Posted on29 September 2025,in

Introduction: When Vertigo Keeps Coming Back

Why Doesn’t Epley Maneuver Fix My Vertigo: If you’ve tried the Epley maneuver for vertigo and it didn’t work—or it worked for a few days and then the spinning returned—you’re not alone. For many people, the Epley is like putting a band‑aid on a deeper problem. It can be helpful, but it isn’t designed to correct the underlying cause behind recurring dizziness, imbalance, ear pressure, or that unnerving sense that the floor is moving. At Lavender Family Chiropractic in Sarasota, Florida, we see this every week. People search “Vertigo doctor near me,” follow a video for the Epley, maybe even get it performed in a clinic, and still feel stuck.

Here’s the key insight: while the Epley can reposition loose “ear crystals” in true BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo), many cases of vertigo are driven by upper cervical misalignment—tiny shifts in the atlas (C1) or axis (C2) that disrupt the way your brain, eyes, inner ears, and posture talk to each other. When the control center at the top of your neck isn’t lined up, you can experience vestibular dysfunction that no amount of crystal‑repositioning will fix. That’s why our clinic focuses on upper cervical chiropractic—gentle, precise care that helps restore balance at its source.

In this in‑depth article, you’ll learn why the Epley often behaves like a short‑term patch, how the upper cervical spine influences the vestibular system, and what it looks like to get long‑term relief with Lavender Family Chiropractic—the trusted upper cervical chiropractor near me for families across Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, and the surrounding Gulf Coast communities.

Why Doesn’t Epley Maneuver Fix My Vertigo-What the Epley Maneuver Actually Does (and Doesn’t Do)

The Epley maneuver is a sequence of head and body positions designed to move calcium carbonate particles (otoconia) out of a semicircular canal in the inner ear and back into the utricle, where they belong. When someone has true posterior‑canal BPPV, those particles can trigger sudden spinning when you roll over in bed, look up, or bend forward. Guiding the particles out of the canal can stop the false motion signal, which is why some people feel almost immediate relief.

But here’s what the Epley doesn’t do:

It doesn’t fix why the particles ended up in the canal.
It doesn’t address the brainstem and neck‑driven signals that help your brain make sense of motion and position.
It doesn’t restore cervical proprioception—the high‑precision “GPS” in your upper neck that should agree with your inner ear and your eyes.
It doesn’t calm irritated cranial nerves or normalize blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics that can influence dizziness.

For some people, BPPV is a one‑time event and the Epley is exactly what they need. For many others, episodes keep returning or never fully resolve because the root cause isn’t ear crystals; it’s the upper cervical spine.

Why a Neck Problem Can Feel Like an Ear Problem

Your balance system is a network. The inner ears measure rotational acceleration; your eyes track motion; and the joints and muscles—especially in the upper neck—provide position sense back to your brain. The atlas (C1) and axis (C2) sit at the base of your skull, cradle the brainstem, and are packed with nerves and mechanoreceptors. If these vertebrae are even slightly misaligned from an old whiplash, a fall, a sports hit, or years of forward‑head posture, the signals heading into the brainstem can get noisy or contradictory.

When those signals don’t match, you can feel:

Spinning vertigo or a rocking/swaying sensation
Imbalance when walking, especially in stores or crowds
Motion sensitivity, car sickness, or “visual vertigo” in busy environments
Ear pressure, crackling, fullness, or intermittent muffled hearing
Headaches or vestibular migraines
Neck tightness, occipital neuralgia, facial pain, or jaw tension
Brain fog, fatigue, and anxiety triggered by symptoms

Because these sensations are experienced in the head and ears, it’s natural to assume the problem lives there. But the neck—through the cervico‑ocular reflex, vestibulo‑spinal pathways, and direct brainstem connections—often drives the dysfunction.

Epley as a Band‑Aid: Four Common Scenarios

Misdiagnosed Vertigo: Not all dizziness is BPPV. People with PPPD, MdDS‑like symptoms, Meniere’s‑type flares, or vestibular migraine are frequently told to “do the Epley,” which doesn’t address their pattern at all. Upper cervical misalignment can sit upstream of all of these, producing inconsistent signals that trigger dizziness, sensory overload, and headaches.
Recurrent BPPV with a Neck Driver: Even when otoconia are a factor, the real question is why episodes recur. If the atlas is off and your neck is pulling posture asymmetrically, the inner ear can remain hypersensitive or be more likely to recalcify particles into the canal. Correcting alignment removes the driver.
Partial, Short‑Lived Relief: You do the Epley, feel better for a few days, and then the room starts to wobble again. That’s a classic sign that the deeper integration—neck, eyes, ears, and brainstem—hasn’t been stabilized.
Epley Worsens Symptoms: Some people feel more nauseated or disoriented after repeated repositioning. If your system is already overloaded by upper cervical stress, forcing the canals can add fuel to the fire.

