How to Stop Getting Vertigo: Effective Treatments & Tips

Vertigo is that wildly un-fun moment when your brain says, “We’re spinning!” while your body says, “We are absolutely not.” It can hit when you roll over in bed, look up at the top shelf, orbecause life has jokeswhen you’re standing perfectly still and minding your business.

The good news: many of the most common causes of vertigo are treatable, and some can improve fast with the right maneuver, therapy, or plan. The key is figuring out what kind of vertigo you’re dealing withand knowing when dizziness is a “call your doctor” situation versus a “call 911” situation.

Important note: This article is for education, not personal medical advice. If you’re unsure, have new symptoms, or have risk factors for stroke or heart problems, get medical care promptly.

Vertigo vs. “Just Dizzy”: Why the Difference Matters

People use “dizzy” to mean everything from “lightheaded” to “off-balance” to “I stood up too fast and met my ancestors for a second.” Vertigo is more specific: it’s the sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning, tilting, or moving when they aren’t.

That distinction matters because classic vertigo often points to the inner ear (vestibular system) or the brain pathways that process balance. The most common cause is a benign inner-ear problem called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)dramatic name, usually fixable issue.

First: Check for Red Flags (The “Don’t Power Through This” List)

Most vertigo is not life-threatening, but some dizziness and vertigo can signal serious problems. Seek emergency care if vertigo comes with symptoms like:

• Weakness or inability to move an arm/leg
• Slurred speech, confusion, or new trouble speaking
• New vision changes (double vision, loss of vision)
• Fainting or loss of alertness
• Severe headache, stiff neck, seizure
• Chest pain, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat
• Persistent vomiting or inability to keep fluids down
• Vertigo after a head injury

If you’ve never had vertigo beforeor it’s different from your usual patterndon’t self-diagnose with confidence just because you watched one video at 2 a.m. (We’ve all been there.) Get evaluated.

Common Causes of Vertigo (And What They Usually Feel Like)

1) BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo)

Clue: Brief spinning episodes triggered by head movementsrolling over in bed, looking up, bending down. BPPV happens when tiny calcium carbonate crystals (otoconia) end up where they don’t belong inside the inner ear. Your balance sensors get confused and your brain throws a spinning tantrum.

2) Vestibular Neuritis (Sometimes Labyrinthitis)

Clue: Sudden, intense vertigo that can last for days, often after a viral illness. Nausea, vomiting, and imbalance are common. If hearing symptoms are also present, clinicians may consider labyrinthitis or other diagnoses.

3) Ménière’s Disease

Clue: Vertigo episodes plus hearing changes (often fluctuating), tinnitus (ringing), and a feeling of fullness/pressure in the ear. Management often includes lifestyle strategies and sometimes medications to reduce inner-ear fluid issues.

4) Vestibular Migraine

Clue: Vertigo with migraine features (light/sound sensitivity, headache for some people, motion sensitivity, “migraine brain” fog). You can have vestibular migraine even if you don’t always get a classic headache.

5) Medication, dehydration, low blood pressure, anxiety, and more

Some meds can cause dizziness, and dehydration can make balance symptoms worse. Anxiety can amplify sensations of rocking or unsteadiness. These may not be “true spinning vertigo,” but they can feel awfuland they still deserve evaluation if persistent or severe.

How to Stop Getting Vertigo: What Actually Works

“Stop getting vertigo” isn’t one magic trick. It’s more like a choose-your-own-adventure where the ending depends on the cause. Here are the most evidence-based options clinicians commonly use.

Treatment #1: Repositioning Maneuvers for BPPV (The MVP Option)

If you have BPPV, the best first-line treatment is usually a canalith repositioning proceduremost famously the Epley maneuver. The goal is to guide those misplaced crystals out of the semicircular canal back into a safer area of the inner ear.

What it’s like: You move through a sequence of positions that may temporarily trigger spinning (not your favorite), but many people feel noticeably better afterward.

