About this information
This NHS content is written for people in England. Medicine names, availability, prescribing and services may differ in other countries.
Betahistine is a medicine used to treat the symptoms of Ménière's disease.
These symptoms include:
- feeling dizzy and a spinning sensation (vertigo)
- ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- loss of hearing
- feeling sick (nausea)
The full name of this medicine is betahistine dihydrochloride.
It's thought to work by reducing build-up of fluid in the inner ear. This helps to reduce how often you get Ménière's disease symptoms and to make them milder.
It comes as tablets and is available on prescription only.
View the original NHS website page ↗. Refreshed 19 August 2026.
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