or unsteady. Vertigo is a specific kind of dizziness: the feeling that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving.
02Can a concussion or whiplash cause dizziness?
Yes. Dizziness and imbalance are common after a concussion, a head injury or a neck injury such as whiplash. Balance testing helps show whether the inner ear, the neck or the brain is involved.
03When is dizziness an emergency?
Call 911 if dizziness comes on suddenly with numbness or weakness, trouble speaking, vision loss, a severe headache or chest pain. These can be signs of a stroke or another emergency.
Referral required
Start with a referral from your doctor
New patients are seen by referral. Your primary care physician can fax the referral to (707) 980-6692 or send it through EPIC, and our office will call you to schedule.
- Referral fax (707) 980-6692
- EPIC referral
- We call you to schedule