Symptoms

In its simplest definition, vestibular migraine is dizziness that is linked to a migraine related process. First and foremost, the only defining symptom is dizziness that occurs more than once and is bothersome.

The most common type experienced is room spinning vertigo, making it distinct from other forms of such as lightheadness. However, some also have a different type of dizziness called disequilibrium in which there is a sensation of unsteadiness on your feet and feeling off balance. The dizziness experienced is episodic with a variable duration lasting minutes to days.

The episodic nature often occurs because of a migraine trigger. Avoidance of these triggers often leads to improvement in symptoms.

The next major symptoms are the headaches. However, it is crucial to know that the presence of a headache is not essential for the diagnosis of vestibular migraine. It can get confusing but many patients who do experience headaches note an association of headaches that occur before, during, or after their dizziness attacks.

Next, patients often experience the following symptoms that are identical to migraine headaches however associated with dizziness instead. These symptoms often occur usually before attacks and include:

• complaint of seeing zig zag lines, blind spots, floaters that spread across your vision

• others describe tingling or numbness sensation in your extremities that spread

• others find an association of nausea / vomiting during attacks

• some have odd symptoms of sweating, hunger / loss of appetite, runny nose, teary eye, diarrhea, dry mouth

• odd sensation that you feel that their body is either larger or smaller than normal, and/or objects appearing larger or smaller than usual

• pain with light touch of the skin

• lastly, some feel tinnitus, fullness/pressure or hearing changes

Following attacks, patients often feel the after effects of the symptoms including:

• difficulty concentration (brain fog)

• feeling depressed

• one-sided neck stiffness that can last up to a few days

So after reading all the different symptoms, you may be wondering if this is what you have been suffering from all along. The short answer to that is, its complicated. If you feel like some of the symptoms previously mentioned resonate with you, take note of your dizziness attacks and its associated symptoms. You need to be extremely in tune with your own body and understand what triggers cause the initial attacks. This will be helpful in identifying what triggers are causing your symptoms. Click here to learn more about the major triggers and what you can do to prevent an attack from occurring.