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Category: Disability Terms

Vertigo

Simply put

Feeling a sensation of spinning, whirling, or dizziness, often caused by a problem in the inner ear.

Why it matters

Vertigo is a symptom and is usually caused by an inner ear problem.

Common causes include BBPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), Meniere's disease, and vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis, according to WebMD. Less-common causes are cited as head or neck injury, stroke, brain tumor, medications, and migraines.

NHS Inform says that "vertigo is often incorrectly used to describe a fear of heights."