Vertigo can make you feel dizzy or like you are about to pass out, but it doesn’t feel like everything around you is moving.
Usually, this feeling of dizziness goes away when you lie down. Vertigo is the feeling that you or everything around you is moving when nothing is actually moving. Feeling like you are off balance or tilting your head can be a sign of vertigo.
After assessing the situation and determining that there is nothing life-threatening, there are a few things you can do to relieve the symptoms of vertigo:
- Get the person who is dizzy off their feet: They can sit or lie down, as long as they are resting. And make sure they avoid sudden movements of their body and head.
- Hydrate and cool the person who is dizzy: Dehydration and heat exhaustion are among the main causes of spontaneous vertigo. Give the person experiencing dizziness some fluids and rest in a cool place, away from the sun.
- Calm and relax the person experiencing dizziness: If this is their first time experiencing dizziness, they may be frightened. Stress and anxiety will not help the situation, so reassure them and take control of the situation so they feel safe.
Many episodes of dizziness are the result of changes in our physiological state: changes in blood pressure, changes in stress levels, and changes in diet or fluid intake. Therefore, these simple tactics can help relieve their symptoms while they wait until they can see a healthcare professional.
If dizziness is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, you should take the person to the nearest emergency department immediately:
- Slurred speech
- Double vision
- Confusion
- Loss of consciousness
- Face numbness or weakness
- Face numbness or weakness
- Face weakness or paralysis
- Walking unsteadily or having difficulty walking
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Sudden, severe headache
- Shortness of breathing
- Chest pain
- Fainting
- Seizure
- Convulsions
- Persistent vomiting
- Sudden hearing changes
