Cyclizine for Vertigo & Nausea: Uses, Dosage & How It Works
▶ In short — cyclizine
Cyclizine is an antihistamine anti-sickness medicine for nausea, vomiting, vertigo and motion sickness. Cyclizine benefits include its strong effect on vestibular (inner-ear) nausea. It blocks histamine and muscarinic receptors in the brain's vomiting centre, and is especially useful for nausea from inner-ear (vestibular) problems. The usual adult dose is one 50mg tablet up to three times a day (max 150mg/24h). It commonly causes drowsiness — avoid driving and alcohol.
Part of the Access Doctor nausea treatment guide.
What Cyclizine Is Used For
Cyclizine (cyclizine hydrochloride) is an H1 antihistamine with strong anti-sickness (anti-emetic) and anti-vertigo action — one of the most widely prescribed anti-emetics in the UK. It's used for nausea and vomiting from a wide range of causes:
- Vertigo and inner-ear disturbances — BPPV, vestibular neuritis, Ménière's disease;
- Motion sickness — car, boat, plane, train;
- Post-operative nausea (after general anaesthetic);
- Radiotherapy-induced nausea;
- Opioid-related nausea — often prescribed alongside morphine;
- Nausea from other conditions — e.g. raised intracranial pressure, migraine.
How Cyclizine Works
Cyclizine works through two receptor actions plus an effect on the brain's nausea-detection zone:
- Histamine H1 blockade — the vestibular (balance) system uses histamine to signal; blocking it in the brainstem vomiting centre reduces nausea from vertigo and motion.
- Muscarinic (anticholinergic) blockade — adds to the anti-sickness effect (and explains dry mouth, blurred vision and urinary effects).
- Chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) — reduces its sensitivity to chemical nausea triggers.
To understand the mechanism behind cyclizine, read our overview of how antihistamines work for nausea and vertigo.
Why cyclizine, not ondansetron? Cyclizine is best for vestibular and motion-related nausea; ondansetron (a 5-HT3 blocker) is better for chemotherapy- and some post-operative nausea. Your prescriber matches the medicine to the cause.
Cyclizine for Vertigo
Vertigo is a spinning sensation (of you or your surroundings) caused by problems in the inner ear or the brain's balance pathways — distinct from general light-headedness. As a vertigo medication, cyclizine helps the nausea and vomiting that accompany vertigo, and is particularly suited to vestibular causes.
For those with recurrent vestibular symptoms, cyclizine 50mg tablets can be ordered online from a UK-registered pharmacy after a short consultation with the pharmacy team.
| Type of vertigo | Cause | Key features |
|---|---|---|
| BPPV | Displaced inner-ear crystals | Brief episodes (secs–mins) on head movement; most common |
| Vestibular neuritis | Viral inflammation of the balance nerve | Sudden severe vertigo for days; no hearing loss |
| Ménière's disease | Inner-ear fluid pressure | Attacks with hearing loss, tinnitus, ear fullness |
| Labyrinthitis | Inner-ear infection | Vertigo with hearing loss |
| Central vertigo | Brain (stroke, MS, migraine) | May have other neurological symptoms |
Red flags — seek emergency care if vertigo comes with sudden severe headache, double vision, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, sudden hearing loss, weakness or numbness, inability to walk, or chest pain. These can indicate a stroke or other serious cause.
Cyclizine Dose for Adults & How to Take It
| Situation | Dose | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Adults — vertigo/nausea | One 50mg tablet, up to 3× daily | As directed by your pharmacist or doctor |
| Adults — motion sickness | One 50mg tablet | 1–2 hours before travel |
| Children 6–12 | 25mg (half a tablet), up to 3× daily | As directed (we supply adults only) |
| Maximum (adult) | 150mg in 24 hours | Do not exceed |
If you're considering treatment, you can buy cyclizine online after a brief consultation with our pharmacy team to confirm it's suitable for you.
Don't drive or operate machinery while taking cyclizine — it causes drowsiness. Avoid alcohol (it worsens sedation). Tell your prescriber if you have glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, epilepsy or liver disease, or take other anticholinergic medicines.
Cyclizine 50mg tablets for nausea, vertigo and motion sickness: a pharmacy medicine, supplied to adults after a short online consultation.
