Helping Others Smile FoundationSmile Patient Toolkit
All symptom guides

Head, eyes & nerves

Dizziness or fainting

You may feel light-headed, unsteady, spinning or briefly pass out.

Get emergency help now if…

  • Get emergency help for incomplete recovery, seizure, serious injury, chest pain, breathing trouble or new speech/weakness symptoms. Fainting during exercise or while lying down also needs emergency care.
United States · Call 911India · Call 112Elsewhere: call your local emergency number.

Contact a clinician today if…

  • Contact a clinician today after a new faint, persistent severe dizziness or new hearing loss.

Arrange a visit / follow-up

  • Arrange a visit for recurring mild dizziness without warning symptoms. Avoid driving while dizzy.

If symptoms worsen, your care plan gives an earlier deadline, or you are unsure, contact a clinician sooner. If you cannot reach your team, use urgent care; use emergency care for severe symptoms. Many conditions share symptoms. Possible causes are examples, not a diagnosis. Missing a listed warning sign does not mean it is safe to wait.

What could be behind this symptom?

Several conditions can cause the same symptom. These examples cannot confirm or rule out a diagnosis. A clinician may need your history, an examination, or tests.

Possible causes include dehydration, medicines, inner-ear problems, low glucose or heart conditions.

What to tell your care team

Use paper or your own notebook. Do not send personal medical details through this website.

  1. Note the activity, duration and recovery. Bring medicine and blood pressure/glucose records if available.

Do not delay urgent care to fill in notes. Avoid changing prescription medicines based on this guide.

Adults, with extra care for some situations

For adults 18 and older. Children need advice from a pediatric care team. These pages do not assess your individual symptoms.

These guides are written for adults. Children need age-specific advice. Contact a clinician earlier if you are pregnant, gave birth in the last year, have weakened immunity, or have a serious ongoing condition. Tell them about recent surgery and any new medicines.

Pregnant or gave birth within the past year? Get medical care immediately for a severe or lasting headache, vision change, fainting, fever, chest pain, trouble breathing, severe belly pain, heavy bleeding, or a painful swollen leg. Tell the team about the pregnancy. For other new symptoms, contact your maternity team for tailored advice.

Pregnant or gave birth in the past year?

Sources behind this original guide

Official references support this educational guide. Sources may open an external site in another language; the full English, Spanish, and Hindi guide is on this website.

Sources checked: · Medical and language review confirmed by the foundation · v1.0