HealthInfo Canterbury
Self-care for vertigo
Tāu ake whakaora i te āmai
Important
- Call 111 if you experience vertigo and ANY of the following:
- trouble speaking or swallowing
- a weakness, numbness or tingling in an arm or leg
- a severe headache
- vomiting or feeling very sick.
If you're unsure what to do, call your general practice team.
To help prevent vertigo when you're getting out of bed, get up slowly and sit on the edge of the bed for a minute before standing up.
Because vertigo can affect your balance and may make you feel unsteady, you're at risk of falling or having an accident. To reduce your risk:
- get out of a bed or chair slowly
- wear low-heeled shoes that fit properly
- use handrails on stairs
- install grab bars in the bathroom, do not use towel racks for balance
- use a shower stool and apply adhesive strips to the shower or tub floor
- use a walking aid if you need one
- avoid driving until your symptoms subside, if you become dizzy or disoriented while driving, you could hurt yourself and others
- at work, let your employer know about your symptoms, especially if your job involves operating machinery or climbing ladders.
On the next page: Exercises for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
Content shared between HealthInfo Canterbury, KidsHealth and Health Navigator NZ as part of a National Health Content Hub collaborative. Last reviewed August 2023.
SourcesReview key: HIVER-17706
