Is vertigo usually serious?

No. The large majority of vertigo is caused by benign, treatable inner-ear conditions - most commonly BPPV. Only a small proportion is due to a serious cause such as a stroke, and these almost always come with extra warning signs like slurred speech, double vision, severe headache, or face/arm/leg weakness. If you have any of those, call 995.

What is the Epley manoeuvre and does it work?

The Epley manoeuvre is a sequence of guided head and body movements that shifts the dislodged inner-ear crystals causing BPPV back to where they no longer trigger vertigo. It is highly effective - symptoms resolve in around 8 in 10 people, often after one or two sessions - and can be repeated. It should ideally be done or taught by a doctor or physiotherapist.

How do I know if my dizziness is from my ear or from low blood pressure?

Inner-ear vertigo usually causes a true spinning sensation, sometimes triggered by head movement. Low blood pressure tends to cause lightheadedness or a feeling you might faint, classically when standing up quickly. A doctor can check your blood pressure lying and standing, and examine your inner ear, to tell them apart.

When should I go to A&E for dizziness?

Call 995 or go to the emergency department if dizziness comes with stroke-type signs: sudden severe headache, slurred speech, double or lost vision, facial or limb weakness or numbness, sudden severe difficulty walking, fainting, chest pain, or a very irregular heartbeat. New, constant, severe vertigo with these features needs urgent assessment.

Which doctor should I see for ongoing vertigo?

Start with your GP, who can diagnose and treat common causes like BPPV and prescribe symptom relief. If needed, you may be referred to an ENT specialist (especially for inner-ear conditions such as Meniere's disease) or a neurologist if a brain or nerve cause is suspected.

Vertigo & Dizziness in Singapore: Causes, Treatment & Costs

Written & reviewed by the BestDoctors.sg editorial team · Last updated 7 Aug 2026 · General information, not medical advice

Quick answer. True vertigo is a spinning sensation (the room or you seem to be moving), which is different from lightheadedness or feeling faint. The commonest cause is BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), a harmless inner-ear problem usually fixed with a repositioning manoeuvre such as the Epley; other causes include vestibular neuritis, Meniere’s disease and vestibular migraine. Most vertigo is benign and treatable. However, dizziness or vertigo WITH stroke-type signs – sudden severe headache, slurred speech, double vision, or facial/limb weakness or numbness – is an emergency: call 995. See a GP for persistent, severe or recurrent vertigo; they can refer you to an ENT specialist or neurologist.

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In a medical emergency, or for severe or sudden symptoms such as breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting or stroke signs, call 995 immediately.

Feeling dizzy or like the world is spinning is one of the most common reasons people in Singapore see a doctor – and it is also one of the most worrying, because symptoms can feel dramatic. The reassuring news is that the great majority of vertigo and dizziness comes from benign, treatable causes, most often a simple inner-ear problem. This guide explains the difference between dizziness and true vertigo, the usual causes, how each is treated, and the small number of warning signs that mean you should get help urgently.

At a glance

Common causes of vertigo and dizziness at a glance
Cause	Typical features	Treatment
BPPV	Brief (seconds) intense spinning triggered by head position changes; very common, benign	Epley or other repositioning manoeuvre; ~80% resolve in 1-2 sessions
Vestibular neuritis / labyrinthitis	Sudden, severe, constant vertigo lasting days, often after a viral illness; nausea	Short-term symptom relief, sometimes steroids; vestibular rehabilitation exercises
Meniere's disease	Recurrent vertigo (minutes-hours) with hearing loss, tinnitus and ear fullness	Low-salt diet, diuretics, betahistine; ENT review; injections in resistant cases
Vestibular migraine	Vertigo/dizziness with or without headache; light or sound sensitivity	Migraine treatment and triggers management; medication titrated by a doctor
Non-vestibular (low BP, dehydration, anaemia, medication, anxiety)	Lightheadedness or faintness rather than spinning; worse on standing	Treat the underlying cause: hydration, review medications, manage BP/anaemia/anxiety

Dizziness vs true vertigo: what's the difference?

“Dizziness” is an umbrella word people use for several different sensations, and pinning down which one you have helps narrow the cause:

True vertigo is a false sense of movement – usually a spinning sensation, as if you or the room is turning. It points strongly to the vestibular (balance) system in the inner ear or brain.
Lightheadedness or feeling faint (presyncope) is a sense that you might pass out. It is more often due to low blood pressure, dehydration, low blood sugar or anaemia rather than the inner ear.
Unsteadiness or imbalance is feeling off-balance on your feet, common with multiple sensory or neurological issues, especially in older adults.

