Have you ever been strolling through the charming streets of Downtown Mount Dora or enjoying a relaxing day by Lake Dora when suddenly, the world around you starts spinning? Maybe you’ve been at home, trying to go about your day, but each time you tilt your head, you’re hit with an unsettling wave of dizziness. For many, vertigo is more than a momentary inconvenience—it’s a recurring issue that disrupts daily life.
But how long does vertigo last? And what can be done to stop it? At Mount Dora Family Chiropractic, Dr. Todd Gignac specializes in helping patients uncover and address the root cause of vertigo through gentle and precise Upper Cervical Care. If you’ve been searching for answers, it’s time to learn how your neck could play a crucial role in your symptoms—and how restoring balance can help you feel like yourself again.
Key Takeaways: Explaining the Duration of Vertigo and How a Mount Dora Chiropractor can Help
- Vertigo Duration: The length of vertigo episodes varies, from seconds to hours or even days, depending on the underlying cause.
- Common Causes: Issues like BPPV, Meniere’s disease, vestibular neuritis, and cervicogenic vertigo are common triggers—but atlas misalignment could also be the root cause.
- Atlas Misalignment: Everyday incidents like minor falls, poor posture, childhood injuries, or stress can subtly shift the atlas, disrupting your body’s balance and nerve communication.
- Upper Cervical Care from a Mount Dora Chiropractor: A gentle, precise technique that targets atlas misalignment, offering a natural solution to chronic vertigo by addressing the root cause.
What’s It Like to Live with Vertigo and How Long Does Vertigo Last?
Living with vertigo can feel like you’re constantly walking on a tightrope, never knowing when the next episode will strike. Have you found yourself asking:
- Why does my vertigo seem to come and go without warning?
- Why does it sometimes last for just a few seconds but other times linger for hours or days?
- Am I the only one whose symptoms get worse with certain head movements or when my neck feels stiff?
These questions highlight the unpredictable and deeply personal nature of vertigo. The truth is, the duration and intensity of your symptoms often depend on the underlying cause. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common triggers for vertigo:
Does your vertigo start suddenly when you move your head a certain way?
This could be Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), where tiny crystals in your inner ear shift out of place. While the spinning may only last seconds, these episodes can recur for weeks or months.
Do you experience vertigo episodes alongside ear pressure, ringing, or hearing loss?
You might be dealing with Meniere’s disease, where vertigo strikes without warning and can last from 20 minutes to several hours. It’s not just the spinning that’s disruptive—it’s the uncertainty of when it will happen again.
Have you ever felt like the world is spinning uncontrollably for days, accompanied by nausea?
If so, vestibular neuritis could be the cause. Though the acute spinning may subside after a few days, lingering dizziness can make normal activities feel daunting for weeks.
Does your vertigo get worse when your neck feels tight or after long hours at a desk?
This might point to cervicogenic vertigo, where misalignment or tension in your neck disrupts your sense of balance. Episodes can last anywhere from minutes to hours and often return until the underlying neck issue is resolved.
Could Your Neck Be the Missing Link?
Now that you know the key triggers and causes of vertigo, let’s dive into a problem we often see at our Mount Dora Chiropractic office: atlas misalignment. While vertigo is commonly linked to inner ear issues, many people are unaware of the significant role the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae play in balance and stability.
These two vertebrae are located at the top of your spine, supporting the weight of your head and protecting your brainstem—the body’s control center for balance and coordination. When the atlas or axis shifts out of alignment—a condition called atlas subluxation—it can disrupt the flow of information between your brain and body. This miscommunication can amplify vertigo symptoms, leaving you stuck in an unpredictable cycle of dizziness and disorientation.
So, what’s causing these vertebrae to shift? Let’s explore some of the common but often overlooked culprits behind atlas misalignment.
How Does Atlas Misalignment Happen?
Atlas misalignment doesn’t always come with obvious symptoms like neck pain. In fact, many patients are surprised to learn that their vertigo may stem from an issue in their upper cervical spine. The atlas and axis are incredibly delicate and highly mobile, which makes them prone to subtle shifts. These shifts might go unnoticed for years until symptoms like vertigo start to appear.
Let’s explore some of the common—and often surprising—ways your atlas could end up misaligned:
Do you remember any slips, bumps, or minor accidents?
Maybe you had a quick fall while navigating the scenic trails at Palm Island Park or experienced a sudden jolt during a minor car accident. These seemingly small incidents might not cause immediate pain, but they can subtly knock your atlas out of position, setting the stage for balance issues and chronic vertigo down the road.
Did you experience any injuries during childhood?
Remember those childhood mishaps—falling off your bike, roughhousing with siblings, or even tumbling off playground equipment? These early injuries may have seemed harmless at the time, but they can cause lasting changes in your neck’s alignment. Many patients don’t connect these old injuries to their current vertigo symptoms, but misalignments from years ago can persist and worsen over time.
Have you had a concussion or head injury?
Even a mild concussion or bump to the head can lead to a misaligned atlas. The neck’s natural reaction to protect itself during an impact often results in subtle shifts. These injuries, whether from sports, a slip, or even hitting your head on a cabinet, can throw off the balance of your entire body.
