While it’s not the most pleasant feeling, you’ve probably experienced dizziness before. Whether you simply stood up too quickly or just hopped off an amusement park ride, the feeling of the world spinning around you typically clears up quickly. However, the sensation of vertigo may not always have such an obvious trigger, and sometimes it can last longer than you’d like.
Because of the connection between vertigo and the inner ear, you may worry that wearing hearing aids is causing you to experience vertigo or that your vertigo will worsen if you start wearing hearing aids. But wearing hearing aids does not cause vertigo. To learn about the relationship between the inner ear and vertigo, read on.
Vertigo is the sensation that you are spinning, or the world is spinning around you, even when there is no actual movement occurring. The sensation of movement can also be accompanied by a loss of balance.
It’s important to understand that vertigo itself is not a disease, but it can be a symptom of other underlying conditions, many of which are related to the ears. In fact, there are two main types of vertigo: central vertigo, which occurs from an issue affecting the brain (such as a stroke), and peripheral vertigo, which relates to the inner ear.
The inner ear is an important part of the body’s vestibular system, a sensory system that helps provide your brain information about balance and movement. Inside the inner ear are loop-shaped canals called semicircular canals, that contain fine hair cells and fluid. The hair cells are like sensors that send messages to your brain when they sense up and down, side to side, or tilting movements.
Damage to the delicate system within the inner ear can lead to balance trouble or vertigo. The following conditions related to the inner ear can be causes of vertigo:
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, is one of the most common causes of vertigo. BPPV is a condition that occurs when tiny calcium carbonate crystals in the semicircular canals, called otoconia, break loose and float freely. Because of this, certain head movements may trigger the feeling of movement and vertigo.
Labyrinthitis is an infection of the inner ear that causes inflammation of the labyrinth, which contains the semicircular canals and other parts of the vestibular system. Labyrinthitis typically only occurs in one ear. When the labyrinth or one of the nerves inside it is infected and inflamed, it can’t send signals to the brain properly. The brain must then interpret signals from one healthy and one inflamed inner ear, leading to dizziness.
Similar to labyrinthitis, vestibular neuritis is caused by swelling in the inner ear. However, in this case, only the vestibular nerve is affected. This condition can result in prolonged vertigo but doesn’t usually affect hearing.
While vertigo and the inner ear go hand-in-hand, hearing aids are not the culprit of vertigo. If you are new to wearing hearing aids, you might experience an adjustment period as you get used to the sensation of wearing and hearing through hearing aids. However, there is not significant evidence that hearing aids cause vertigo or balance issues—they may actually improve balance as hearing improves!
Yes, an inner ear infection can cause vertigo and dizziness. The inner ear contains structures responsible for balance, including the vestibular system. When this area becomes inflamed due to infection—often referred to as vestibular neuritis or labyrinthitis—it can disrupt the brain's ability to process spatial orientation and motion, leading to symptoms like spinning sensations, unsteadiness, and nausea.
Vertigo from an inner ear infection typically comes on suddenly and may be accompanied by hearing changes or ringing in the ear, depending on the severity and type of infection. These symptoms occur, causing confusion about body position and movement. In many cases, dizziness may worsen with head movements and improve slightly when staying still. Some people also experience difficulty with focusing or concentration during episodes.
While the condition can be alarming, it is often temporary, with symptoms improving over days to weeks as the infection resolves. Medical evaluation is important to rule out other causes of vertigo and ensure appropriate treatment. Management may include rest, hydration, anti-inflammatory medications, or vestibular suppressants to relieve discomfort and support recovery. In more persistent cases, vestibular rehabilitation therapy may help restore balance function.
The duration of vertigo depends on its underlying cause. Here’s a general overview:
If vertigo lasts more than a few days, worsens, or is accompanied by symptoms like double vision, severe headache, or trouble speaking, medical evaluation is necessary. In most non-serious cases, symptoms improve gradually with rest, medication, or vestibular therapy.
Vertigo itself cannot kill you—it is not a life-threatening condition. However, it can increase the risk of accidents and injuries, especially from falls, due to the sudden loss of balance or disorientation it causes.
Here’s what you should know:
In summary, while vertigo itself won’t kill you, the underlying cause or resulting accidents can be dangerous. Persistent, sudden, or severe vertigo should always be assessed by your primary care physician to rule out serious conditions. Miracle-Ear cannot diagnose nor treat vertigo.
Vertigo feels like a false sense of movement—most commonly described as a spinning or whirling sensation, even when you're standing or sitting still. It can feel as though you or your surroundings are rotating, tilting, or swaying.
People experiencing vertigo often report:
The intensity can range from mild to severe. In some cases, vertigo lasts only seconds or minutes, while in others it can persist for hours or days. It may worsen when turning your head, lying down, or standing up suddenly.
Unlike general dizziness or faintness, vertigo is specifically related to the inner ear or brain areas that control balance. It can be accompanied by other symptoms like ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing changes, or a feeling of pressure in the head or ears, depending on the cause.
Fluid in the ear—especially in the middle or inner ear—can cause dizziness and vertigo. This is because the ear plays a key role in maintaining balance, and excess fluid can interfere with how balance signals are sent to the brain.