A practical, safety-first way to use this idea:

• If you have new vertigo, neck/back problems, vascular problems, or neurologic symptoms, get evaluated before trying home maneuvers.
• Ask a clinician or physical therapist to confirm BPPV (often with the Dix-Hallpike test) and show you the right maneuver for the affected ear and canal.
• If your provider confirms posterior canal BPPV, they may recommend Epley in-office and sometimes teach a home version.

Example: If spinning hits every time you roll to your right side in bed and lasts under a minute, a clinician may suspect right-sided posterior canal BPPV. A properly performed repositioning maneuver can be highly effective, sometimes requiring repeat attempts.

Brandt-Daroff exercises are another at-home option sometimes recommended, especially when diagnosis is established and symptoms recur. They’re typically done in repeated sets over days.

Treatment #2: Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT)

If your vertigo is lingering, recurring, or tied to vestibular neuritis, concussion, vestibular migraine, or balance problems, vestibular rehabilitation therapy can be a game-changer. VRT is a structured exercise program designed to help your brain adapt, compensate, and regain steadier balance.

VRT commonly includes:

• Gaze stabilization (training your eyes and inner ear to cooperate)
• Balance training (safe, progressive challenges)
• Habituation exercises (reducing sensitivity to motion triggers)

What to expect: Many programs involve weekly sessions for several weeks plus daily home exercises. It can feel mildly symptom-provoking at first (your brain is learning), but the goal is steady improvementnot misery. A good therapist will adjust intensity so it’s productive, not punishing.

Treatment #3: Medications (HelpfulBut Usually Short-Term)

Medication can reduce symptoms like severe nausea or intense spinning, especially in the early phase of conditions like vestibular neuritis. Common categories include:

• Antihistamines (example: meclizine) for vertigo symptoms
• Antiemetics for nausea/vomiting
• Benzodiazepines in select cases (due to sedation and dependency risk, clinicians are cautious)

But here’s the catch: Many vestibular-suppressing medications are best used briefly. Prolonged use can slow vestibular compensation (your brain’s natural recovery process) and increase fall risk due to drowsiness.

Real-world scenario: Someone with vestibular neuritis may use a vestibular suppressant for a couple days to function and hydrate, then transition toward movement and rehab exercises as tolerated so the nervous system can recalibrate.

Treatment #4: Vestibular Neuritis Care (Inflammation, Hydration, and Rehab)

For vestibular neuritis, clinicians may consider medications to reduce severe dizziness early on and sometimes corticosteroids to reduce inflammation (depending on timing and individual factors). Hydration matters because vomiting and poor intake can spiral symptoms.

Once the “worst of it” settles, gradual movement and vestibular exercises are commonly used to support recoveryoften with guidance from vestibular rehab.

Treatment #5: Ménière’s Strategies (Diet, Triggers, and Sometimes Diuretics)

Ménière’s disease management often includes lifestyle adjustments aimed at reducing fluid-related inner ear pressure. Common strategies include:

• Lower sodium intake (many clinicians recommend a lower-salt plan; some guidance is around 1,500–2,000 mg/day depending on the source and individual care plan)
• Limiting alcohol and caffeine if they worsen symptoms
• Prioritizing sleep and stress management
• Medications such as diuretics (“water pills”) may be used in some cases

If vertigo attacks are frequent or disabling, ear specialists may discuss additional options. The right plan is individualized and depends on symptom pattern, hearing status, and response to conservative care.

Treatment #6: Vestibular Migraine Prevention (Think “Migraine Rules,” Not “Ear Rules”)

Vestibular migraine treatment often looks like classic migraine care: identifying triggers, stabilizing routines, and using preventive medications when attacks are frequent.

