Vertigo
Vertigo is the feeling that you, or the world around you, is spinning or moving when it is not. Read more about vertigo →
If symptoms are sudden, severe or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111.
Where are you up to?
The NHS reports waiting times by specialty, not by individual condition, so this is the ent wait (not specific to vertigo), updated August 2026. Enter a postcode to see the hospitals near you.
ent waiting times by hospital
| Trust | Location | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust | Reading | 4 weeks |
| Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | Cheshire West and Chester | 7 weeks |
| United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust | Lincoln | 7 weeks |
| Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust | Wiltshire | 8 weeks |
| South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Middlesbrough | 9 weeks |
| Stockport NHS Foundation Trust | Stockport | 9 weeks |
| Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | Barnsley | 10 weeks |
| Isle of Wight NHS Trust | Isle of Wight | 10 weeks |
About vertigo
Vertigo is the feeling that you, or the world around you, is spinning or moving when it is not. It can bring dizziness, loss of balance, feeling sick and sometimes being sick. It often comes from a problem in the inner ear, such as small crystals becoming displaced (BPPV), inflammation after a viral infection, or Ménière's disease, and attacks can last anything from seconds to hours.
How it is treated
Treatment depends on the cause, which an assessment aims to find. Some types, such as BPPV, respond quickly to specific head-movement manoeuvres done by a trained clinician. Balance-retraining exercises (vestibular rehabilitation) help the brain adjust over time. Medicines can ease severe dizziness and sickness for short spells, and where there is an underlying condition such as Ménière's disease, that is treated in its own right.
After treatment
Many causes of vertigo settle over days to weeks, and BPPV often improves quickly once treated, though it can come back. Keeping gently active and continuing any balance exercises supports recovery; if attacks persist or keep returning, your team can look again at the cause.
Sources: NHS: Vertigo. Last updated October 2026.
General information only, not medical advice. Wait or Pay is independent and is not the NHS. Your GP decides what care, if any, you need.