{"id":55884,"date":"2022-12-14T09:30:55","date_gmt":"2022-12-14T14:30:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=55884"},"modified":"2025-11-06T10:51:34","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T15:51:34","slug":"can-stress-cause-vertigo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/can-stress-cause-vertigo\/","title":{"rendered":"Can stress cause vertigo?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever been under serious stress, you know it can cause some unpleasant physical symptoms\u2014such as dizziness, disorientation, and nausea. Many of these sensations resemble vertigo, so you may have wondered: Can stress cause vertigo?<\/span><\/p>\n

The relationship between vertigo and stress is complicated, and experts are trying to understand how the two are connected. What\u2019s known is that stress alone doesn\u2019t trigger vertigo, but it can exacerbate it. Not only that, experiencing vertigo can be stressful in itself, and can cause stress and anxiety to increase.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at the way that stress influences vertigo and vice-versa, as well as some strategies and treatments for keeping both your stress and vertigo at bay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What it\u2019s like living with vertigo<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

What causes vertigo?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The most common cause of vertigo is when\u00a0 small calcium crystals, called otoconia, become loose in the inner ear.<\/span> This is called <\/span>benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)<\/span><\/a>. These crystals move around and make you feel off-balance. People with BPPV will notice symptoms most often when they go from a lying down position to upright position, or anytime they change position suddenly.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first signs of BPPV can be alarming and quite uncomfortable. \u201cIt initially manifests through sudden minute-long episodes of spinning that can even prompt vomiting,\u201d says Christine Kingsley, APRN, a provider at the <\/span>Lung Institute<\/span><\/a> in Connecticut.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Other symptoms of BPPV involve room-spinning dizziness. These bouts can last from several seconds up to several minutes. \u201cTypically, symptoms of BPPV are brought on by head turns, turning over in bed, or when getting out of bed in the morning,\u201d says<\/span> Amy Sarow<\/span><\/a>, AuD, a Michigan-based audiologist.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

BPPV often resolves spontaneously in a few days as the body absorbs the loose crystals, Dr. Sarow says. Other people may require treatment, including repositioning maneuvers to resolve symptoms. The <\/span>modified Epley<\/span><\/a> maneuver can be done at home by yourself to help reposition the crystal and resolve symptoms. Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to decrease recurrence of BPPV.<\/span><\/p>\n

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is only one cause of vertigo. Other medical conditions can cause or contribute to vertigo,<\/span> such as<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n