Dizzy Signals: Getting Rid of Dizziness

Consider a Specialist

In some cases your general practitioner may not be able to figure out what's wrong. Don't give up. "Chronic dizziness can be at least as bad as chronic pain in terms of what it does to people physically and psychologically," says Philip Sloane, MD, a family and geriatric medicine practitioner at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who has done clinical work and research on dizziness. "It can be extremely fatiguing and frustrating -- like trying to work in your office when there's a guy with a jackhammer upstairs."

Be persistent about getting help, says Helen Cohen, EdD, associate director of the Center for Balance Disorders at the Baylor College of Medicine. "If the treatment plan your doctor gave you hasn't worked after a couple of weeks, call back and ask, 'How long should I wait?'" she says. "If you feel like your doctor isn't helping, ask for a referral." You can also contact the nearest teaching hospital to find out if there's a dizziness or balance disorders center there.