Why Alcohol Can Trigger Vertigo and How to Manage It

Feeling dizzy or disoriented after drinking? It might be more than just a typical hangover. While nausea, headaches, and dizziness are common after drinking too much, alcohol can also trigger or worsen vertigo—a condition that makes you feel like you or your surroundings are spinning, even when you're perfectly still.

What Is Vertigo?

Vertigo is a condition that causes sensations of spinning, swaying, or tilting when there is no actual movement. Imagine feeling like you're on a spinning amusement park ride while sitting still in a chair. That's what vertigo can feel like.

Symptoms of Vertigo

Vertigo can cause a range of uncomfortable symptoms. Not everyone experiences all of them, and their intensity can vary. Common symptoms include:

• Dizziness: A strong sense that you or your surroundings are spinning.
• Nausea and/or vomiting: The intense dizziness can lead to stomach upset.
• Sweating: Episodes may be accompanied by excessive sweating.
• Difficulty balancing: You may feel unsteady, stumble, or even fall.
• Headaches: Pounding headaches can come and go during an episode.
• Nystagmus: Involuntary eye movements, such as jerking or blinking, which can cause blurry vision.

Causes of Vertigo

Vertigo can be classified into two types: peripheral vertigo (related to the inner ear) and central vertigo (related to the brain). Some common causes include:

• Meniere’s Disease: A chronic inner ear disorder that causes vertigo, ringing in the ears, and a feeling of fullness.
• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): Caused by dislodged calcium crystals in the inner ear, leading to dizziness.
• Labyrinthitis: Inflammation of the inner ear, often due to a viral infection, which can cause imbalance and hearing issues.
• Vestibular Neuritis: Inflammation of the nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain, resulting in dizziness without hearing loss.
• Migraines: Vestibular migraines can trigger vertigo and headaches.
• Alcohol: Drinking can provoke vertigo, especially in people with inner ear sensitivities.

How Alcohol Causes Vertigo

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. It slows down communication between your brain and body, affecting your ability to sense your position in space. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which means it dehydrates you. This dehydration can disrupt the fluid in your inner ear that helps control balance. Together, these effects can directly cause or worsen vertigo.

Should You Drink If You Have Vertigo?

If you're prone to vertigo, drinking alcohol can make your symptoms worse and may even lead to long-term damage. Even small amounts of alcohol can trigger an episode, so it's best to be cautious.

How Alcohol Affects Vertigo

Drinking can impact vertigo in several ways:

• More Frequent Episodes: Alcohol can trigger vertigo during drinking, while hungover, or even days later.
• Worse Symptoms: Alcohol disrupts the vestibular system, making dizziness, nausea, and headaches more intense.
• Longer Recovery: Your body takes longer to recover from vertigo when alcohol is involved, as it focuses on metabolizing alcohol instead of restoring balance.
• Long-Term Damage: Chronic drinking can harm parts of the brain involved in hearing and balance, potentially causing permanent vertigo.

Managing Vertigo Symptoms After Drinking

If you experience vertigo while drinking or during a hangover, stop drinking immediately. Focus on hydration and rest. Here are some ways to relieve symptoms:

• Adjust Your Position: Sit or lie slightly propped up. Avoid lying on the affected ear.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to restore inner ear fluid balance and reduce dizziness.
• Manage Stress: Practice deep breathing, yoga, or meditation to calm your nervous system.
• Use Medication Cautiously: Over-the-counter vertigo medications can help temporarily, but they may have side effects.
• Modify Your Environment: Reduce fall risks by improving lighting, removing tripping hazards, and using stable supports.

Strategies to Prevent Alcohol-Induced Vertigo

To reduce your risk of vertigo, consider these steps:

• Cut Back on Alcohol: Drinking less reduces stress on your balance system.
• Quit Alcohol: If you're highly sensitive, avoiding alcohol altogether is the most effective prevention.
• Identify Triggers: Besides alcohol, stress, lack of sleep, certain foods, or medications can provoke vertigo.
• Prioritize Hydration: Drink plenty of water to counteract alcohol's dehydrating effects.

Take Control of Your Health

Dizziness after drinking isn't always just a hangover—it could be vertigo. Understanding how alcohol triggers and worsens vertigo can help you make smarter choices about drinking. While there are ways to manage symptoms, reducing or quitting alcohol is the best way to lower your risk. Take back control and settle the spins for good!