How long does vertigo last?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
It depends on the cause - and the pattern is the clue. The most common type, BPPV, spins for seconds to minutes per episode, triggered by head movements like rolling over in bed, and recurs for weeks to months untreated - but responds dramatically to a repositioning maneuver a clinician performs in minutes. Constant vertigo for days after a virus points to vestibular neuritis, which fades over weeks. Vertigo with hearing changes, double vision, slurred speech, or severe headache is an emergency evaluation.
What to do
- Note the trigger and duration. Seconds-to-minutes with head movement is the BPPV signature - tell the doctor exactly that.
- Ask about the Epley maneuver. The repositioning treatment for BPPV often works in one or two sessions.
- Move carefully while symptomatic. Fall risk is the real danger of vertigo, especially at night.
- Escalate the wrong signs. Hearing loss, double vision, slurred speech, or worst-ever headache: urgent evaluation.
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