Do you spend long hours looking down at your phone or working at a desk?
Poor posture is one of the most common culprits of atlas misalignment today. Whether you’re working at a computer, scrolling through your phone, or binge-watching your favorite shows, these positions place constant strain on your neck. Over time, this strain can pull your atlas out of its natural alignment without you realizing it.
Have you been under a lot of stress lately?
Stress isn’t just a mental burden—it has a physical impact, too. If you’ve been dealing with high levels of stress, chances are you’ve felt tension building in your neck and shoulders. This chronic tightness can gradually shift the delicate bones of your upper cervical spine, further complicating your body’s ability to maintain proper balance.
Have you undergone dental work or experienced jaw problems?
Procedures like wisdom tooth extractions, braces, or even prolonged jaw tension from grinding your teeth (TMJ) can influence the alignment of your atlas. Since the neck and jaw are closely connected, these seemingly unrelated issues can create a ripple effect that impacts your upper cervical spine and contributes to vertigo.
Do you participate in sports or physical activities?
If you’re an athlete or someone who enjoys physical hobbies like running, cycling, or even yoga, you might have unknowingly subjected your neck to stress. High-impact sports like football, soccer, or even recreational activities like boating on Lake Dora can lead to sudden jolts or impacts that misalign your upper cervical spine.
Why Atlas Misalignment Can’t Be Ignored
When the atlas is misaligned, it doesn’t just affect your neck. This tiny shift can disrupt the flow of communication between your brain and body, leading to dizziness, imbalance, and recurring vertigo episodes. Misalignment also impacts blood flow to critical areas of the brain, further intensifying these symptoms.
If you’ve experienced any of the scenarios mentioned above, it’s possible your vertigo stems from an atlas misalignment. The good news? This is a problem that can be corrected. By addressing the root cause through precise Upper Cervical Care, you can restore proper alignment and find lasting vertigo relief in Mount Dora.
Find Hope and Healing with Mount Dora Chiropractic Care
At Mount Dora Family Chiropractic, Dr. Todd Gignac understands how exhausting and isolating life with vertigo can be. When dizziness and imbalance become part of your daily routine, it’s easy to feel like you’re running out of options. But here’s the good news: there’s still hope.
Dr. Gignac focuses on a specialized form of care called Upper Cervical Care, which targets atlas misalignment—a frequently overlooked cause of vertigo. This gentle, precise approach is designed to restore balance by addressing the root of the problem. Using advanced imaging, Dr. Gignac pinpoints the exact position of your misaligned atlas and applies a tailored correction to help your body heal naturally.
Imagine a life where vertigo no longer controls your plans, where you can move through your day with confidence and ease. Many patients who thought they’d “tried everything” have found lasting relief with Upper Cervical Care.
If you’ve struggled with vertigo for what feels like forever, now is the time to take a new path. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Gignac, a compassionate and experienced Mount Dora Chiropractor, and start your journey toward steadiness and peace of mind.
FAQs on the Role of a Vertigo Chiropractor in Mount Dora in Managing Spinning Sensations
FAQs on the Role of a Vertigo Chiropractor in Mount Dora in Managing Spinning Sensations1. I’m so tired of feeling like the world is spinning. Sometimes it’s quick, but other times it lingers for hours. Will it ever stop?
The length of vertigo episodes varies depending on the cause. While some last only seconds, others can persist for hours or even days. Identifying and addressing the root cause, like atlas misalignment, can help reduce the frequency and duration of these episodes.
2. I’ve tried so many things, but the dizziness just won’t go away for good. Why does it keep coming back?
Recurring vertigo often points to an underlying issue that hasn’t been resolved. If your atlas is misaligned, it can continuously disrupt your body’s balance system. Correcting this misalignment through Upper Cervical Care can provide long-term relief by addressing the problem at its source.
3. I don’t have any major injuries, but could bad posture or stress really be causing my vertigo?
Yes, absolutely. Poor posture, especially from looking down at your phone or computer, strains your neck and can misalign your atlas over time. Stress also builds tension in your neck and shoulders, gradually shifting the upper cervical spine and contributing to vertigo.
4. I’ve been on medications, but nothing seems to work. Why haven’t they helped?
Medications typically manage symptoms, which comes in handy when you need short-term and immediate relief. But, if you would like to think long-term and believe that your vertigo is linked to an atlas misalignment, you must resolve the issue with gentle chiropractic adjustments. Upper Cervical Care targets the misalignment to promote natural healing and long-term relief.
5. I’m desperate for relief. If I try Upper Cervical Care, how soon will I feel better?
Many patients notice improvements after just a few adjustments, but the timeline varies based on the severity of the misalignment. With consistent care, most experience fewer and less intense vertigo episodes over time.
6. I’m nervous about chiropractic care. Is Upper Cervical Care safe?
Yes, Upper Cervical Care is a gentle, non-invasive technique. It avoids forceful adjustments and focuses on precise, tailored corrections to realign your atlas safely and effectively.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Gignac, call our Mt Dora office at 352-461-1695. You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
