Most vertigo episodes are caused by tiny calcium crystals dislodged inside your inner ear, a condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). The good news: you can often fix it at home with specific head movements that guide those crystals back where they belong. These repositioning maneuvers work in about 80% of people and take only a few minutes to perform.
Before trying any home treatment, it helps to understand what type of vertigo you’re dealing with, because the fix depends on the cause.
Figure Out What’s Causing Your Vertigo
BPPV is by far the most common cause of vertigo. It produces brief, intense spinning (usually under a minute) triggered by changes in head position: rolling over in bed, looking up, or bending forward. If your vertigo fits that pattern, home repositioning maneuvers are your best first step.
Other causes behave differently. Ménière’s disease produces episodes lasting 20 minutes to several hours, often with hearing changes, ear fullness, or ringing. Vestibular neuritis causes constant, severe spinning that persists for days along with nausea and difficulty walking. That persistent pattern can also look identical to a stroke affecting the balance centers of the brain, so it warrants medical evaluation even without other neurological symptoms.
If your vertigo comes with any of the following, call 911 rather than treating at home:
- New confusion, slurred speech, or trouble understanding others
- Numbness or weakness in your face, arm, or leg
- New trouble seeing, double vision, or unequal pupils
- Inability to stand even while holding onto something
- Sudden severe headache or neck pain with no known cause
The Epley Maneuver: Most Effective Home Fix
The Epley maneuver is the gold standard for BPPV, relieving symptoms in roughly 8 out of 10 people. It works by using gravity to move the loose crystals out of the semicircular canal where they’re triggering false spinning signals. A study comparing it to the next most popular technique (the Semont maneuver) found a 91% success rate for the Epley versus 67% for the Semont.
You’ll need to know which ear is affected. A simple clue: whichever direction triggers the worst spinning is likely your problem side. If turning your head right and lying back makes the room spin, your right ear is probably the one with displaced crystals. A healthcare provider can confirm this with a diagnostic test called the Dix-Hallpike maneuver, but many people can identify their affected side from the pattern of their symptoms.
Steps for the Right Ear
Sit on the edge of your bed with a pillow behind you so it will be under your shoulders when you lie back. Turn your head 45 degrees to the right. Lie back quickly so your shoulders land on the pillow and your head reclines slightly over the edge. Wait 30 seconds. Turn your head 45 degrees to the left (without lifting it) and wait another 30 seconds. Roll your whole body onto your left side while turning your head to look at the floor. Wait 30 seconds. Slowly sit up on the left side of the bed.
For the left ear, reverse all the directions.
You may need to repeat this up to three times per session, and up to three times a day for several days before symptoms fully resolve. Some people feel immediate relief after a single attempt. Mild dizziness during the maneuver is normal and expected.
The Half-Somersault: An Easier Alternative
Developed by Dr. Carol Foster at the University of Colorado, the half-somersault maneuver is popular because you can do it on the floor without a bed, and it’s less likely to cause the intense spinning some people experience with the Epley.
Start by kneeling on the floor. Tip your head back and look at the ceiling briefly. Then tuck your chin and place the top of your head on the floor, as if you’re about to do a somersault. Turn your head toward the affected elbow (right elbow for right ear BPPV). Hold that position for about 30 seconds or until the spinning stops. Raise your head quickly to back level, keeping it turned toward the affected side. Then sit back up fully upright.
Wait 15 minutes before repeating if symptoms persist. This maneuver is particularly useful when you’re away from home or don’t have someone to help you through the Epley.
Vitamin D and Calcium to Prevent Recurrence
BPPV has an annoying tendency to come back. A randomized controlled trial published in Neurology found that vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduced the annual recurrence rate by 24%. The benefit was strongest for people who started with very low vitamin D levels: those below 10 ng/mL saw a 45% reduction in recurrence, while those between 10 and 20 ng/mL saw a 14% reduction.
The study used 400 IU of vitamin D and 500 mg of calcium carbonate taken twice daily. Experts generally suggest 800 IU of vitamin D and 1,000 mg of calcium daily for people with confirmed deficiency. If you’ve had repeated BPPV episodes, checking your vitamin D level with a simple blood test is worthwhile, since deficiency is extremely common and correcting it may meaningfully lower your odds of another episode.
Managing Ménière’s-Related Vertigo
If your vertigo episodes are long, accompanied by hearing loss or ear ringing, and don’t respond to repositioning maneuvers, Ménière’s disease is a possibility. The primary home strategy is sodium restriction. Excess salt causes fluid retention in the inner ear, which triggers attacks. Guidelines recommend keeping daily sodium intake under 2,000 mg, with more significant improvement when you drop below 3,000 mg if you’re currently eating a typical high-sodium diet.
For reference, the average American consumes over 3,400 mg of sodium per day, so cutting back meaningfully requires reading labels and cooking more meals at home. Processed foods, restaurant meals, bread, and canned soups are the biggest culprits. Some people notice a reduction in attack frequency within a few weeks of lowering their salt intake.
Ginger for Vertigo-Related Nausea
Vertigo often comes with nausea that can be just as debilitating as the spinning itself. Ginger root has reasonable evidence for motion-related nausea. In one double-blind trial, 940 mg of powdered ginger in capsules outperformed dimenhydrinate (Dramamine). Another trial with naval cadets sailing in heavy seas found that 1 gram of ginger reduced nausea by 38% and vomiting by 72% compared to placebo.
The typical recommendation is 500 mg of powdered ginger root in capsule form, taken as needed every two to four hours. Fresh ginger tea can also help, though dosing is less precise. Results are inconsistent across studies, so it works better for some people than others, but it’s safe and inexpensive enough to try.
Habits That Help Between Episodes
Several daily adjustments can reduce vertigo frequency and help you cope when it strikes. Sleep with your head slightly elevated on two pillows rather than lying flat, since this reduces the chance of crystals migrating overnight. When you wake up, sit on the edge of the bed for a moment before standing. Avoid tilting your head far back (at the dentist, hair salon, or when reaching high shelves) since that’s one of the most common triggers.
Stay well hydrated. Dehydration reduces blood volume and can worsen dizziness on top of inner ear problems. During an active episode, sit or lie still in a dimly lit room, fix your gaze on a stationary object, and avoid sudden head movements. The nausea and spinning typically pass faster when you minimize visual and motion input.
If repositioning maneuvers don’t help after a week of consistent effort, or if your vertigo episodes are getting longer, more frequent, or accompanied by hearing changes, the cause is likely something other than BPPV and worth investigating with a provider who specializes in vestibular disorders.