Vertigo & Ear Clinic - What Is Vestibular Migraine?
Migraine headaches are a fairly common condition among many people today. General migraines are characterized by moderate to severe headaches, which are pounding & throbbing in nature.
Vestibular Migraines, on the other hand, are characterized by
migraine headaches along with vestibular symptoms such as nausea, vomiting,
disorientation, & dizziness.
Some of the most common Vestibular Migraine symptoms are:
●
Severe, throbbing headache that is usually
concentrated to one side,
●
Nausea & Vomiting
●
Sensitivity towards light, smell, & sounds.
Other Vestibular Migraine symptoms:
●
Vertigo, that usually lasts for a few minutes
to hours, & in certain cases, can also last for a few days,
●
Unsteadiness, disorientation, & loss of
balance,
●
Sensitivity towards motion & motion stimuli
Certain subjective hearing symptoms, such as ringing, fullness,
& pressure in one or both ears are also common, although if you suffer from
significant hearing loss, you should go for a diagnosis of Meniere’s Disease.
Vestibular Migraines often cause a person to experience a range of
vestibular symptoms such as visual aura, or sensitivity to visual stimulation
& motion at the same, or different times. These symptoms can also occur
with headaches, or without.
Vestibular Migraine causes:
Most cases of Vestibular Migraine are hereditary. That said, women
are also more likely to suffer from Vestibular Migraine. For women, Vestibular
Migraine symptoms also tend to worsen at the time of menstruation.
Additionally, people with Vestibular Migraine experience the
following disturbances after their migraine episodes; altered sleep patterns,
MSG, disturbances in menstrual cycles, etc.
Vestibular Migraine Diagnosis:
Since a vast majority of people with Vestibular Migraine do not
experience vestibular symptoms along with migraine headaches, it can become
difficult for doctors to diagnose them with Vestibular Migraine.
The symptoms of Vestibular Migraine can also present as other
illnesses such as:
●
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo(BPPV)
●
Meniere’s Disease
●
Transient Ischemic attack, also known as a
‘mini-stroke’
It is also quite a common occurrence for these three disorders to
exist together, thus making the diagnosis even more difficult.
Vestibular Migraine treatment:
Vestibular Migraine treatment is similar to that of general
Migraines. It includes minimizing the usage of meclizine or any other medicines
that suppress the vestibular system, using them only during an active episode.
In case the patient is experiencing recurrent, frequent attacks,
your doctor may prescribe certain medications like:
●
Beta-blockers,
●
Calcium channel blockers,
●
Tricyclic antidepressants
●
Serotonin or norepinephrine reuptake
inhibitors(SSRIs or SNRIs)
●
Topiramate
Along with these medicines, patients suffering from vestibular
migraines are also advised to maintain a regular sleep & meal schedule, get
proper sleep of 8 hours everyday, reduce their intake of alcohol &
caffeine, & avoid known migraine
triggers.
Vestibular Migraine patients are also advised to engage in
activities that reduce stress, & avoid situations that can trigger an
involuntary neurological response, such as harsh lighting, loud, shrill sounds,
& engaging in activities that produce an adrenaline rush.
To know more about Vestibular Migraine & how the condition
affects a person’s everyday life, along with more about its diagnosis, new
treatment breakthroughs, & management options, visit Dr. Anita Bhandari’s
Vertigo And Ear Clinic, here.
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