Medication for Vertigo

Vertigo is a feeling of spinning that is often accompanied by nausea. Nearly everyone experiences brief, fleeting moment of vertigo at sometime in their lives, but persistent, chronic vertigo requires medical treatment, particularly when it interferes with your daily life.

Identification

• There are two main drugs used to relieve the symptoms of vertigo---meclizine and promethazine.

Types

• Some drugs that treat vertigo are available over the counter to relieve minor symptoms of vertigo. Others are prescription strength and intended for chronic, more severe cases of vertigo.

Risks

• For both meclizine and promethazine, the most common side effect is drowsiness. Promethazine poses a serious risk of respiratory depression, a potentially fatal condition where your brain is unable to regulate your breathing, according to RxList.

Restrictions

• Promethazine is most likely to cause respiratory depression in children under two years of age, while meclizine is not normally recommended for children under twelve. Neither drug is safe to be taken during pregnancy or if you have a medical history of glaucoma, respiratory diseases like asthma, intestinal blockage, prostate enlargement, urinary tract infections and heart block, cautions the Mayo Clinic.

Considerations

• While meclizine and promethazine alleviate the symptom of vertigo, treatment for the underlying cause of the symptom is also necessary whenever possible. Consult your doctor about what may be causing your symptoms.