Dizziness is a common complaint and has a very broad list of possible underlying causes. Dizziness is a nonspecific term which can mean different things to different people, including true vertigo, light-headedness, weakness (neurological impairment), unsteadiness, feeling faint (presyncope), funny turns, visual disturbance, or a psychological problem.
People with dizziness can experience significant social and occupational morbidity, and establishing the diagnosis is essential in view of the wide variety of possible causes and also to enable effective management.
It is essential that patients who present with dizziness should be given the correct diagnosis, both to avoid missing serious neurological causes and to ensure that the right treatment is given.
The cause of the dizziness can be diagnosed in most cases on the basis of a thorough clinical history and examination and often does not require hospital admission.