What Are the Causes of Vertical Dizziness?

Vertical dizziness is a general term referring to when a person gets dizzy when standing up, or vertical, and can have many different causes.

• Dizziness can have many causes.

Inner Ear

• Vertigo is caused by problems in the sensory nervous system and inner ear. Vertigo is one of the most common types of dizziness, and it makes a person feel like he's about to fall or tip over.

Low Blood Pressure

• A sudden drop in blood pressure when a person sits or stands up suddenly is called orthostatic hypotension. It is a common cause of temporary dizziness. Low blood pressure can cause dizziness, because less oxygen reaches the brain.

Heart Problems

• Dizziness often happens when the heart isn't pumping enough blood to the brain, as in cases of arrhythmia, heart attack or other disease or weakness of the heart.

Brain

• Dizziness can result when something goes wrong in the brain, like a stroke, tumor or dementia, that disrupts normal functioning.

Medications

• The vast majority of medications list dizziness as a potential side effect. Sedatives and medications for blood pressure are some of the most likely to cause vertical dizziness.