When the World Spins: Understanding Vertigo.

At Sunny Health DPC Family Medicine, we often meet patients who come in feeling frightened or shaken after a sudden episode of vertigo, that unsettling sensation that the world is spinning or tilting around you.

Vertigo can feel devastating and disorienting, especially when it happens out of nowhere. Even though most cases are temporary and treatable, it’s important not to ignore them. A proper medical evaluation is needed because several different issues can cause vertigo, and a few more serious conditions must always be ruled out.

Many people assume vertigo is only caused by a problem in the inner ear, such as benign positional vertigo (BPPV). However, sometimes the root cause lies elsewhere for example, in the neck muscles, jaw (temporomandibular area), or upper back. When tension, muscle imbalance, or pressure affects the nerves or blood flow around the neck, it can create symptoms that feel very similar to inner ear vertigo.

That’s why it’s so important to notice where the discomfort begins, whether it’s in the ear, neck, or jaw and to avoid performing repositioning maneuvers on your own until a doctor evaluates you. Applying the wrong technique or pressure can worsen compression and delay recovery.

If you or someone you love experiences vertigo, don’t panic, but do get checked promptly. Once serious causes are ruled out, most people improve with the right combination of rest, gentle movement, and targeted treatment.

At Sunny Health DPC, we approach vertigo with compassion and a whole-body perspective, helping you find both answers and reassurance when the world suddenly starts to spin.