Here’s how it works:
In both cases, the fluid affects how your inner ear functions and communicates with your brain about motion and spatial orientation. When those signals become distorted, your brain receives conflicting information, triggering vertigo or dizziness. These symptoms may come and go, or persist depending on the underlying condition.
If you experience recurring or severe episodes, especially with hearing changes or pressure in the ear, it’s important to seek medical evaluation to determine the cause and appropriate treatment.
While vertigo may make you feel sleepy or fatigued, it is not a direct symptom. The tiredness often comes from the body’s response to the vertigo rather than the condition itself.
Here are some reasons why vertigo may lead to sleepiness:
If you’re experiencing persistent sleepiness alongside vertigo, it’s a good idea to speak with a healthcare provider. It may help to rule out underlying causes or adjust your medication if needed.
In the U.S. medical system, several healthcare professionals are qualified to diagnose and treat vertigo and dizziness, depending on the suspected cause.
Typically, the first step is to schedule an appointment with a primary care physician (PCP). They will perform an initial evaluation, review your symptoms, and may order basic tests.
If the cause isn’t immediately clear or requires specialized care, they’ll refer you to a specialist. An otolaryngologist, also known as an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor, is a common referral for vertigo related to inner ear issues, such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), labyrinthitis, or Ménière’s disease.
They may also coordinate care with an audiologist, a licensed professional who conducts hearing and balance tests.
If the dizziness is suspected to be neurological, you may be referred to a neurologist. Neurologist evaluates conditions such as vestibular migraines, multiple sclerosis, or brain-related causes of vertigo.
For ongoing balance problems, a physical therapist trained in vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) can provide exercises that help retrain your balance system and reduce symptoms.
In some cases, especially when symptoms are complex, a multidisciplinary approach involving several of these professionals is used to ensure accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
While you can be hospitalized for vertigo and dizziness, it typically depends on the severity, underlying cause, and associated symptoms.
Common reasons for hospitalization include:
While many cases of vertigo can be managed outpatient, emergency evaluation is advised if symptoms are sudden, intense, or accompanied by other concerning signs.
Feeling "off" after an episode of vertigo or dizziness is very common, and it can happen for several reasons:
If the “off” feeling persists for more than a couple of weeks or worsens, it’s a good idea to consult a healthcare provider or a vestibular specialist for follow-up.
A clogged ear may cause vertigo and lightheadedness, especially if the blockage affects the structures involved in balance and hearing.
Common causes and how they lead to these symptoms:
While a clogged ear often leads to temporary and mild dizziness, if symptoms are persistent, severe, or accompanied by hearing loss, ringing, or pain, it’s important to consult a healthcare provider. These could indicate an infection or inner ear issue that needs treatment.
Water in the ears can cause discomfort and temporary imbalance, but it rarely causes true vertigo originating from the inner ear—unless it leads to an infection or affects the inner ear structures indirectly.
Water trapped in the outer ear (the ear canal) after swimming or showering can create a blocked or full feeling, mild disorientation, or muffled hearing. This is not true vertigo, but it can make you feel "off balance" or lightheaded. If trapped water leads to a middle ear infection (otitis media) or outer ear infection (swimmer’s ear), it can cause inflammation and potentially affect balance indirectly—especially if pressure builds up behind the eardrum.
True vertigo (a spinning sensation) involves the inner ear and vestibular system. Water doesn’t normally reach this area unless there is a perforated eardrum or fistula, which are uncommon and often linked to trauma or surgery.
In rare cases:
If cold water enters the ear canal during activities like diving or certain ear cleaning procedures, it can trigger caloric stimulation, a phenomenon where temperature differences affect the inner ear, causing brief vertigo.
If you experience prolonged dizziness or vertigo after water exposure, it’s best to consult your primary care physician to rule out infection or other underlying issues.
Vertigo is not contagious. It is a symptom, not a disease, and cannot be passed from one person to another. Vertigo typically results from issues affecting the inner ear, brain, or nervous system. Common causes include:
While some causes of vertigo (like vestibular neuritis) can follow a viral infection, the virus itself might be contagious—not the vertigo. For example, if you catch a cold or flu from someone, you may develop similar symptoms if the virus affects your inner ear, but you did not "catch" vertigo directly.
If you're experiencing vertigo, especially with other symptoms like hearing loss, severe headache, or vision changes, it’s important to see PCP to determine the cause and get appropriate treatment.
Vertigo and dizziness are often used interchangeably, but they describe different sensations and have different underlying causes.
Vertigo is the feeling that you or your surroundings are moving or spinning when there is no actual motion. It's a false sense of movement, often described as a whirling or tilting sensation. Vertigo is usually caused by problems in the inner ear or the brain’s balance system. Common symptoms include a spinning feeling, nausea, balance issues, and abnormal eye movements. The sensation often worsens with head movement and may come on suddenly.
Dizziness, on the other hand, is a broader term that refers to feeling lightheaded, unsteady, or faint. Unlike vertigo, it doesn’t involve a sensation of spinning. Dizziness can result from many different conditions, such as low blood pressure, dehydration, anemia, anxiety, or side effects of medications. People with dizziness may feel like they’re about to pass out or lose their balance, and the sensation may improve when lying down.
In short, vertigo involves a spinning or motion-like sensation, while dizziness feels more like lightheadedness or imbalance. Identifying which one you’re experiencing is key to identifying the right cause and treatment.
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