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Dizziness

It's common to sometimes feel dizzy, lightheaded or off-balance, and it's not usually serious. See a GP if you're worried.

Check if you have dizziness

Dizziness includes feeling:

  • off-balance
  • giddy
  • lightheaded or faint
  • like you're spinning or things around you are spinning (vertigo)

How you can treat dizziness yourself

Dizziness usually goes away on its own. But there are things you can do to take care of yourself while you're feeling dizzy.

Do

  • lie down until the dizziness passes, then get up slowly

  • move slowly and carefully

  • get plenty of rest

  • drink plenty of fluids, especially water

  • avoid coffee, cigarettes, alcohol and drugs

Don’t

  • do not bend down suddenly

  • do not get up suddenly after sitting or lying down

  • do not do anything that could be dangerous while you're dizzy, like driving, climbing a ladder or using heavy machinery

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

  • you're worried about your dizziness or vertigo
  • it will not go away or it keeps coming back
  • you're finding it harder to hear or speak
  • there's ringing or other sounds in your ears (tinnitus)
  • you have double vision, blurred vision or other changes in your eyesight
  • your face, arms or legs feel numb or weak
  • you have other symptoms like changes to your pulse, fainting or collapsing, headaches, feeling or being sick

Causes of dizziness

If you have other symptoms, this might give you an idea of the cause. Do not self-diagnose. See a GP if you're worried.

Dizziness while you're ill with something else

Dizziness often goes away after you're treated for something else. For example:

Dizziness for no obvious reason
Dizziness for no obvious reason
Dizziness symptoms Possible causes
Dizziness symptoms

When standing or sitting up suddenly

Possible causes

Sudden drop in blood pressure (postural hypotension)

Dizziness symptoms

Feeling off-balance, losing some hearing, ringing or other sounds in your ears (tinnitus)

Possible causes

Inner-ear problems

Dizziness symptoms

Feeling off-balance or like things are spinning, feeling or being sick, sometimes after a cold or flu

Possible causes

Labyrinthitis

Dizziness symptoms

After starting new prescription medicine

Possible causes

Side effect of medicine

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Page last reviewed: 21 April 2023
Next review due: 21 April 2026