Vertigo: Staying safe when you have balance problems
Introduction
Many people experience the spinning sensation of vertigo. The loss of balance it causes puts you at risk for falling and can also affect your quality of life if your fear of falling leads to a less active lifestyle.
Vertigo may be a lifelong symptom of conditions such as Ménière's disease or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). But if you have vertigo, you can reduce your risk of injury and remain active by taking personal precautions and making your home environment safe.
Adding grab bars near the bathtub and toilet, using nonskid mats, and using night-lights can make your home safer and help prevent falls. Organizing your home so that walkways are free of clutter and making sure that furniture fits your build can also help. Letting others know that you have episodes of vertigo will help them know how to help you if they are with you during an attack.
Test Your Knowledge
An organized, uncluttered home environment may prevent falls.
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True
This answer is correct.
An organized, uncluttered environment can help you avoid falls. Keeping walkways both inside and outside free of toys, electrical cords, and throw rugs can reduce your risk of tripping and falling during an episode of vertigo.
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False
This answer is incorrect.
An organized, uncluttered environment can help you avoid falls. Keeping walkways both inside and outside free of toys, electrical cords, and throw rugs can reduce your risk of tripping and falling during an episode of vertigo.
You should let others know about your episodes of vertigo.
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True
This answer is correct.
Letting others know about your episodes of vertigo—and what they can do—will enable them to help you if they are with you during an episode.
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False
This answer is incorrect.
Letting others know about your episodes of vertigo—and what they can do—will enable them to help you if they are with you during an episode.
If you experience ongoing bouts of vertigo, no matter what the cause, you have a greater risk of falling and hurting yourself.
Making changes in your environment and lifestyle will help eliminate some of the risks involved with vertigo. Keeping your home free of protruding and sharp objects, having support close by in case of a fall, and letting others know of your condition can help you avoid injury.
Keeping your home environment organized will also give you increased confidence in moving around within your home.
Test Your Knowledge
Episodes of vertigo cause no harm outside of the spinning sensation.
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True
This answer is incorrect.
Episodes of vertigo can cause physical harm. For example, you could lose your balance, fall, and hit your head on a coffee table edge in your home.
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False
This answer is correct.
Episodes of vertigo can cause physical harm. For example, you could lose your balance, fall, and hit your head on a coffee table edge in your home.
You can make your home safer:
- Eliminate throw rugs and use nonskid mats.
- Install grab bars near the bathtub and toilet.
- Use night-lights.
- Keep floors dry to prevent slipping.
- Store household items on low shelves to eliminate the need to climb or reach high. If climbing is essential, use a step stool with handrails.
- Keep driveways, sidewalks, and interior walkways clear of anything that might cause you to trip.
Personal tips that can help prevent injury during an episode of vertigo:
- Avoid driving or working at heights.
- Wear shoes with low heels and nonslip soles.
- Keep your shoes tied.
- Alert family and friends to your condition and how they can help during an attack of vertigo.
- Know whether medicines you take can affect your sense of balance.
Print out the following safety checklists, write the date on each one, and check all items that you can. Do this once a month to see how you are progressing with making your home environment safe. Try to get all items checked.
- This list of items can help you prepare for an episode of vertigo, such as by making sure someone else knows about your vertigo and avoiding driving when having an episode: checklist for personal considerations(What is a PDF document?) .
- This list can help you keep your home free from clutter and obstacles that could cause you to fall during an episode of vertigo: checklist for the home environment.(What is a PDF document?)
- This list can help prevent injuries in the bathroom and kitchen: checklist for the bathroom and kitchen(What is a PDF document?) .
Test Your Knowledge
A precaution you can take to make your environment safe if you have vertigo is:
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Not using throw rugs.
This answer is correct.
Not using throw rugs, keeping a light on at night, and keeping your sidewalk clear all can make your environment safer if you have vertigo. All answers are correct.
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Keeping a light on at night.
This answer is correct.
Not using throw rugs, keeping a light on at night, and keeping your sidewalk clear all can make your environment safer if you have vertigo. All answers are correct.
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Keeping your sidewalk clear.
This answer is correct.
Not using throw rugs, keeping a light on at night, and keeping your sidewalk clear all can make your environment safer. All answers are correct.
A precaution you can take if you have vertigo is:
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Understanding the side effects of your medicines and
whether they affect your balance.
This answer is correct.
Understanding the side effects of your medicines and whether they affect your balance is a simple yet effective precaution you can take if you have vertigo.
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Wearing socks with no shoes in the
house.
This answer is incorrect.
Socks can be slippery, increasing your risk of falling. The correct answer is a.
Whether your vertigo is infrequent and mild or frequent and severe, it does have an impact on your life. These safety precautions and checklists will help make living with vertigo safer.
Depending on what is causing your vertigo, there may be steps you can take to reduce your episodes of vertigo. Talk to your doctor about a plan suited to your needs.
More information about vertigo can be found in the following topics:
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Last Updated: October 20, 2008
Author: Monica Rhodes
Medical Review: Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine & Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine & Barrie J. Hurwitz, MD - Neurology