The Upper Cervical “Control Center”: Atlas, Axis, and Your Brainstem Think of the atlas and axis as the hinges of a very sensitive door. When they’re true, your head is level, your eyes are level, and your body can balance with minimal effort. When they’re off, your body compensates: one shoulder hikes, one hip drops, muscles spasm, and the brainstem lives under constant mechanical stress. This can influence:

Cranial nerves involved in hearing, balance, and facial sensation
Autonomic tone (sympathetic vs. parasympathetic), leading to nausea or anxiety
CSF flow dynamics at the cranio‑cervical junction, contributing to pressure‑type headaches or fog
Vertebral artery blood flow patterns that can sensitize dizziness

Correcting the misalignment isn’t about cracking the neck. It’s about precision: identifying the exact 3D direction of the shift and applying a gentle correction that the body can accept and hold.

How Upper Cervical Misalignment Creates Vestibular Dysfunction

Conflicting Sensor Input: The upper neck contains dense proprioceptors that should agree with the inner ear and visual system. Misalignment produces conflicting input, which your brain interprets as motion when there is none.
Brainstem Irritation: The atlas sits around the brainstem like a ring. If the atlas is tilted or rotated, it can stress surrounding tissues and alter reflexes tied to balance and eye movements.
Cervico‑ocular and Vestibulo‑spinal Reflexes: These reflexes keep your eyes steady and your body upright. A misaligned C1/C2 can corrupt these pathways and trigger dizziness when you turn your head or change position.
CSF and Vascular Considerations: Subtle mechanical changes at the cranio‑cervical junction can influence fluid dynamics. Some patients describe pressure behind the eyes, fullness in the ears, or a “waterlogged” head sensation that calms as alignment stabilizes.

Upper Cervical vs. General Chiropractic: Why Technique Matters

Not all chiropractic is the same. At Lavender Family Chiropractic, our doctors—Dr. Rusty Lavender, Dr. Jacob Temple, and Dr. Will Guzinski—focus on upper cervical chiropractic using a gentle, precise approach. We do not pop, twist, or crack the neck. Instead, we tailor a specific correction based on your unique anatomy so your body can unwind safely. The goal is to help you achieve stability, not just momentary relief.

Our Process at Lavender Family Chiropractic

In‑Depth Consultation and History We want your full story—first episode, triggers, previous care, injuries, jaw issues, migraines, hormone changes, stress, and sleep. Vertigo is rarely one‑note, and your timeline matters.
3D CBCT Imaging (Cone Beam CT) We use modern 3D CBCT imaging to visualize the skull‑neck junction in remarkable detail. This shows the exact orientation of your atlas, dens, and surrounding joints so we can plan a correction that is right for you.
Functional Nervous System Scans (Tytron) Our Tytron scan measures thermal patterns along your spine—an objective window into how the nervous system is adapting (or struggling). We use it to guide timing for care and to confirm that your body is stabilizing.
Posture and Balance Assessment We look at head tilt, shoulder height, pelvic balance, gait quality, and movement patterns—because alignment is a whole‑body story.
Gentle, Precise Adjustments—No Popping, Twisting, or Cracking Using upper cervical protocols (including HIO Knee‑Chest), we apply a light, calculated correction to bring the atlas/axis back toward center. Patients are often surprised at how subtle and comfortable it feels.
Stability Plan and Home Strategies We teach you how to help your adjustment hold: sleep positioning, workstation tweaks, movement strategies, hydration, and gentle vestibulo‑cervical drills when appropriate. When needed, we coordinate with vestibular therapy so your system retrains efficiently.

What Improvement Looks Like (and How Fast It Can Happen)

Healing timelines vary, but common milestones include:

Fewer “spin” episodes and less motion sensitivity
Less ear fullness and crackling
Decreased neck tightness or headaches
More confidence in busy stores or while driving
Better energy and mood as the nervous system calms

Some people feel a shift within a few visits; others notice steady changes over weeks as the body re‑learns stability. The goal is lasting change, not a quick fix that fades.

Real‑World Stories (Names Changed for Privacy)

Ava, 34, Sarasota: Years of “BPPV” that never fully responded to the Epley. CBCT showed a right‑tilted atlas with rotational stress. After a series of gentle upper cervical corrections and a stability plan, she returned to workouts and stopped avoiding hair‑wash position changes.
Michael, 57, Lakewood Ranch: Post‑concussion dizziness and neck pain. Epley made him nauseated. After upper cervical care, his walking felt “quiet,” he tolerated grocery aisles, and his headaches receded.
Jasmine, 42, Bradenton: Vestibular migraine flares with ear fullness and visual motion strain. Adjusting the atlas calmed her triggers; she also learned strategies for desk setup and sleep support to help the correction hold.

