The most likely reasons you get dizzy when moving your head

Positional vertigo is just one of the conditions that can cause dizziness when you move your head. Discover more about this condition and other possibilities.

Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo and is triggered by movement of the head in certain positions. This type of dizziness can occur while standing, lying down or even just turning your head a little too fast.

This occasional form of dizziness usually lasts for a few seconds and stops once the head becomes still again. It can be accompanied by a feeling of nausea.

While this type of dizziness can affect people of any age, the elderly are most susceptible to it.

Positional vertigo is caused by a buildup of calcium microcrystal deposits in the inner ear. This disrupts our sense of balance and amplifies the sensation of motion each time the head is moved.

Most of the time, dizziness will go away on its own. However, there are exercises you can do to displace the microcrystal buildup in your ear.

This technique is called the Epleymanoeuvre or the particle re-positioning manoeuvre. The manoeuvre is performed by an otolaryngology specialist, who quickly adjusts and re-positions the head to loosen the deposits. Your otolaryngology specialist can teach you this technique so you can do it at home.

Occasionally the crystals become dislodged by themselves. There are medications available that also help to reduce dizziness and, if that doesn't work, surgery is an option (as a last resort).

Another possibility, this is an inflammation of the inner ear structure called the labyrinth. It can be caused either by a virus or by a bacterial infection. Beyond dizziness, the condition causes nausea, and in severe cases even loss of balance or loss of hearing.

It usually goes away by itself after two or three weeks without any long-term complications. You can take anti-nausea medication or antibiotics to reduce symptoms and speed up the healing process

This is a permanent inner ear condition that causes dizziness, loss of balance, nausea, ringing in the ear and sometimes loss of hearing. Seizures may accompany the condition; they can be frequent (several times per year) or occur just once and never come back.

There is no cure for Meniere's disease, but it is possible to control the seizures with prescription medications, acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Although rare, below are other known causes of vertigo:

• Complications following head trauma;
• Vestibular neuronitis, a type of labyrinthitis, sometimes caused by blood clots trapped in the blood vessels of the inner ear;
• Brain tumor.

In all cases, it is strongly recommended to consult with a doctor to address the dizziness you are experiencing and rule out the presence of any other health conditions.