Helpful habits commonly include:

• Consistent sleep schedule (yes, even weekends)
• Regular meals (skipping lunch can be a migraine invitation)
• Hydration and stress-reduction techniques
• Motion management (gradual exposure, VRT if appropriate)

Clinicians may prescribe preventive medications such as beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, or certain antidepressants used in migraine preventiondepending on your health profile. Vestibular suppressants like meclizine are typically minimized and used only occasionally as needed during an episode.

Home Tips That Help Right Now (Without Making Things Worse)

Whether you’re in the middle of vertigo or trying to prevent the next episode, these practical steps can reduce risk and discomfort:

Move like you’re carrying a full cup of coffee

Translation: slow and steady. Sudden head turns can trigger symptomsespecially with BPPV or after neuritis. Sit up slowly, pause, then stand.

Hydrate and fuel your body

Dehydration and low blood sugar can worsen dizziness. If nausea is intense, try small sips frequently (electrolyte solutions can help) and bland foods when tolerated.

Create a fall-proof zone

• Use nightlights
• Clear floor clutter (goodbye, surprise laundry mountain)
• Hold railings on stairs
• Consider a shower chair temporarily if you feel unsteady

Know your triggersthen manage them, not fear them

For BPPV, certain positions are predictable triggers. For migraine, triggers can include sleep disruption, stress swings, certain foods for some people, or sensory overload. Tracking patterns (simple notes, not a spreadsheet dissertation) can help your clinician tailor treatment.

How Doctors Figure Out What’s Causing Your Vertigo

A good vertigo evaluation is usually more detective work than high-tech drama. Clinicians often rely on:

• History: What triggers it? How long does it last? Any hearing symptoms?
• Bedside exams: Eye movements (nystagmus), balance testing
• Dix-Hallpike test: Helps diagnose common forms of BPPV
• Hearing tests: Especially when Ménière’s disease is suspected
• Imaging: Usually reserved for red flags or concerns about central causes

If your symptoms don’t fit a classic pattern or you have neurologic signs, your clinician may broaden the workup. That’s not “bad news” by defaultit’s just careful medicine.

Prevention: How to Reduce Recurrence Over Time

Some vertigo conditions recur, but you can often reduce how often they happen and how disruptive they feel.

If you get recurring BPPV

• Learn the warning signs early (bed turns, looking up, bending down)
• Ask your clinician which side/canal is affected and what maneuver is appropriate
• Consider vestibular therapy if you have lingering imbalance or repeated episodes

If vestibular migraine is your pattern

• Stabilize sleep, meals, hydration
• Discuss preventive medication if attacks are frequent
• Manage stress with realistic tools (walking, CBT skills, breathing exercises)

If Ménière’s is suspected or diagnosed

• Talk with an ENT/audiologist about diet strategies and hearing monitoring
• Follow your individualized plan for sodium, fluids, and medications

Quick FAQ

Can vertigo go away on its own?

Yessome episodes resolve naturally, especially if caused by a temporary issue. But recurring or severe vertigo deserves evaluation because targeted treatments can shorten suffering and reduce recurrence.

Is the Epley maneuver safe to do at home?

It can be, when BPPV is confirmed and you’ve been taught the correct technique. If you have neck/back issues, vascular problems, neurologic symptoms, or you’re unsure of the diagnosis, get medical guidance first.

What’s the fastest way to stop vertigo?

For BPPV, a correctly performed repositioning maneuver is often the fastest route to relief. For other causes, symptom meds may help short-term while the underlying condition is addressed and rehab supports recovery.

Should I avoid moving my head?

During severe spinning, safety first. But long-term, gentle, progressive movement often helps recoveryespecially when guided by vestibular rehab. Total avoidance can prolong sensitivity.

Real-Life Experiences: What Vertigo “Feels Like” (And What Helped)

Vertigo can be hard to explain to someone who hasn’t had it. People often say it’s not just dizzinessit’s a full-body “Nope.” Below are common experience patterns (composite examples) that match how different vertigo causes tend to show up. If you see yourself in one of these, it can help you describe symptoms more clearly to a clinicianwhich often speeds up the right treatment.

