COVID Can Cause Dizziness. Here’s What to Do About It

If you’ve ever experienced dizzy spells, you know they affect everything you do. Dizziness can be scary, from experiencing room spinning to feeling like you may faint.

Many people with COVID experience dizzy episodes. But why? Here’s what researchers know about how COVID triggers dizziness, how common it is, and what you can do about it. 

Can COVID cause dizziness? And why?

Yes, COVID illness can cause dizziness and trigger dizzy spells. Studies show that many people experience both dizziness and vertigo when they’re sick with COVID. 

There are several working theories as to how COVID leads to dizziness and vertigo:

• COVID can worsen underlying medical conditions. Dizzy spells are common symptoms with low blood pressure and anemia. These can become more frequent or severe when someone is sick with COVID.

• COVID can affect the nervous system and inner ear. When this happens, COVID can cause dizzy spells and vertigo.

• COVID increases inflammation in your body. This can result in conditions like vestibular migraines, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), and Ménière’s disease — all of which cause dizziness and vertigo. These can happen during a COVID infection or after as part of post-COVID conditions (long COVID).

What is the difference between dizziness and vertigo?

Many people use the terms “dizziness” and “vertigo” interchangeably. But they’re not exactly the same. 

Dizziness describes different sensations, like:

• Lightheadedness

• Unsteadiness

• A feeling like you’re about to faint

Vertigo is a special type of dizziness in which you feel movement that isn’t actually happening, such as feeling like the room is spinning. The feeling of movement can make people feel nauseated and unwell.

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Is dizziness a common symptom of COVID?

It’s not clear how many people experience dizzy spells from COVID illness. The CDC doesn’t mention dizziness and vertigo in its list of most common COVID symptoms.

But researchers are quick to point out that people may not be reporting their dizzy spells. This can be because they’re too ill with other symptoms, so dizziness isn’t top of mind. 

Some studies estimate that up to 1 in 5 people might experience dizziness as part of their COVID illness. Of course, this can mean different things. Some people feel mildly lightheaded. Others might have dizziness that makes it hard to get up and continue regular activities.

When does dizziness from COVID usually happen?

Dizziness can be an early sign of COVID-19 infection. In some cases, a person with COVID may notice dizziness before experiencing respiratory symptoms like cough or shortness of breath. Early dizziness may be from the COVID virus directly attacking the nervous system. 

This type of dizziness from COVID will usually get better within 10 to 14 days. But it may take longer to go away in people who are very sick or who have underlying medical conditions that can cause dizziness. 

Some people continue to have dizziness even after other COVID symptoms have improved. This can be a sign of long COVID, a condition in which symptoms persist for months after their initial COVID illness. In these cases, dizziness may be related to a condition called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). 

The link between COVID and POTS

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a condition that causes your heart rate to increase rapidly when you stand up. This can make you feel lightheaded and dizzy. 

This response is especially common in people with long COVID. Up to 6 in 10 people with long COVID may have some symptoms of POTS. Scientists are still working to understand the link between long-COVID and POTS. But it’s possible that COVID virus triggers POTS. People who’ve never experienced symptoms of POTS before getting sick with COVID can develop the condition after having COVID.

There are also some reports of a rare link between POTS and the COVID vaccine. In one study, researchers found an increased risk of developing POTS within 90 days of receiving the vaccine.

But it’s important to note that the risk of developing POTS from the COVID vaccine is much lower than the risk from a COVID infection. In fact, the chance of getting POTS is five times higher with a COVID illness than with the vaccine. 

How long does dizziness from COVID last?

It’s not clear how long dizziness and vertigo from COVID illness can last. Some people report feeling better within a few days. For others, symptoms can take weeks or months to go away.

Knowing the cause of your dizziness can help you figure out how long it might last. If your dizzy spells were because of dehydration during your illness, getting back to your usual diet will stop your COVID dizzy spells. If fevers were the cause, the dizzy spell should stop once you’re fever-free. 

But if you’re COVID-related dizziness is due to an underlying medical condition, it will take longer for you to feel better. Once your other medical conditions are stable, your dizziness should start to get better. 

If COVID illness triggers a medical condition like POTS or Ménière’s disease, you may experience dizziness and vertigo for months or longer.

What underlying conditions may cause dizziness with COVID?

