Vertigo

What can be done to prevent the condition?

Most vertigo cannot be prevented. Avoidance of long-term alcohol dependence can prevent cases due to drinking alcohol.

What are the long-term effects of the condition?

Vertigo can keep people from engaging in normal activities. They may be more likely to fall and injure themselves. Or they may simply be unable to get out of bed or drive.

Often the most serious long-term effects are related to the cause. For example, benign positional vertigo often goes away on its own and almost never has any long-term effects. A stroke, on the other hand, can cause other serious disabilities. A brain tumor may cause brain damage or even death.

What are the risks to others?

Vertigo is not contagious and poses no risk to others. If the underlying cause is an infection, the infection is sometimes contagious.