Vestibular Migraine
What is Vestibular Migraine?
Research suggests that certain episodes of dizziness and related symptoms can be linked to migraine. Vestibular Migraine includes symptoms of vertigo, dizziness or imbalance but does not always include significant headache.
What are the symptoms of Vestibular Migraine?
There is no finding on clinical examination or investigation that is diagnostic of vestibular migraine and that is why the diagnosis of Vestibular Migraine can be difficult.
There are many types of symptoms which could be associated with this disorder, including movement related and/or spontaneous (out of the blue with no apparent trigger) vertigo attacks, dizziness, imbalance, brain fog, diminshed eye focus, visual disturbances (e.g. distorted vision, pixelations), sensitivity to light, sound or smell, or ringing mostly in both ears. Some of these symptoms can be particularly serious in nature and as such may require screening by a Medical Professional to rule out causes other than migraine.
What causes Vestibular Migraine?
The cause of migraines was previously thought to be solely due to blood flow changes (vascular processes) within the brain. It is now thought that there is also a change in how the nerves function within the brain which may be genetic in origin. Frequently episodes are triggered by stress, sleep problems, fluctuations in blood sugars (from irregular meal times), or hormonal changes.
What is the management for Vestibular Migraine?
The medical management of migraine-related dizziness is generally the same type of treatment as that used for migraine headaches, which includes prescription medications. However, in many cases Vestibular Rehabilitation can provide benefit or even act as a first line of management before trialing medication. Treatment is divided into 3 approaches, which are not mutually exclusive:
Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises
Lifestyle Modifications
Non Prescription Medications
At Equilibrium Rehab we will discuss which of these options will best suit your needs after our comprehensive assessment.