According to the American Migraine Foundation, more than 36 million Americans suffer from migraines. That makes migraines one of the most common chronic medical conditions facing Americans today. Although this condition is incredibly common, the general understanding of migraines remains limited. For example, while many people might assume that a migraine involves a severe headache, there’s another type of migraine that doesn’t involve a headache at all. This is known as a vestibular migraine, and it typically involves dizziness, vertigo, or nausea. Read on to find out more about vestibular migraine symptoms and treatment options.
When you think of a migraine, you might picture a splitting headache that causes secondary symptoms like light sensitivity or blurry vision. In reality, a migraine is more than just a headache. When a migraine strikes, it means that your brain is hyper-stimulated, or more sensitive to outside stimuli. Of course, this often results in a headache – but sometimes, it may not. In these headache-free cases, vestibular migraines could be to blame. Vestibular migraines are a type of migraine caused by your vestibular system, which is the system of nerves and organs that help your body maintain balance. When something throws this system out of balance, you may experience vestibular migraine symptoms including frustrating dizziness and vertigo.
Doctors still aren’t entirely sure what causes vestibular migraines. Currently, experts believe that these migraines are caused by misfiring brain neurons related to the vestibular system. Vestibular migraines are also frequently linked to other conditions; for example, individuals with a history of standard migraine headaches may be prone to vestibular migraines. These migraines can also occur among individuals with chronic motion sickness.
Do you regularly experience vertigo and dizziness with a seemingly unknown cause? You may be suffering from vestibular migraines. The following symptoms are common in people with vestibular migraines:
Do these symptoms sound familiar to you? If so, make sure to reach out to a vestibular system expert. Although the cause of vestibular migraines is still not fully understood, you have several treatment options.
Despite the relative mystery that still surrounds vestibular migraines, doctors have identified several treatments to improve patients’ symptoms. First, your doctor may recommend mild lifestyle changes. For example, if loud environments or flashing lights tend to trigger your dizzy spells, your doctor may recommend avoiding these environments for a trial period. Your doctor may also work with you to identify other triggers – different kinds of foods or alcohol, for example. Finally, recent research has identified a special type of physical therapy known as vestibular therapy. This promising treatment has been shown to improve balance and dizziness associated with vestibular migraines. All of these treatment options will work in tandem to improve your quality of life and reduce your overall balance and dizziness issues.
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Are you struggling with mysterious dizziness or balance issues? Do you also experience migraine headaches or motion sickness? If so, you may have vestibular migraines. While the medical community is still exploring the cause of these migraines, there are several treatment options available to help ease your symptoms.
Looking for help with dizziness and balance issues, including vestibular migraine symptoms? Reach out to the professionals at the National Dizzy & Balance Center. We specialize in diagnosing and treating migraine issues, including vestibular migraines, head pain, and ongoing dizziness. To learn more about our approach, please contact us online or by phone. Or if you’re ready to get started, schedule your free medical consultation today.
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