[Chief symptom giddiness].

Vertigo follows headache as the second most common key symptom--not only in neurology and ENT medicine. Careful history-taking and a physical examination are sufficient for a correct diagnostic classification of most vertigo syndromes. In most cases, the etiology is benign, the course favorable, and treatment successful. In this brief overview, the clinical presentation and treatment of the most common peripheral and central vertigo syndromes are described, and the characteristics and treatment of the--to date too rarely diagnosed--subjective vertigo are described.