Get Cyclizine Online
Cyclizine 50mg is a pharmacy medicine. Complete a short online consultation and our pharmacy team will check it’s right for you. We supply one pack of 30 tablets per order to adults, and if approved before 3pm, Monday to Friday, it’s dispatched the same day.
Order Cyclizine Tablets →Side Effects & Safety
The most common side effect is drowsiness; others include dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention and headache (typical anticholinergic effects). Most are mild and settle when you stop. Because of the sedation, don't drive or operate machinery, and avoid alcohol. Cyclizine isn’t suitable for everyone — our pharmacy team checks it’s appropriate for you.
If you and our pharmacist agree it’s the right option, you can buy cyclizine through Access Doctor after a short consultation with our pharmacy team.
Cyclizine vs Other Anti-Sickness Medicines
| Medicine | Class | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Cyclizine | H1 antihistamine + anticholinergic | Vertigo, motion sickness, post-op nausea |
| Prochlorperazine (Stemetil) | Dopamine antagonist | Vertigo, severe nausea |
| Domperidone | Dopamine antagonist (prokinetic) | Nausea + slow gastric emptying; no drowsiness |
| Ondansetron | 5-HT3 antagonist | Post-op, chemotherapy nausea |
| Cinnarizine | H1 antihistamine + calcium channel blocker | Motion sickness, Ménière's |
If cyclizine is not suitable for your symptoms, or if you experience nausea without vertigo, domperidone offers an alternative antiemetic that works through a different mechanism and does not cause drowsiness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cyclizine used for?
Cyclizine is an antihistamine used to prevent and treat nausea, vomiting and dizziness — commonly for motion sickness, vertigo (inner-ear disturbances), nausea after surgery or radiotherapy, opioid-related nausea, and nausea from various other causes.
What is the adult dose of cyclizine?
One 50mg tablet up to three times a day (maximum 150mg in 24 hours). For motion sickness, take one 50mg tablet 1–2 hours before travel. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.
How does cyclizine work?
It blocks histamine H1 and muscarinic receptors in the brain's vomiting centre and acts on the chemoreceptor trigger zone. When the inner ear sends disrupted balance signals (as in vertigo), cyclizine dampens them, reducing nausea and vomiting.
Is cyclizine good for vertigo?
Yes — it's particularly effective for nausea driven by vestibular (inner-ear) causes such as BPPV, vestibular neuritis and Ménière's disease. If vertigo is new, severe or has neurological features, get assessed to find the cause.
What are the side effects of cyclizine?
Most commonly drowsiness; also dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention and headache. Don't drive or operate machinery, and avoid alcohol, which increases sedation.
Is cyclizine available over the counter?
Yes, from a pharmacy. Cyclizine 50mg tablets are a pharmacy (P) medicine, so a pharmacist checks they’re suitable before supplying them, in a pharmacy or online; they aren’t on general sale in shops. We supply them to adults after a short online consultation. If vertigo is new or severe, see your GP first.
Is there a cyclizine 100mg tablet?
No. Cyclizine tablets come in one strength, 50mg (cyclizine hydrochloride 50mg). The adult dose is one tablet up to three times a day, and no more than 150mg in 24 hours. Don’t take two tablets at once unless a doctor has told you to.
Should I take cyclizine before or after food?
You can take cyclizine with or without food. For travel sickness, take it 1 to 2 hours before you set off, so it’s working by the time you travel.
How long does cyclizine take to work?
It usually starts to help within 30 minutes to 2 hours, and one dose lasts about 4 to 6 hours.
What is the brand name for cyclizine?
Valoid is the original brand of cyclizine. Most UK pharmacies now supply generic cyclizine 50mg tablets, which contain the same medicine (cyclizine hydrochloride) at the same strength.
References
- NICE CKS. Vertigo. 2023. cks.nice.org.uk/topics/vertigo
- NHS. Vertigo. nhs.uk/conditions/vertigo
- Joint Formulary Committee. Cyclizine. British National Formulary. bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/cyclizine
- NHS. Cyclizine. nhs.uk/medicines/cyclizine
Medical disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always follow your prescriber's instructions. If vertigo is new, severe or has neurological features, seek medical assessment. In a medical emergency, call 999.