When you see a doctor, describing your sensation in these terms – and noting what triggers it and how long it lasts – gives important clues to the diagnosis.

Common causes of vertigo

Most true vertigo comes from the inner ear (peripheral causes) and is benign:

BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) – the single commonest cause. Tiny calcium crystals dislodge into the inner-ear canals, triggering brief, intense spinning when you move your head – rolling over in bed, lying down, getting up or looking up. Each spell typically lasts seconds. It is harmless and very treatable.
Vestibular neuritis / labyrinthitis – inflammation of the balance nerve, often after a viral infection, causing sudden, severe, constant vertigo lasting days, sometimes with nausea and (in labyrinthitis) hearing changes.
Meniere’s disease – a build-up of inner-ear fluid causing recurrent episodes of vertigo lasting minutes to hours, with hearing loss, ringing in the ear (tinnitus) and a feeling of fullness.
Vestibular migraine – vertigo or dizziness linked to migraine, which may occur with or without a headache, sometimes with light or sound sensitivity.

Non-vestibular causes of dizziness

Not all dizziness comes from the ear. Common everyday causes – especially of lightheadedness rather than spinning – include:

Low blood pressure on standing (postural / orthostatic hypotension) – feeling faint when you stand up quickly.
Dehydration and heat – relevant in Singapore’s climate, particularly during exercise or illness.
Anaemia or low blood sugar.
Medications – some blood-pressure drugs, sedatives and others can cause dizziness as a side effect.
Anxiety and persistent (chronic subjective) dizziness – a real, well-recognised cause of ongoing giddiness without a structural inner-ear problem.

Because the causes overlap, a doctor will often check your blood pressure (lying and standing), pulse and sometimes blood tests alongside an inner-ear assessment.

How vertigo and dizziness are treated

Treatment depends on the cause, and most causes respond well:

Repositioning manoeuvres – for BPPV, a doctor performs simple guided head-and-body movements such as the Epley manoeuvre to move the dislodged crystals out of the canal. This resolves symptoms in around 8 in 10 people, often in one or two sessions, and can be repeated if needed.
Vestibular rehabilitation – tailored balance and gaze-stabilisation exercises that retrain the brain, especially useful after vestibular neuritis or for ongoing imbalance.
Medication for symptom relief – short-term drugs (for example betahistine, prochlorperazine or anti-nausea medicines) can ease acute vertigo and nausea, but are generally not for long-term use.
Treating the underlying cause – for example a low-salt diet and diuretics for Meniere’s disease, migraine treatment for vestibular migraine, steroids for vestibular neuritis, or adjusting medications and improving hydration for non-ear causes.

Red flags: when vertigo is an emergency

Most vertigo is benign, but a small number of cases are caused by a stroke or other serious brain problem, particularly affecting the back (posterior) part of the brain. Call 995 immediately if dizziness or vertigo comes with any of these stroke-type signs:

Sudden, severe or “worst-ever” headache
Slurred speech or trouble speaking or understanding
Double vision or sudden loss of vision
Weakness, drooping or numbness of the face, arm or leg (often one-sided)
Sudden severe difficulty walking, severe unsteadiness or inability to stand
Fainting, chest pain or a very irregular heartbeat

Use the F.A.S.T. check – Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 995. Vertigo that is new, constant, severe and accompanied by these signs should never be assumed to be “just the inner ear.”

Who treats vertigo, and when to see a doctor

For non-emergency symptoms, start with your GP, who can assess you, perform an Epley manoeuvre for BPPV, prescribe symptom relief and arrange referral if needed. Depending on the suspected cause, you may be referred to an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist – often for inner-ear conditions such as Meniere’s disease – or a neurologist if a brain or nerve cause is suspected.

Make an appointment if your vertigo or dizziness is persistent, severe, recurrent, or unexplained, if it is affecting your balance, hearing or daily activities, or if you have had a fall. Early assessment helps confirm a benign diagnosis, get you the right treatment, and rule out the rarer serious causes.

Related guides

Sources

Last updated 21 June 2026. Prices are typical market ranges gathered from the cited sources and vary by clinic, doctor and individual case — they are not quotes. This guide is general information, not medical advice; always consult a qualified, MOH-accredited doctor before any treatment.

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Vertigo & Dizziness in Singapore: Causes, Treatment & Red Flags