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
Common questions
How long does vertigo last?
It depends entirely on which vertigo you have, and the pattern is the diagnostic clue. The most common type, BPPV - benign positional vertigo, caused by loose crystals in the inner ear - produces spinning that typically starts suddenly, is triggered by head movements like rolling over in bed or tilting your head up, and lasts seconds to minutes per episode, though episodes recur for weeks to months if untreated. The good news: BPPV responds dramatically to a repositioning maneuver (the Epley) that a clinician can perform in minutes. Other causes run longer: vestibular neuritis, an inner-ear inflammation usually after a virus, hits hard for days then fades over weeks, and Meniere's disease attacks last hours. The rule of thumb: brief triggered spins point to BPPV, constant vertigo for days points to neuritis, and vertigo with hearing changes, double vision, slurred speech, or severe headache is an emergency evaluation, not a wait-and-see. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you map your pattern.