These are typical of what we see: the Epley can’t stabilize a neck‑driven vestibular system. Precise alignment can.

When the Epley Makes Sense—and When It Doesn’t

The Epley can be appropriate for classic, straightforward posterior‑canal BPPV. If you get a crisp burst of spinning when rolling in bed that lasts seconds, and you feel notably better after a correct Epley, great—use it as needed.

But if you experience any of the following, think upper cervical first:

Vertigo that returns repeatedly despite correct Epley technique
Motion sensitivity, visual overload, or “rocking” that lasts minutes to hours
Ear fullness, pressure, or crackling paired with neck tension
History of whiplash, concussion, or head/neck trauma
Coexisting headaches, TMJ tension, brain fog, or fatigue

How Upper Cervical Care Complements Vestibular Therapy

We love collaborative care. Many patients benefit from vestibular rehabilitation once the neck is moving in a healthy pattern. Think of upper cervical correction as the foundation—it stabilizes the head‑neck control center so eye‑head exercises don’t provoke flares and can actually stick.

Safety, Comfort, and the “Hold”

Our method is exceptionally gentle. There’s no aggressive twisting or cracking. We also schedule care to encourage longer and longer periods of holding the correction, because the longer you hold, the fewer adjustments you need—and the more your nervous system settles into stable patterns.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic, Explained Simply

Upper cervical chiropractic focuses on the top two vertebrae (C1 and C2). These bones are engineered for motion, not weight‑bearing, so they are naturally vulnerable to small positional changes. By measuring your unique misalignment in 3D and applying a tailored, light correction, we allow your head to sit level over your body, which normalizes neurology from the brainstem downward. Patients often notice global changes—calmer balance, better posture, clearer thinking—because when the control center relaxes, everything downstream can coordinate again. This is upper cervical chiropractic at its best: not chasing symptoms, but restoring order.

Top 15 FAQs: Epley, Vertigo, and Upper Cervical Care

1) Why doesn’t the Epley maneuver fix my vertigo?
Because many cases aren’t true canal‑crystal problems. If upper cervical misalignment is driving vestibular dysfunction, repositioning particles won’t correct the source of the signal conflict.

2) How do I know whether my vertigo is BPPV or neck‑driven?
BPPV tends to create brief, positional spins that respond quickly to Epley. Neck‑driven patterns often include lingering motion sensitivity, ear pressure, headaches, or jaw/neck tension, and they recur despite proper Epley technique.

3) Can upper cervical chiropractic help if I truly have BPPV?
Yes. Even when crystals are involved, aligning the atlas/axis can reduce recurrence and calm the system so repositioning works better and holds longer.

4) What testing do you use to find the root cause?
We combine detailed history with 3D CBCT imaging and Tytron functional nervous system scans. We also evaluate posture, gait, and head/eye/neck relationships to map your unique pattern.

5) Are the adjustments safe?
Yes. Our approach is gentle and precise—no popping, twisting, or cracking. Most patients find it surprisingly comfortable and calming.

6) How quickly will I feel better?
Timelines vary. Some notice changes within a few visits; others see steady progress over several weeks as their correction holds and the nervous system recalibrates.

7) Do you work with vestibular therapists or ENTs?
Absolutely. We’re happy to coordinate care. Correcting the upper neck often makes vestibular therapy more effective and better tolerated.

8) Do you take insurance?
Our office is out of network with insurance. Many of our patients receive a superbill to submit to their insurance for reimbursement based on their coverage. We offer many different payment options as well as finance options.

9) What makes Lavender Family Chiropractic different from a general chiropractor?
We specialize in upper cervical chiropractic, use 3D CBCT and Tytron scans, and deliver gentle adjustments tailored to your unique anatomy. Our focus is on stability and long‑term change.

10) Can kids or seniors receive upper cervical care?
Yes. The technique is adaptable and gentle for all ages, from children who get car‑sick to seniors who feel unsteady.

11) Will I need to come forever?
No. We aim to increase the hold of your correction. As you hold longer, visit frequency typically decreases. The goal is to help your body maintain alignment with minimal input.

12) What conditions besides vertigo can improve with upper cervical care?
Patients often report changes in migraines, headaches, TMJ tension, neck pain, trigeminal/occipital neuralgia, brain fog, posture, and sleep quality.

13) What if Epley makes me feel worse?
That’s a clue your system may be overloaded. We recommend an upper cervical evaluation to see whether alignment is the missing piece.

14) Is this the same as “chiropractor near me”?
We’re a chiropractor Sarasota Florida clinic with a unique specialty. If you’ve been searching “upper cervical chiropractor near me” or “Vertigo doctor near me,” you’re in the right place.

