Today we are going to answer a question that I frequently hear (FAQ) from my patients which is, “Why do I get dizzy when I look up?”

The answer to that question is that dizziness with looking up – or what we call “Top Shelf Vertigo” – is a common symptom of the most common inner ear disorder, which is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV.

Some people that I have met who are suffering with BPPV only get dizzy when they look up and as soon as they return their head to level their dizziness goes away.

Often they find that the dizziness comes when they’re putting in eyedrops, taking medications, or when they go to the dentist or the hairdresser, while they are lying back in a reclined position looking up.

BPPV is only one of the things that might cause dizziness when looking up and that requires an evaluation by a Vestibular Specialist. You can find a Vestibular Specialist at the Vestibular Disorders Association who is trained to evaluate your symptoms of dizziness with looking up.

Some other conditions that may also cause dizziness with looking up include problems with your neck, such as cervical spondylosis, or problems with the blood flow to your brain.

All of those things should be able to be assessed by a Vestibular Specialist who may be able to treat you themselves or may need to refer you to someone else that specializes in that particular cause of dizziness.