Assessment of dizziness

Last reviewed: 24 Feb 2023
Last updated: 25 Feb 2022

Summary

Differentials

Common

  • Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV)
  • Meniere's disease
  • Vestibular neuritis
  • Labyrinthitis
  • Vestibular migraine
  • Pre-syncope
  • Orthostatic hypotension
  • Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Alcohol
  • Drugs
Full details

Uncommon

  • Cholesteatoma
  • Superior semi-circular canal dehiscence
  • Perilymphatic fistula
  • Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD)
  • Posterior fossa tumour
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Posterior circulation stroke
  • Vertebrobasilar insufficiency
  • Arnold-Chiari malformation type 1
  • Wallenberg's syndrome (Lateral medullary infarction)
  • Trauma
  • Vertebral artery dissection
  • Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration
  • Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
  • Normal pressure hydrocephalus
  • Mal de debarquement syndrome
  • Psychophysiological dizziness
  • Psychogenic dizziness
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
  • Cogan's syndrome
  • Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis)
  • Behcet's disease
  • Carbon monoxide poisoning
  • Post-surgery
  • Secondary syphilis
Full details

Contributors

Authors

Susan A. Douglas, MBBS (Hons) UWI, FRCSEd, FRCS (ORL-HNS)

Consultant Otolaryngologist and Otologist

Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust

Rotherham

UK

Disclosures

SAD declares that she has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Susan Douglas would like to thank Professor William Gibson, a previous contributor to this topic. WG is an author of one of the references cited in this topic.

Peer reviewers

Joel Goebel, MD, FACS

Professor and Vice Chairman

Residency Program Director

Dizziness and Balance Center Director

Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Washington University School of Medicine

St. Louis

MO

Disclosures

JG is an author of a number of references cited in this topic.

Iain Swan, MD, FRCS

Senior Lecturer in Otolaryngology

Honorary Consultant Otolaryngologist

Glasgow Royal Infirmary

Glasgow

UK

Disclosures

IS declares that he has no competing interests.

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