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Vestibular Migraines?

Posted , 13 users are following.

dee50000
dee50000

Just a quick question for those of you who have been diagnosed with vestibular migraines... do you only have the dizziness when you have the attack, or is it a condition that makes you feel off-balance all the time?

For me, there really is no difference with my disequilibrium between the days that I get a migraine and when I don't. I know there is such a thing as "silent" migraines, but if I'm dizzy/off-balance ALL the time (as I am), this can't possibly mean that I have a constant migraine.

I guess what I'm asking is can the migraines cause a condition (or vice versa) with your neurotransmitters in your brain where you get the imbalance even when you aren't having a migraine... be it silent or regular? Would preventative treatment for migraines (forgot the name of the pill) help with the dizziness? I get a migraine (visual aura, then temporary blind spots when the auras get so big, then pain) about once every 5-6 weeks. Would they (the medication) interfere with vestibular rehab training? Thanks!

0 likes, 21 replies

21 Replies

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  • paula59
    paula59 dee50000

    Posted

    Hi Dee - I have silent migraine or migraine associated vertigo (MAV) I have the odd severe headache but am dizzy / unbalanced all the time.  Thats the silent part of it.  Something is wrong in the brain stem and it causes you to have weird symptoms depending upon what part of your brain it crosses.  I have sensitivity to lights all the time, everything is too loud, my ears feel full from time to time, cheek hurts, head hurts, back of head hurts, neck hurts - everything is sort of on and off but the dizziness is constant.  Ive had this now for 3 1/2 years.  Go on Facebook and see MAV support site - you will see everyone has the same stuff.  Its awful.  You can get medication which helps / cures some people, the rest of us struggle on with it.  Diet and stress plays a bit part as does sleeping.
    • Pupsicle
      Pupsicle paula59

      Posted

      You probably didn't mean to say it like silent migraine and MAV are the same, but for anyone who comes across this thread, I wanted to be sure to clear up that they are not the same. Silent migraine is a migraine episode that skips the headache phase (migraine episodes consist of four phases: prodrome, aura, headache, and postdrome - any can be skipped). MAV is, obviously, vertigo.

      There is no cure for migraine, which is a neurological disease. Everyone's triggers are different; food and sleep are not triggers for everyone.

    • dee50000
      dee50000 paula59

      Posted

      Thank you Paula. I've had migraines (with pain) all my life, but never the imbalance till 14 months ago. I had 2 tiny strokes (NOT tias) that affected my peripheral vision very slightly, about 6 months before that, not *right* before the unsteadiness started, so not sure it that's related at all. My neurologist knows this, and I'll ask if there is more I can do other than the VRTs,  which I'm not even sure would help if it's not inner ear at this point. Maybe it would help the brain/eye compnent of balance, but it hasn't yet. Stay well.
    • Mintop13
      Mintop13 dee50000

      Posted

      I don't have the dizziness but I have eye disturbance ( I see flashy things) for like 20-30 mins I usually don't gave a headache afterwards but if i do its very mild..I don't know anybody else who had this ....I have told my eye doctor and my doctor and they both say there oscular migraines....
    • dee50000
      dee50000 Mintop13

      Posted

      The flashing lights (for me, look like a slow fan moving and then it starts to get colors of blue, black, and yellow) are called auras, and a headache on one side of my head always follows. Usually with nausea. Never, ever affected my balance before though. Thanks.
  • Step123
    Step123 dee50000

    Posted

    Hello Dee.... This is a bit of a long shot as I know you wrote your question 2 years ago.. but did you ever manage to sort the constant imbalance out? I'm no going through EXACTLY the same thing.

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