15) Why choose Lavender Family Chiropractic?
Experience, precision, and compassion. Our three‑doctor team has helped hundreds of people across Sarasota, Bradenton, and Lakewood Ranch find lasting relief using advanced imaging, nervous system scanning, and gentle, specific care.

Who We Serve (Beyond Sarasota)

We proudly serve patients from Bradenton, Parrish, Lakewood Ranch, Ellenton, Venice, Osprey, Punta Gorda, St. Petersburg, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Lido Key, and Myakka City. If you’re driving in from outside Sarasota County or Manatee County, let us know—our team will help make your visits efficient and productive.

Why People Call Us the Best Upper Cervical Chiropractors in Sarasota and Bradenton

Advanced Diagnostics: On‑site 3D CBCT and Tytron scanning mean we identify the exact problem and track your progress objectively.
Gentle, Precise Adjustments: No twisting or cracking. Our methods are designed to be both effective and comfortable.
Stability First: We prioritize helping your body hold alignment, which creates lasting change and fewer flare‑ups.
Collaborative Care: We coordinate with ENTs, neurologists, physical and vestibular therapists when needed.
Rave Reviews: We’re grateful for 120+ five‑star reviews from patients who regained balance, clarity, and confidence.

Your First Visit: What to Expect

Warm Welcome & Consultation: We listen. You’ll share your history, triggers, and goals.
Targeted Testing: CBCT imaging, Tytron scans, and functional assessments to see the true picture.
Personalized Plan: We explain your findings and map a plan to correct alignment, support the nervous system, and build stability step by step.
Gentle, Focused Correction: If appropriate on day one, we’ll deliver your first upper cervical adjustment and recheck your nervous system response.

Most people leave feeling hopeful, often noticing subtle changes—lighter head, easier breathing, quieter balance—right away.

Simple Home Strategies That Help Your Correction Hold

Sleep Smart: Use a supportive pillow that keeps your head level; avoid sleeping twisted.
Desk Setup: Screen at eye level, chair supporting your lower back, feet flat on the floor.
Move Often: Gentle neck mobility, controlled breathing, and walks in natural light help your brain integrate new, healthier signals.
Hydrate and Nourish: Your vestibular system loves steady hydration and a calm nervous system.
Pace Progress: If busy environments trigger you, expand gradually as your stability improves.

What “Root‑Cause Care” Really Means

Root‑cause care doesn’t mean chasing every symptom. It means correcting the structure and signal quality at the top of the spine so the whole balance network can agree again. When your atlas and axis are centered, your brainstem can do its job with less noise. That’s how vertigo settles for good.

If You’ve Been Told “Just Live With It,” Read This

You are not broken. You’re experiencing the downstream effects of a control center that’s out of sync. The Epley may have helped a little—and that’s okay. But if you want a future where you can roll in bed, look up at the sky, enjoy a busy grocery aisle, or ride in a car without bracing, it’s time to evaluate your upper cervical alignment.

Ready to Address the Root Cause?

If you’ve been searching for a chiropractor near me who truly understands vertigo—or you need a Migraine doctor near me because headaches ride along with your dizziness—our team is here.

Lavender Family Chiropractic in Sarasota Florida offers complimentary consultations to learn more about you. Click the link below!

https://intake.chirohd.com/new-patient-scheduling/724/lavender-family-chiropractic

Visit our Website!

To learn more about us go to http://www.chiropractorsarasotaflorida.com

We also service Bradenton, Parrish, Ellenton, Ruskin, Venice, Tampa, St. Pete, Osprey, Longboat, Lakewood Ranch, Myakka City.

If you are in Tampa, Fort Myers, or Salt Lake City, you can visit my other locations! NeckWise Upper Cervical. Visit, www.neckwise.com

If you are not local, visit www.uccnearme.com to find a doctor in your area.

Lavender Family Chiropractic
5899 Whitfield Ave Ste 107, Sarasota, FL 34243
(941) 243‑3729
www.chiropractorsarasotaflorida.com

We’ll take the time to listen, measure, and correct with precision so you can get back to your life—steady, clear, and confident.

Summary: Why the Epley Is a Band‑Aid (And What to Do Instead)

The Epley can help true BPPV, but it doesn’t resolve the upstream control problem for many people.
Upper cervical misalignment is a frequent root cause of recurring vertigo, motion sensitivity, ear pressure, and vestibular migraines.
Correcting the atlas/axis with gentle, precise upper cervical chiropractic calms the nervous system and restores integration between eyes, ears, and posture.
At Lavender Family Chiropractic, we use 3D CBCT, Tytron scans, and a stability‑first plan to help your body hold alignment and keep symptoms from returning.

You don’t need another band‑aid. You need your balance system to agree again—starting at the top of your neck.