Don’t let vertigo spin out of control

This often scary condition can happen at almost any time.

Everyone experiences an occasional bout of feeling dizzy. But vertigo is a distinct type of dizziness, with an estimated 40% of adults suffering from it at least once in their lifetime — and the risk rises with age.

"Because vertigo often strikes out of the blue, an acute attack can be potentially dangerous by increasing your risk of a fall," says Dr. Howard LeWine, chief medical editor of Harvard Health Publishing. "While there is no cure for most causes of vertigo, there are ways to reduce symptoms during an attack and avoid recurrent episodes."