Abstract:Nystagmus is a common sign of vertigo diseases. The nature of nystagmus provides important clues to diagnose vertigo diseases. Nystagmus generally has two main categories: physiologic and pathologic. Pathological nystagmus can be classified into three types based on its origination and mechanism: otogenic, ocular, and central neurogenic. Therefore, this paper will focus on the three common types of nystagmus and significance of their characteristic natures in identifying origin of vertigo diseases.