Dizziness & Vertigo Symptom Checker: Which Pattern Fits?
This free checker compares your dizziness with the published diagnostic criteria for six common vestibular conditions — BPPV, vestibular migraine, Ménière’s disease, vestibular neuritis, PPPD and mal de débarquement syndrome (MdDS). It takes about two minutes. It was built by Dr. Rob Letizia, PT, DPT, who treats dizziness at our clinic in Wayne, NJ and by video for patients in New Jersey, Ohio, Georgia and North Carolina.
It is educational and is not a diagnosis. If your dizziness came on suddenly with weakness, numbness, slurred speech, double vision or a severe headache, call 911.
How do BPPV, vestibular migraine, PPPD and MdDS differ?
They are told apart mostly by how long each episode lasts and what sets it off. The checker uses the same features, taken from the diagnostic criteria published by the Bárány Society in the Journal of Vestibular Research:
| Condition | How long it lasts | Typical trigger | Tell-tale clue | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BPPV | Seconds — under 1 minute | Lying down, rolling over in bed, looking up | Brief spinning each time the head changes position | von Brevern et al., 2015 |
| Vestibular migraine | 5 minutes to 72 hours per episode | Varies; often the person’s migraine triggers | A migraine history, and headache, light/sound sensitivity or aura in at least half of episodes | Lempert et al., 2022 |
| Ménière’s disease | 20 minutes to 12 hours per episode | Comes on by itself | Hearing loss, ringing or fullness in one ear, confirmed by a hearing test | Lopez-Escamez et al., 2015 |
| Vestibular neuritis | One attack lasting 24 hours or more | Comes on by itself | Sudden, severe vertigo that settles slowly over days; no hearing loss | Strupp et al., 2022 |
| PPPD | Most days, for 3 months or more | Being upright, moving, busy visual scenes | Usually follows an earlier dizzy illness | Staab et al., 2017 |
| MdDS | Continuous or most of the day, starting within 48 hours of travel | Begins after passive motion — a cruise, flight or long ride | The rocking eases while riding in a car or other motion | Cha et al., 2020 |
When is dizziness an emergency?
Call 911 if dizziness comes on suddenly together with weakness, numbness or drooping on one side, slurred speech, double vision, trouble walking, a severe headache, chest pain or fainting — these can signal a stroke or a heart problem. Sudden hearing loss in one ear needs a doctor the same day.
Can dizziness be treated by telehealth?
Often, yes. Much of vestibular therapy is a coached home exercise program, which works well over video. Dr. Rob sees vestibular patients by video in New Jersey, Ohio, Georgia and North Carolina — the states where he is licensed. See how telehealth vestibular therapy works.
Is this dizziness checker a diagnosis?
No. It compares your answers with published diagnostic criteria, but those criteria also rely on an examination — eye movements, positional testing and sometimes hearing tests — that a questionnaire can’t do. Use the result as a starting point for a conversation with a clinician.
Built by Dr. Rob Letizia, PT, DPT · Spectrum Therapeutics, 601 Hamburg Turnpike, Suite 103, Wayne, NJ · Criteria sources linked in the table above.
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