A 49-year-old administrative assistant experiences dizziness characterized by a spinning sensation with nausea. What is the most likely diagnosis?

The presentation of a 49-year-old administrative assistant experiencing dizziness characterized by a spinning sensation along with nausea suggests a diagnosis related to vertigo. The key aspect of the symptom description is the spinning sensation, which is referred to as "vertigo."

Benign positional vertigo is characterized by brief episodes of vertigo triggered by changes in head position. It is often seen in individuals when they tilt their heads or move them quickly, leading to a sensation of spinning. This condition is typically benign and results from disturbances in the inner ear, specifically affecting the otoliths, which can dislodge and cause abnormal signals to the brain.

Patients often report episodes of vertigo that are recurrent but usually of short duration, aligning well with the description of spinning sensations and accompanying nausea.

Other conditions such as Meniere's disease, vestibular neuritis, and labyrinthitis can also cause vertigo but present with a wider range of symptoms and different patterns. Meniere's disease, for instance, is associated with episodic vertigo but also includes hearing loss and tinnitus; vestibular neuritis often follows a viral infection and can cause more prolonged vertigo and imbalance; labyrinthitis typically comes with auditory symptoms due to inner ear inflammation. Therefore, the