vertigo
World seems spinning
Vertigo is a sensation of spinning or tilting when you're actually still—the world seems to rotate around you, or you feel yourself rotating within it.
It differs from ordinary dizziness; vertigo specifically involves perceived movement.
The condition often stems from inner ear problems: The doctor diagnosed her vertigo as an inner ear infection.
Figuratively, vertigo describes any disorienting sense of instability: Looking down from the ledge gave me vertigo.
Dread of elevated positions
- precipiceSteep rock face
- cliff edgeSheer drop's boundary
- lookoutWatcher or vista point
- overlookMiss or commanding view
balcony · ledge · rooftop · skyscraper · observation deck · glass floor · railing · parapet
Balance and hearing center
- labyrinthIntricate passage network
- cochleaSpiral hearing organ
- vestibular systemSensory apparatus for spatial orientation
- otolithInner ear balance crystal
balance disorder · labyrinthitis · ear infection · tinnitus · hearing loss · ENT · audiologist · nystagmus
Pre-vomiting stomach discomfort
- vomitingExpelling stomach contents orally
- sweatingMoisture through pores
- pallorUnhealthy facial whiteness
- unsteady gaitIrregular, wavering locomotion
staggering · stumbling · falling · loss of balance · disorientation · confusion · anxiety · panic
Sensation of near-fainting
- faintnessVerge of swooning
- giddinessLightheaded, excitable state
- woozinessUnsteady, disoriented sensation
- reelingUnsteady from shock
swimming · swaying · unsteadiness · disorientation · loss of balance · head rush · swooning · blackout
Revolving around an axis
- whirlingRotating swiftly in place
- rotatingTurning on an axis
- tiltingInclined from vertical
- swayingRhythmic lateral movement
rocking · falling sensation · vortex · disorientation · visual disturbance · motion sickness · seasickness · car sickness
Repositioning of the skull
- standing upAssuming vertical posture
- rolling overRotating to another side
- looking upImproving or skyward gazing
- bending overInclining torso downward
stress · dehydration · medication · alcohol · caffeine · sleep deprivation · flickering lights · crowds
acrophobia
Dread of elevated positions
- precipiceSteep rock face
- cliff edgeSheer drop's boundary
- lookoutWatcher or vista point
overlook · balcony · ledge · rooftop · skyscraper · observation deck · glass floor · railing · parapet · drop
inner ear
Balance and hearing center
- labyrinthIntricate passage network
- cochleaSpiral hearing organ
- vestibular systemSensory apparatus for spatial orientation
otolith · balance disorder · labyrinthitis · ear infection · tinnitus · hearing loss · ENT · audiologist · nystagmus · equilibrium
nausea
Pre-vomiting stomach discomfort
- vomitingExpelling stomach contents orally
- sweatingMoisture through pores
- pallorUnhealthy facial whiteness
unsteady gait · staggering · stumbling · falling · loss of balance · disorientation · confusion · anxiety · panic · palpitations
lightheadedness
Sensation of near-fainting
- faintnessVerge of swooning
- giddinessLightheaded, excitable state
- woozinessUnsteady, disoriented sensation
reeling · swimming · swaying · unsteadiness · disorientation · loss of balance · head rush · swooning · blackout · fainting
spinning
Revolving around an axis
swaying · rocking · falling sensation · vortex · disorientation · visual disturbance · motion sickness · seasickness · car sickness
head movement
Repositioning of the skull
- standing upAssuming vertical posture
- rolling overRotating to another side
- looking upImproving or skyward gazing
bending over · stress · dehydration · medication · alcohol · caffeine · sleep deprivation · flickering lights · crowds
- confusionconfusion, confused, bewilderment, perplexity, baffled
- impairmentsimpairment, disability, paralysis, incapacity, blindness
- dizzinessdizziness, dizzy spell, lightheadedness, wooziness, giddiness
- Mountain Perilsavalanche, rockfall, crevasse, hypothermia, frostbite
- distorted realityhallucination, delusion, mirage, optical illusion, illusion
- balance systemvestibular system, inner ear, utricle, saccule, vestibule
vertigostability
Resistance to displacement
balance · equilibrium · steadiness · sure-footedness · groundedness
vertigoorientation
Position relative to surroundings
clarity · clear-headedness · lucidity · spatial awareness · level-headedness
vertigocenteredness
State of inner balance
groundedness · composure · equanimity · calm · security
- vertical videosRecordings taller than wide
- vertical takeoffAscent without forward motion
- vertical flightAscent or descent directly upward
- vertical lineStraight mark, floor to ceiling
- vertical leapMaximum upward jump distance
- vertical liftRaising something straight up