Bedside Assessment of Acute Dizziness and Vertigo

Miriam S Welgampola; Andrew Phillip Bradshaw; Corinna Lechner; Gabor Michael Halmagyi

doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2015.04.001

Bedside Assessment of Acute Dizziness and Vertigo

Neurol Clin. 2015 Aug;33(3):551-64, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2015.04.001.

Authors

Miriam S Welgampola¹, Andrew Phillip Bradshaw², Corinna Lechner², Gabor Michael Halmagyi²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Central Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: miriam@icn.usyd.edu.au.
² Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Central Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

PMID: 26231271
DOI: 10.1016/j.ncl.2015.04.001

Abstract

Dizziness is a common symptom in emergency departments, general practice, and outpatient clinics. Faced with an acutely dizzy patient, the frontline physician must determine whether or not the symptoms are vestibular in origin and, if they are, which vestibular disorder they best fit. A focused history provides useful clues to the likely cause of dizziness, yet it is the clinical examination that yields the final answer. This article summarizes history and examination techniques that are useful in the assessment of acutely dizzy patients and discusses oculomotor signs that accompany common vestibular disorders.

Keywords: BPV; Meniere disease; Nystagmus; Vestibular migraine; Vestibular neuritis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Acute Disease
Dizziness / diagnosis*
Dizziness / physiopathology
Humans
Meniere Disease / diagnosis
Migraine Disorders / diagnosis
Nystagmus, Pathologic / diagnosis
Vertigo / diagnosis*
Vertigo / physiopathology