Dizziness and Vertigo Care in Inwood, NY
Dizziness can mean feeling lightheaded, unsteady, or like the room is spinning (vertigo). The cause may be in the inner ear, the brain, or blood flow, and each needs a different plan. We test balance in our office to help find the source.
Symptoms we evaluate
- A spinning feeling, especially when you roll over in bed or look up
- Feeling unsteady or off balance when you walk
- Lightheadedness or feeling faint when you stand up
- Dizziness with ringing in the ears or hearing changes
- Dizziness that comes with headaches or migraine (see headache and migraine care)
- Dizziness after a head or neck injury (see concussion and brain injury care)
- Nausea or motion sickness along with any of these
How we find the cause
We start with your history and a careful exam: what the dizziness feels like, how long it lasts, and what sets it off. Then we may test. Read about each test on our Tests We Do page.
- VNG (videonystagmography): video goggles track your eye movements as you change positions, which helps show whether the problem is in the inner ear or the brain; it takes about 30 to 40 minutes and can briefly bring on dizziness.
- BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response): you listen to sounds through headphones while sensors on your scalp measure how sound signals travel along the hearing nerve and through the brainstem, which can help explain vertigo, imbalance or ringing in the ears.
- Carotid Doppler and transcranial Doppler: painless ultrasound tests of blood flow to and within the brain, used when blood flow may be part of the problem.
Your care plan
Treatment depends on the cause. Inner ear problems, migraine-related dizziness, and blood flow or blood pressure problems are each handled differently. We explain what we found and make a plan with you.
When needed, we coordinate with your primary doctor, an ear, nose and throat doctor, or a cardiologist. Follow-up visits let us check your progress. Until your balance improves, take extra care on stairs and stand up slowly.
When to see a neurologist
Call 911 for sudden dizziness or loss of balance with weakness, face drooping, trouble speaking, double vision or a severe headache. These can be signs of a stroke.
Book a visit with a neurologist if:
- Vertigo keeps coming back
- Dizziness has caused a fall or makes you afraid of falling
- Your balance is slowly getting worse
- Dizziness comes with ringing or hearing changes in one ear
- Dizziness started after a head injury or a car or work accident
Insurance
We accept most major insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, plus No-Fault and Workers' Compensation when symptoms follow a car or work accident. Please see the plans we take, or call us to confirm your coverage.
Other conditions we treat
Visit Five Towns Neurology
Our office is at 233 Doughty Blvd, Inwood, NY 11096, in the Five Towns. Call (516) 239-1800. Hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 9am to 2pm. We are closed on Saturday.
Allow at least 3 hours for your first visit. It includes a full history and physical exam, and testing is usually done the same day when possible. Bring your medications, past test results and MRIs, your insurance card, and a referral if your plan needs one. If dizziness makes driving unsafe, plan for a ride. Read about your first visit or contact us to book.