A wide variety of conditions can cause dizziness and vertigo. A simple way to think of vertigo is the sensation of motion/movement in oneself or the environment when no motion is actually occurring.
Not all dizziness is actually vertigo.
Problems with dizziness can be due to a wide variety of medical conditions including very worrisome medical conditions such as neurologic disorders or heart conditions or more benign conditions such as benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo. Some but not all cases of vertigo or dizziness are related to problems with the inner ear. The complete evaluation of these symptoms is essential to try to determine the cause and appropriate treatment of symptoms of dizziness or vertigo.