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What Is a Vestibular Migraine?

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.

  1. 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.

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