General dizziness is a symptom that's associated with several conditions. In order to confirm that you're having vertigo, and to rule out other possible causes, your GP will ask you to describe your symptoms in detail.
Important questions
To make an accurate diagnosis of vertigo, your GP will want to know:
- what symptoms you have – for example, whether you feel light headed or if your surroundings are spinning
- how often your symptoms occur
- how long your symptoms usually last for
- if your symptoms are affecting your daily activities – for example, whether you're unable to walk during an episode of vertigo
- whether anything triggers your symptoms or makes them worse, such as moving your head in a particular direction
You may be asked a number of further questions to help determine the cause of your vertigo, such as whether you:
Physical examination
Your GP may carry out a physical examination to check for signs of conditions that may be causing your vertigo. This could include looking inside your ears and seeing whether you can stand unaided.
Other tests may also be carried out, depending on the underlying cause (see Vertigo - causes). Some of the tests that you may have are briefly explained below.
Hallpike’s manoeuvre
Hallpike’s manoeuvre is a test that brings on the symptoms of vertigo. It's often used to confirm cases of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
The test involves moving quickly from a sitting to a lying position, with your head below the horizontal line of the surface that you're lying on. As you lie back, you'll be asked to rotate your head towards the person testing you, keeping your eyes open.
In cases of BPPV, the symptoms of vertigo may appear for several seconds before disappearing.
Hearing tests
If you have tinnitus (ringing in your ears) or hearing loss, your GP may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist. You may be given a number of tests, including:
- an ear X-ray
- balance tests
- hearing tests
Some possible hearing tests that you might have are described below.
- An audiometry test – a machine called an audiometer produces sounds of different volume and pitch. You listen to the sounds through headphones and signal when you hear a sound, either by raising your hand or pressing a button.
- Tuning fork test – a tuning fork produces sound waves at a fixed pitch when it's gently tapped. The tester will tap the tuning fork before holding it at each side of your head. It can be placed next to your ear, against the bone behind your ear (called a Rinne test) and on the centre of your forehead or on the bridge of your nose (called a Weber test).
Read more about how hearing tests are carried out.
MRI scan
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is sometimes used to diagnose an acoustic neuroma (a non-cancerous brain tumour). A MRI scan uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to produce a detailed image of the inside of your head.
