Version July 2025
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What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care in the emergency department ("ED").
What should I know? —
You came to the ED for "vertigo." This is a kind of dizziness. It makes you feel like you are spinning, swaying, or tilting, or like the room is moving around you. It often makes you feel like you are about to fall or pass out. Vertigo can also cause you to feel lightheaded or make it hard for you to walk straight.
Depending on the cause, vertigo can come and go, and might last seconds, hours, or days.
Vertigo can be caused by many different things, including inner ear problems, infection, migraine, certain medicines, injury, and stroke. The doctors think your vertigo is likely not caused by something serious. You can recover at home.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also do the following:
●Call your regular doctor and tell them you were in the ED. Make a follow-up appointment if you were told to.
●Take extra care to protect yourself from falls or injury:
•Sit or lie down right away if you feel faint or dizzy.
•Avoid driving when you feel dizzy. If you feel dizzy while driving, pull over right away.
•Use a cane or a walker if you have to walk when you feel dizzy. Or have another person help you walk, so you don't fall.
●Take extra care when changing positions:
•Avoid changing positions too quickly. Be careful when moving from sitting to standing.
•After you wake up, sit on the edge of the bed for a few minutes before you stand up. Start to walk slowly after you stand up.
•Move your legs often if you need to sit or stand in 1 position for a long time.
●If you were given exercises to help with your vertigo, follow instructions for how and when to do them.
When should I get emergency help?
●Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if you:
•Have signs of stroke, like sudden:
-Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on 1 side of the body
-Confusion, or trouble speaking or understanding
-Trouble seeing in 1 or both eyes
-Trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
-Severe headache with no known cause
•Pass out
●Return to the ED if:
•You cannot stop vomiting.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if:
●Your vertigo episodes are lasting longer or coming more frequently than they used to.
●You cannot walk or stand because of your vertigo.
●You continue to vomit.
●You have new or worsening symptoms.
Patient education: Vertigo (a type of dizziness) (The Basics)
Patient education: Preventing falls in adults (The Basics)
