What is the difference between dizziness and vertigo?

Motion: It should be clear that dizziness and vertigo are symptoms not diagnoses. Most people come to my clinic complaining of dizziness and it can mean many things: spinning, imbalance, lightheadedness... Dizzy is defined as the feeling of spinning. Vertigo is the subjective feeling if motion such as spinning, waves, etc. It really takes a discussion to interpret what someone is feeling.

Dizziness vs vertigo: Vertigo is an abnormal sensation of movement when you aren't moving, usually described as spinning. Dizziness can mean being lightheaded, unsteady, woozy, imbalanced or foggy headed. Most people who have vertigo are dizzy, but not all people who have dizziness have vertigo. Knowing if you have true vertigo or not helps a doctor figure out the cause of the problem.