What Should You Not Do When You Have Vertigo?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Sit or lie down immediately when you feel dizzy. Lie still with your eyes closed in a darkened room if you’re experiencing a severe episode of vertigo. Avoid driving a car or operating heavy machinery if you experience frequent dizziness without warning.

Avoid using caffeine, alcohol, salt and tobacco

.

Do and don’ts for vertigo?


DOs and DON



Ts

in Managing

Vertigo

:


DON



T

ignore

vertigo

, especially when you have other symptoms.

DON



T

use very high doses of aspirin. Aspirin may cause

vertigo

when used in high doses.

DON



T

forget to tell your health care provider about any drugs you take, including over-the-counter and herbal products.

What triggers vertigo attacks?


Stress, anxiety and depression

can all trigger vertigo attacks. Do what you can to avoid these pressures or to manage them when they can’t be prevented. Talking to a friend, taking time to relax, or using meditation techniques could help.

What helps vertigo and dizziness go away?

Sometimes doctors recommend antihistamines, such as

Antivert (meclizine)

, Benadryl (diphenhydramine), or Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) to help vertigo episodes. Anticholinergics, such as the Transderm Scop patch, may also help with dizziness.

What is the best treatment for vertigo?

Acute vertigo is best treated with nonspecific medication such as

dimenhydrinate (Dramamine®) and meclizine (Bonine®)

. These medications are eventually weaned as they can prevent healing over the long-term, explains Dr. Fahey.

How should you sleep when you have vertigo?

Many experts recommend that you

try and sleep on your back

, as the crystals within your ear canals are less likely to become disturbed and trigger a vertigo attack. If you happen to get up in the middle of the night, rise slowly as opposed to making any sudden movements with the head or the neck.

How do you get rid of vertigo fast?

  1. Sit on the edge of your bed. Turn your head 45 degrees to the right.
  2. Quickly lie down on your left side. Stay there for 30 seconds.
  3. Quickly move to lie down on the opposite end of your bed. …
  4. Return slowly to sitting and wait a few minutes.
  5. Reverse these moves for the right ear.

Is vertigo a serious condition?

Vertigo treatments. Vertigo is bothersome, but it’s

rarely a sign of a serious health problem

. Treatment for vertigo aims to treat the underlying cause that’s producing the disorienting sensations in order to eliminate the symptoms. If a cause isn’t known, your doctor may also treat the symptoms of vertigo alone.

Can you get vertigo from stress?


Mental stress can make many forms of vertigo worse

, but will not, by itself, produce vertigo.

What foods should you avoid with vertigo?

Food rich in sodium like

soy sauce, chips, popcorn, cheese, pickles, papad and canned foods

are to be avoided. You may replace your regular salt with low sodium salt as sodium is the main culprit in aggravating vertigo.

Which fruit is good for vertigo?


Strawberries

are a rich source of vitamin C and help ease the sensations that vertigo causes. You can eat three to four fresh strawberries every day.

How long does it take for vertigo to go away?

It usually comes on suddenly and can cause other symptoms, such as unsteadiness, nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (being sick). You won’t normally have any hearing problems. It usually lasts a few hours or days, but it may take

three to six weeks

to settle completely.

Will rest help vertigo?

Medical advice for vestibular neuritis is to

avoid bed rest and get back to normal life

as quickly as possible. This kick-starts the brain into compensating for the vertigo so it doesn’t become a long-term problem.

Can earwax cause vertigo?

Vertigo is also

possible if the earwax pushes against the eardrum

, or tympanic membrane. This symptom can cause nausea and a sensation of moving even when a person is staying still.

Does benign vertigo go away?


BPPV does often go away on its own over time

. But in many cases it does come back. If you are still having symptoms from BPPV, your healthcare provider may tell you how to prevent symptoms.

What medicine does the doctor prescribe for vertigo?

Your doctor may begin treatment by recommending bed rest or prescribing medications that suppress the activity of the inner ear, such as

meclizine (Antivert, Bonine and other brand names)

, dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) or promethazine (Phenergan); anticholinergic medications such as scopolamine (Transderm-Sco); or a …

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.