An estimated 15% to more than 20% of adults experience vertigo or dizziness each year, with prevalence peaking in the 55-64 age group.
Vertigo and balance disorders are increasingly emerging as a significant but under-recognized health problem in India, with experts pointing to wide gaps in diagnosis and treatment, particularly at the first point of care.
At a clinical workshop that brought together neurologists, ENT specialists and general practitioners on Saturday, experts noted that a substantial proportion of patients with vertigo are either misdiagnosed or treated symptomatically without identifying the underlying cause.
An estimated 15% to more than 20% of adults experience vertigo or dizziness each year, with prevalence peaking in the 55-64 age group. Vertigo is the feeling that the environment around a person is spinning in circles.
Specialists emphasized that one of the key challenges lies in differentiating the different types of vertigo – peripheral, central and functional – which often present with overlapping symptoms but require different treatment pathways. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO
Delay in diagnosis
Despite its frequency, vertigo is often dismissed as a minor or transient condition, leading to delayed diagnosis and prolonged discomfort. In some cases, doctors warned, this can lead to missing serious underlying neurological or vestibular disorders.
Suryanarayana Sharma PM, Senior Consultant Neurologist and Stroke Specialist, said: “More than 70 million people in India suffer from vertigo. Although about 74% of cases are benign, recognizing the red flags and identifying serious neurological or ENT diseases is essential. This requires a multidisciplinary approach.” He emphasized the need for specialized vertigo clinics.
A key challenge
Specialists emphasized that one of the key challenges lies in differentiating the different types of vertigo – peripheral, central and functional – which often present with overlapping symptoms but require different treatment pathways. They emphasized the importance of a structured clinical assessment, including a detailed patient history and bedside examination of the vestibular and ocular motor systems, rather than relying solely on symptomatic treatment.
Sunil Narayan Dutt, Senior Consultant in ENT, emphasized the need for more hands-on, experience-based training for clinicians. He noted that hands-on sessions and case-based discussions can help clinicians build confidence in assessing patients, especially in busy clinical settings where resources and time are limited.
Michael Strupp, a neurologist and vestibular expert, added an international perspective, saying that advances in vestibular medicine have made many vertigo conditions highly treatable. “The challenge is no longer lack of treatment, but ensuring the correct diagnosis is made early through a structured clinical assessment,” he said.
Postviral states
Experts have also observed that vertigo is increasingly seen in association with wider neurological and postviral conditions, increasing the complexity of diagnosis and care.
They emphasized that improving diagnostic accuracy at the primary care level is critical to reducing unnecessary investigations and ensuring better patient outcomes, especially in the context of an aging population and increasing lifestyle-related risks.
The workshop was organized by Apollo Hospital, Bengaluru.
Published – 04 Apr 2026 21:46 IST
