Diseases & Conditions
Dizziness demystified
Vertigo can be disturbing and destabilizing. Learn what can trigger this common problem.
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
"Like a whirlpool, it never ends." This apt description of vertigo from Tommy Roe's 1969 hit "Dizzy" was fun to listen to when we were kids, but not so amusing decades later if you've endured the room-spinning sensation.
Originating from the Latin word vertere, meaning "to turn," vertigo can also make you feel unsteady on your feet, lightheaded, faint, or like you're in motion when you're not. Some people who have it also become nauseated and vomit. But whether it lasts for a few seconds or a few days, the highly common problem is rarely dangerous — though it can provoke falls, a leading cause of deaths from injuries in adults 65 and older.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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