What causes vertigo?

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    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Vertigo can be caused by various factors, including inner-ear issues like neuronitis, vestibular nerve problems, medications, head injuries, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) for peripheral vertigo. Central vertigo may result from conditions such as blood vessel disease, inadequate blood supply to the brain, certain medications, alcohol consumption, head injuries, and vestibular migraines.

    Causes of peripheral vertigo include:[1][2][3][4][5]

    • Inner-ear problems, such as neuronitis or labyrinthitis, and Ménière’s disease
    • Vestibular nerve problems, such as pressure on, or inflammation or infection of, the vestibular nerve
    • Medications which have vertigo as a side effect, including some antibiotics, diuretics, salicylates and cisplatin
    • Head injury affecting peripheral vestibular structures
    • Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the most common cause of peripheral vertigo

    Causes of central vertigo include:

    • Certain conditions, such as blood vessel disease or multiple sclerosis (MS)
    • An inadequate blood supply to the brain, such as a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA)
    • Medications such as aspirin and anti-epileptic drugs (e.g., phenytoin, phenobarbital, and carbamazepine)
    • Drinking alcohol
    • Head injury affecting central vestibular structures
    • Posterior fossa brain tumors[6]
    • Vestibular migraine