How to relieve vertigo symptoms at home

While you're waiting to be assessed, or managing a mild episode, these strategies can take the edge off:

• Sit or lie down immediately when vertigo hits, trying to keep moving usually makes it worse and increases fall risk.
• Fix your eyes on a still point rather than looking around.
• Move your head and body slowly and deliberately for the rest of the day, even after symptoms ease.
• Stay hydrated and avoid alcohol and excess caffeine, both of which can aggravate inner ear symptoms.
• Sleep with your head slightly elevated, and avoid sleeping on the side that seems to trigger symptoms.
• Avoid driving or operating machinery until symptoms have properly settled.
• Keep a simple log of when it happens, how long it lasts, and what you were doing as this can be useful information for whoever assesses you.

Vertigo manoeuvres and why they're trickier than they look

You may have come across the Epley manoeuvre or Brandt-Daroff exercises online, both used for BPPV. These can be genuinely effective, but they only work if matched to the correct ear and affected canal, which is why they're commonly done incorrectly when attempted from a video without an assessment first. Get it wrong and you can end up doing nothing, or occasionally making symptoms worse.

Best treatment for vertigo

Treatment depends entirely on the cause, which is why an accurate assessment matters more than any single "fix":

• BPPV: specific positional testing identifies the affected canal, followed by a targeted repositioning manoeuvre, often resolving symptoms within one or two sessions.
• Vestibular neuritis or ongoing imbalance: vestibular rehabilitation exercises retrain the brain to compensate, usually over several weeks.
• Cervicogenic dizziness: treatment targets the neck itself, often alongside balance retraining.
• Migraine-related vertigo or Meniere's disease: usually managed medically, often with input from a GP or ENT alongside physiotherapy support.

Who can treat vertigo

Depending on the cause, your care team might include:

• A physiotherapist trained in vestibular rehabilitation for BPPV, vestibular neuritis, and balance retraining
• Your GP for initial assessment, ruling out other causes, and referrals
• An ENT specialist for Meniere's disease or more complex inner ear conditions
• A neurologist for migraine-related vertigo

For most people, starting with a GP or a physio experienced in vestibular assessment is the quickest path to an accurate diagnosis.

See a doctor urgently if vertigo comes with:
Sudden severe headache, slurred speech, facial drooping, limb weakness, or double vision. These can indicate something more serious than an inner ear problem and need urgent attention.

The bottom line

There's plenty you can safely do at home to manage vertigo symptoms. But properly fixing it, especially if it's BPPV, usually comes down to an accurate diagnosis and a couple of targeted sessions with the right manoeuvre, rather than guesswork.

FAQ

What is the best treatment for vertigo?
It depends on the cause. For BPPV, the most common cause, a specific repositioning manoeuvre matched to the affected ear canal is typically most effective. Other causes (vestibular neuritis, migraine, Meniere's) need different approaches, which is why an accurate diagnosis comes first.

How do I fix vertigo at home?
You can manage symptoms with slow movements, hydration, avoiding triggers, and sitting down when it strikes. Fully resolving BPPV usually needs a correctly matched manoeuvre, which is difficult to self-administer accurately without an assessment.

Who can treat vertigo?
Physiotherapists trained in vestibular rehabilitation, GPs, ENT specialists, and neurologists can all be involved depending on the underlying cause. Our team includes physios experienced in this area, get in touch to book an assessment.

How can I alleviate vertigo symptoms quickly?
Sit or lie down immediately, fix your gaze on a still point, and avoid quick head movements. These won't cure the underlying cause but can reduce the intensity of an episode.

What is a vertigo manoeuvre?
A vertigo manoeuvre (such as the Epley manoeuvre) is a series of specific head and body positions used to move dislodged inner ear crystals back into place, typically used to treat BPPV.

Alex Muscat, one of our physiotherapists, has a special interest in vestibular assessment and treatment. If you're dealing with ongoing or recurring vertigo, get in touch to book an assessment with him.