Many medical conditions can cause dizziness. Having these medical conditions can increase your risk of COVID dizziness:

• Migraine headaches

• Diabetes

• Low blood sugar

• Anemia

• Heart disease

How can you manage dizzy spells from COVID?

If you’re having dizzy spells during your COVID illness, here are eight ways to manage your dizziness.

1. Lie down

If you’re feeling dizzy, the best thing you can do is lie down. This helps blood get to all parts of your body and will make you feel less lightheaded. If you’re experiencing vertigo, lying down will calm your inner ear. You should also close your eyes. 

If you can’t lie down, sit down and, if possible, rest your head on a table or desk. If you can’t sit down, hold onto something sturdy until your dizziness lets up. If you feel dizzy, don’t go down the stairs, drive, swim, or operate machinery. This puts you (and others) at risk for serious injury. 

2. Hydrate

Dizziness is a common sign of dehydration. You can get dehydrated quickly with COVID illness, especially if you’re older. Make sure you’re drinking enough liquids to stay hydrated. Opt for fluids that contain electrolytes, like sports drinks, if you’re having a hard time keeping up with your fluid intake. 

3. Eat

Low blood sugar can lead to dizziness. But many people don’t feel like eating when they’re sick. Vertigo and dizziness can also cause nausea, which only worsens the problem. 

If you feel dizzy, try a light snack, like crackers. If you really can’t stomach solid foods, try drinking orange juice, which is a good source of sugar. You can also talk with your healthcare team about starting anti-nausea medication to help you feel up to eating. 

4. Limit caffeine and alcohol

Caffeine and alcohol cause your blood vessels to dilate, which can worsen lightheadedness and dizziness. While you’re feeling sick, limit (or cut out) caffeine and alcohol. 

5. Take a fever reducer

Fever is a common symptom of COVID illness, and having a fever can make you feel dizzy. A fever also increases your risk of dehydration, which can worsen dizziness. To help relieve both fever and dizziness, you can try a fever-reducing medication, like Tylenol or Motrin. 

6. Move slowly

Sudden changes in position can trigger vertigo attacks. Give yourself 5 minutes between position changes. If you’re lying down, sit up first and wait 5 minutes before standing. If you’re sitting, stand up and wait 5 minutes before walking. 

Also, try to avoid fast head movements. Turn your head slowly to look at things to give your body time to adjust to the movement. 

7. Wear compression socks

Compression socks promote circulation and prevent blood from pooling in your legs. This helps boost your blood pressure, so you don’t feel as dizzy. 

You can try wearing regular compression socks or stockings, which are available at many stores and pharmacies. If you have certain medical conditions, your healthcare team may recommend prescription compression socks.

8. Adjust your medication

Even if you don’t feel well, it’s important to take your regular medication. COVID infection can worsen your underlying medical conditions, leading to dizziness. Stopping medications can also worsen dizziness. 

If you really feel like you can’t take your medication, or you think your medication is making your dizziness worse, talk with your healthcare team. They may be able to switch you to medications that are easier to take or have fewer side effects. 

When should you seek medical care for COVID dizzy spells?

Seek medical care right away if you’re having severe dizziness that keeps you from moving around safely. 

It’s also a good idea to seek care if you have dizziness and other medical conditions, especially diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure. You may need to adjust your medication and get a checkup to make sure the dizziness isn’t a complication of your underlying medical condition. 

It’s rare, but dizziness can be a sign of a serious medical condition, like stroke. Get immediate medical attention if you have dizziness or vertigo along with any of the following:

• Severe headache 

• Neck pain or stiffness

• Seizure

• Chest pain or irregular heartbeats

• Loss of consciousness 

• Trouble speaking, seeing, or moving your body

Even if your dizzy spells seem mild, if they haven’t resolved completely within 4 weeks of your COVID infection, reach out to your healthcare team. This could be a sign of long COVID. 

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Written by:

Tracy Norfleet, MD, FACP

Dr. Tracy Norfleet is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician, health expert, and physician leader with over 20 years of experience practicing adult medicine. Dual-certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Tracy possesses a wealth of knowledge and expertise in both traditional medical practices and innovative lifestyle interventions for chronic disease management and reversal.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Reviewed by:

Christine Giordano, MD

Christine Giordano, MD, is board-certified in general internal medicine. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed residency at Thomas Jefferson University.

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