Feeling dizzy now and then is common, and the NHS and HSE say it is not usually serious. It usually goes away on its own. Dizziness covers a few different feelings, and it helps to tell them apart:
Dizziness becomes an emergency when it comes with signs that the brain or heart is involved. Those are listed below.
Call 112 or 999 (Ireland), 999 (UK) or 911 (US) if you are dizzy and have:
These can be signs of a stroke or a heart problem. With stroke signs, call even if the symptoms go away.
Get an urgent GP appointment (in the UK, NHS 111) if you have vertigo and:
See a GP if dizziness will not go away or keeps coming back, or you are worried about it.
It helps your doctor if you can describe the dizziness in detail. Try to notice:
The NHS and HSE give these patterns as clues, while warning against self-diagnosis:
If you feel lightheaded when you stand up or change position quickly, it may be postural hypotension, a type of low blood pressure. The NHS says low blood pressure is a reading below 90/60mmHg. It can also cause blurred vision, feeling sick, weakness, confusion and fainting.
The NHS suggests getting up slowly, especially out of bed, eating small, frequent meals and drinking more water. A GP may suggest changing a medicine or its dose if that is the cause. If you have actually fainted, our guide to fainting explains which faints need urgent tests.
The NHS and HSE list dehydration and heat exhaustion among common causes. Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, is one of their first self-care steps. In people with diabetes, low blood sugar can cause dizziness along with shaking, sweating and hunger.
Iron deficiency anaemia is on the NHS and HSE list of illnesses that can cause dizziness. The NHS says a GP will usually check for it with a blood test (a full blood count).
Stress and anxiety can cause dizziness. The NHS lists dizziness and feeling faint among panic attack symptoms, along with a racing heart, sweating and trembling. Our guide to panic attacks versus panic disorder explains the difference and what helps.
Palpitations are a racing, pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat. They often do not need treatment. But the NHS says to call 999 or go to A&E if they do not go away. The same applies if they come with chest pain, shortness of breath, or feeling faint.
The NHS says vertigo feels like you or everything around you is spinning, enough to affect your balance. It is more than just feeling dizzy. Attacks can last from a few seconds to hours, or longer when severe. The NHS says inner-ear problems are the most common causes.
Our detailed guide to vertigo: BPPV, vestibular neuritis and Ménière's explains how doctors tell these apart and what treatment achieves.
A German national survey screened 4,869 adults and followed up with detailed interviews. Vertigo from the balance system affected 7.4% of adults at some point in life. About 4.9% had it in a given year. In 80% of those affected, it led to a medical visit, time off normal activities or sick leave.
The NHS says a GP will ask about your symptoms to find the cause. For vertigo, they may do a simple test that involves moving quickly from sitting to lying down. This can bring on symptoms. Expect questions such as:
Your GP may check your blood pressure, including when you stand up, and your heart rate. A blood test may check for anaemia. You might be referred to a specialist for further tests. If palpitations are part of the picture, the NHS says you may have a heart tracing (ECG).
When you feel dizzy, the NHS and HSE suggest:
For vertigo, the NHS adds: lie still in a quiet, dark room, sleep with your head slightly raised, and sit on the edge of the bed for a while before standing. If you drive and have vertigo, the NHS says you must tell the DVLA in the UK.
A common reason is that your blood pressure drops briefly when you stand. This is called postural hypotension. Get up slowly, and see a GP if it keeps happening or you faint.
Yes. The NHS and HSE list stress and anxiety as causes, and dizziness is a panic attack symptom. But see a GP if dizziness keeps coming back, so other causes can be checked.
Vertigo is one type of dizziness: the feeling that you or the room is spinning. Feeling lightheaded, faint or off-balance without spinning is also called dizziness, but it often has different causes.
Get emergency help if dizziness comes with double vision, hearing loss with vertigo, trouble speaking, weakness or numbness, chest pain or fainting. See a GP if it will not go away or keeps coming back.
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you the cause of your symptoms. If dizziness will not go away or keeps coming back, see your GP.
Reviewed by: Proco Team
Last updated: November 2026