Glad it's nothing big, OP. I get this sometimes, too - there are migraines that present with this. They're awful, but I take Advil, a big glass of water and stagger back to bed. Gone by the time I wake up next. The first time it happened I think it was triggered by lawn chemicals.

Anonymous wrote:Do not go to the ER for vertigo. There is nothing they can do. See an ENT. Probably BVP and there is a special head movement that helps. It is caused by little crystals in your inner ear.

Actually, they can give you meclizine. But if the dizziness is not overwhelming, you could go to an urgent care and get a prescription while you are waiting on an ENT appointment.

OP here. Thanks everyone for your replies. I went to the ER and they said it was peripheral vertigo. They gave me anti-nausea medicine and Meclizine. I am so glad that it was not anything more serious. They sent me home with Meclizine pills in case it happens again. As a precaution, I will need to follow up with a Neurologist. I suspect that it may have been caused by the nasal saline rinse I have been using for allergies. But it is only a guess.

Did you take anything before bed? The first (and last) time that happened to me, I had taken a Nyquil Nighttime sinus caplet.

My money's on BPPV as well. But I'd check with a doctor as soon as you can. I went months with mine before seeking treatment and it was such an easy fix.

My husband has had off and on dizzy spells with no discernable pattern. After no treatment worked, his doctor ordered an MRI and it turns out it was a tumor. It's benign but will slowly grow and need to be removed. It will take his hearing in his right ear when it goes.

DH's vertigo presented very differently from mine so you should see a doctor to try to pinpoint the problem.

OP needs a doctor at this point.

She should not self diagnose this as a benign illness. Mine ultimately proved to be virus-caused but when I got to the ER, they immediately went to work as though I was having a heart attack--I thought that never occurred to me. But, it could have been the case.

This is not a situation where you are over-reacting to go to the ER, nor are you treated as though you are over-reacting when you show up there.

Most likely: BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO

http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/bppv/bppv.html

My first case of it was when I woke up in the night. It was very scary at the time. It is the worst feeling ever and I almost threw up. It is impossible to walk. Have your partner help you do the positions to shift the crystals in your inner ear. They do work but take some time. I had several episodes over a few years but haven't had any for awhile.

Anonymous wrote:You all have NO way of knowing this is vertigo. These symptoms need to be seen urgently.

This. OP should go to the ER. Hopefully she/he already has. A real-life MD needs to diagnose this.

Viral ear infection is a possibility. I had one and it was awful. DH had to drive me to the doctor.

Anonymous wrote:Good Lord, OP. Stop posting on DCUM and call a doctor.

People got some serious social media addictions don't they lol.
Bet one day somebody will post about how they're trapped in their car which is about to catch fire after having just been in a head on collision and wondering "What should I do?!"

It sounds like vertigo. I had it and it's awful but it only lasted a couple of hours and then I never got it again. Very strange.

Anonymous wrote:Check for stroke. If at all suspicious, call an ambulance. Do not drive yourself.

I don't know about an ambulance (maybe Uber?), but if OP has vertigo as bad as I did, she would not be able to drive. I could barely get down stairs and being a passenger in a car was overwhelmingly awful whenever a turn was made.

Vertigo. Can be caused by a virus or by disruption of little particles in your ear. If the latter, an ENT can reposition. In any case, get to the ER or doctor now and get the meclizine.

This was the most profoundly unpleasant thing I have every experienced in my life--mine was caused by a virus that just had to run its course. Meclizine was a huge help the first couple of days.

You all have NO way of knowing this is vertigo. These symptoms need to be seen urgently.

Test for stroke: http://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20030213/got-minute-you-could-diagnose-stroke