Vertigo. A practical approach to diagnosis and treatment

Vertigo is a symptom that has diverse causes. The diagnosis may remain elusive even after exhaustive clinical enquiry and there is often also a general perception that little can be done in many cases apart from prescribing vestibular suppressant drug therapy. Many patients are therefore treated symptomatically without a specific diagnosis being made.

To discuss the diagnosis and management of the more common vestibular syndromes.

Many conditions such as benign positional vertigo and migraine can be successfully diagnosed and treated without the need for referral. Exercise therapy rather than chronic drug use should be the mainstay of treatment in patients with 'uncompensated' vestibular lesions. This article provides a practical approach to vertigo that can lead to a successful clinical outcome in many cases.