Experience 1: “My bed turned into a carnival ride” (Classic BPPV vibes)

You roll to the right in bed and the room suddenly spins like you’re trapped inside a washing machine on the “extra dramatic” cycle. It lasts 10–30 seconds, you grab the mattress like it owes you money, and then it fadesuntil you move your head the wrong way again.

People with this pattern often discover they can “avoid” the spinning by sleeping propped up or refusing to look up at anything ever again (which is inconvenient because shelves exist). When a clinician confirms BPPV, a repositioning maneuver can feel like magic: briefly uncomfortable, then surprisingly calminglike someone finally told your inner ear to stop freelancing. Some people need repeat maneuvers, and some have recurrences months later. The best takeaway: learn the pattern, get it confirmed, and have a plan for the next flare instead of suffering in suspense.

Experience 2: “I woke up and the world was movingnonstop” (Vestibular neuritis pattern)

This one can feel scary. The spinning isn’t just when you move your headit’s constant and intense for hours to days, often with nausea that makes even sipping water feel like an athletic event. People frequently report they had a cold or viral illness recently, thenboomvertigo shows up uninvited.

Early on, symptom relief can matter because dehydration and exhaustion make everything worse. Many people describe a turning point when they can finally keep fluids down and sleep. After the acute phase, what helps most is a gradual return to movement (often with vestibular exercises). It can feel counterintuitive: “Move more to feel less dizzy?” But over time, the brain adapts. The “win” isn’t instantit’s steady improvement, fewer bad waves, and a return to normal balance confidence.

Experience 3: “My vertigo comes with brain fog, light sensitivity, and random nausea” (Vestibular migraine energy)

Some people chase the wrong culprit for years because they don’t always get head pain. They’ll say: “I’m dizzy, but it’s not ear-related,” or “I feel like I’m on a boat,” or “Grocery store aisles destroy me.” Bright lights, scrolling, loud environments, poor sleep, skipped meals, and stress spikes can all be suspicious.

When vestibular migraine is the underlying issue, the biggest improvement often comes from boring (but powerful) consistency: regular sleep, meals, hydration, and stress tools that actually happen in real life. If attacks are frequent, preventive meds can reduce the “frequency and intensity” combo. People often say the goal isn’t becoming a robotit’s giving the nervous system fewer surprises.

Experience 4: “My ear feels full, my hearing fluctuates, and vertigo hits in episodes” (Ménière’s-like pattern)

This pattern tends to arrive in episodes and may include ear pressure, ringing, or hearing changes. Many people find that sodium, caffeine, alcohol, poor sleep, and stress can worsen symptoms (though triggers vary). The frustrating part is unpredictabilityvertigo can make you feel like you can’t trust your own schedule.

People who improve often describe it as a combination approach: working with an ENT/audiologist, adjusting diet and routines, using medications when appropriate, and building a safety plan for attacks (hydration, anti-nausea strategies, a place to lie down). Even when symptoms don’t vanish overnight, having a plan reduces fearwhich, ironically, can reduce symptom amplification.

Bottom line from the “experience department”: Vertigo is common, miserable, and often treatable. The best outcomes usually come from (1) matching the treatment to the cause, (2) using symptom meds strategically (not forever), and (3) retraining balance with vestibular rehab when needed.

Conclusion

If you want to know how to stop getting vertigo, start with the most practical truth: vertigo isn’t one conditionit’s a symptom with multiple causes. BPPV often improves quickly with the right repositioning maneuver. Vestibular neuritis may require short-term symptom control plus rehab for recovery. Ménière’s disease and vestibular migraine typically improve with a longer-term plan that combines lifestyle strategies and, when needed, medication.

And if your vertigo is new, severe, paired with neurologic symptoms, or simply not behaving like a typical inner-ear problem, get medical care quickly. Your safety matters more than toughing it out.