Does shaking your head help vertigo? The surprising truth

Understanding vertigo: it’s more than just dizziness

If you’ve ever felt like the room was spinning even when you were sitting perfectly still, then yeah—you’ve probably experienced vertigo. And let me tell you, it’s not just “feeling dizzy.” I’ve had a few episodes myself, and it was like my entire world tilted sideways. One time, it hit me in the middle of brushing my teeth. I ended up sitting on the bathroom floor for 20 minutes. No joke.

So, naturally, when you feel like that, you want relief—fast. And that brings us to the weird question I once Googled at 3am: Does shaking your head help vertigo?

Spoiler: it’s not a simple yes or no.

The role of your inner ear in vertigo

What’s going on in your head (literally)?

Most vertigo cases are linked to your inner ear, especially something called BPPV—Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. Sounds fancy, but what it means is that tiny calcium crystals in your inner ear (called otoconia) get dislodged and move into places they shouldn’t be, like your semicircular canals. These canals are what help your brain know where your head is in space.

Now imagine those little crystals floating around where they don’t belong. Every time you move your head a certain way, boom—instant vertigo. It’s like your balance system gets hacked.

Why head movement matters

This is where it gets interesting: certain controlled head movements are actually part of the treatment for BPPV. That’s where the confusion comes in. Because yes, some types of vertigo respond well to specific, guided movements—but just randomly shaking your head? That could make things way worse.

Can shaking your head really help vertigo?

When it might help (but rarely does)

There’s a very niche set of movements—like the Epley maneuver—designed to reposition those rogue crystals in your ear. They’re not exactly "shaking" your head, but more like deliberate tilts and turns under very specific angles.

I remember a friend of mine, Sara, went to a vestibular therapist after weeks of random dizzy spells. She told me the therapist did these very slow, calculated moves with her head, and she felt better within minutes. But—key point—it wasn’t random. It was medically guided.

So, unless you’ve been taught how to move your head properly for your specific condition, just shaking it? Yeah, not really helpful.

When it can absolutely make things worse

Now here’s the thing: if your vertigo is active and you start shaking your head around, thinking you’re gonna knock things back into place—you might just make everything spin out of control.

I did that once (yes, foolishly). I tilted my head forward quickly thinking, “Maybe this will knock something loose in a good way?” Pfff. Big mistake. Ended up lying in bed for two hours with my eyes closed, trying not to throw up.

Moral of the story: don’t freestyle it.

What you should do instead

Try proper repositioning maneuvers

If you do have BPPV, your best bet is to try maneuvers like:

• Epley maneuver

• Semont maneuver

• Brandt-Daroff exercises

But please—don’t just go off a TikTok video or something. Talk to a doctor or physical therapist first. Some types of vertigo actually get worse with those movements, depending on which canal is affected.

Rest, hydrate, and seek medical help

If your vertigo is new, intense, or comes with other symptoms (like hearing loss, headache, or double vision), see a doctor. It might not be BPPV—it could be vestibular neuritis, Ménière’s disease, or even something more serious (I won’t go all WebMD on you, but yeah—rule that stuff out).

And one more thing: stay hydrated. It sounds too simple, I know, but dehydration can mess with your inner ear too. I didn’t realize how much my vertigo episodes coincided with times I’d barely drunk water all day.

Final thoughts: Should you shake your head to help vertigo?

Honestly? No. Shaking your head like you're in a shampoo commercial isn’t

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