What Is a Vestibular Migraine?

Dizziness is a common symptom of vestibular migraines.

The vestibular system controls your body's balance. Vestibular or vertiginous migraines combine the pain of a migraine with the complications of extreme dizziness. There is no cure for vestibular migraines, but they can be managed.

Symptoms

According to Scientific American, symptoms include pain on one side of the head, nausea, vomiting sensitivity to light or noise, and dizziness that is often worse than the head pain.

Aura

Sometimes an aura---a visual or auditory hallucination---happens before the migraine and dizziness.

Types

A vestibular migraine is any migraine where dizziness is the main symptom. Other types with dizziness and migraine head pain are basilar migraines and hemiplegic migraines.

Treatment

According to the American Family Physician journal, treatment includes but is not limited to diet changes, painkillers, anti-nausea medication, tricyclic antidepressants, or daily high blood pressure medication as a preventative.

Fun Fact

Perhaps the most famous person in the world suffering from vestibular migraines is singer and actress Janet Jackson. She was diagnosed in October 2008 while touring.

References

• Scientific American: What Are Vestibular Migraines?
• American Academy of Family Physicians: Treatment of Vertigo
• Ballenger's Otorhinolarynology: Head and Neck Surgery

Resources

• The Vestibular Disorders Association
• People.com: Janet Jackson's Mystery Illness Revealed
• National Headache Foundation