What Causes Sudden Episodes Of Vertigo That Last Just A Few Seconds?

Posted on Fri, 23 Oct 2015

Question: Just now I had to wake up cz I had a very bad dizzy spell and this time when it happened I almost felt like I wouldn't get out of it cz when I woke my whole body felt lifeless n everything felt like I almost faded away.. it lasted for only a few seconds but ut wad the longest I have ever felt. This always happens to me but this time it really scared me. Ive had a stroke in the past like 7 to 8 years ago n I'm just so scared.. I am scared to fall asleep rihht now..

Answered by Dr. Ajay Panwar (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Positional vertigo.Tell a few details.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.

If you would have presented to me as an outpatient with this complaint,I would have told you that-

Dizziness episode lasting for just a few seconds is not probably due to old stroke.It should not be related with old stroke.
Its likely causes can be-

Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo
Meniere's disease
Central causes like arachnoid cyst
Syncope

Please tell a few details which may be indicative of some causes-
1)Is dizziness related to neck movements,anyway?
2)Any history of tinnitus or hearing loss?
3)History of postural drop in blood pressure?
4)Any history of loss of consciousness?

Please tell the above details so that I can answer it well.

Regards
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar