Vestibular Migraines: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
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It is estimated that some 28 million people have been diagnosed as suffering from migraines in the United States alone and one of the different types of migraines included in that statistic is vestibular migraine. Vestibular migraines, although similar to many other forms of migraines, have a few distinct features. The word “vestibular” in vestibular migraines is derived from another word “vestibule” which refers to a small space, cavity or enclosure at the beginning of a canal or passageway. In this case, vestibule is that part of our inner ear which helps us keep our balance so that we do not sway or fall. As there is a symptom of dizziness and/or vertigo with vestibular migraine, this is how it came to get its name.
TL;DR
- Vestibular migraine is a type of migraine that gets its name from the vestibule, the part of the inner ear which helps us keep our balance, because it comes with dizziness and/or vertigo.
- The vertigo can make the room feel like it is spinning and could continue for anything from a few minutes to up to an hour, and in rare cases for several days or weeks. A migraine headache may start before, at the same time as or after the vertigo.
- Other symptoms can include ear pressure or pain, tinnitus, muffled hearing, extreme sensitivity to motion, unsteadiness, nausea and panic or anxiety attacks, and these are not always experienced with pain.
- Your doctor will need to rule out other conditions such as BPPV, Ménière's disease, small strokes (TIAs), fluid leaks in the inner ear and vestibular nerve irritation.
- Treatment is similar to other migraines, with medication such as meclizine for dizziness with nausea, and beta-blocking agents or calcium channel blockers where attacks are frequent.
- Finding and eliminating triggers such as low blood sugar, stress, an altered sleep pattern and your diet can be an effective form of vestibular migraine treatment.
- Women are more likely than men to suffer from all forms of migraines, and migraines are often passed down from one generation to the next.
In this post:
Vestibular Migraine Symptoms
There is an overlap between dizziness and the migraine itself. Although dizziness can be light-headedness, wooziness or a feeling that you are going to faint, in the case of vestibular migraine the dizziness is a form of vertigo. The room or environment could feel like it was spinning or you could experience motion sickness. This vertigo could continue for anything from a few minutes to up to an hour. In rare cases, it could last for several days or weeks. A migraine headache could start at the same time or beforehand or may follow after the vertigo.
There are other symptoms of migraines which can appear with vestibular migraines and these are:
- Ear pressure or pain
- Tinnitus or ringing in the ears
- Panic or anxiety attacks
- Phobic behavior
- Muffled hearing
- Extreme sensitivity to motion
- Unsteadiness
- Nausea
These symptoms are not always experienced in conjunction with pain.
Also read: How to Understand More About Migraines and their Causes and Symptoms
Vestibular Migraine Solutions
If you feel you might be suffering from vestibular migraine and you go to your doctor for a diagnosis, he will need to rule out various other conditions that can cause similar symptoms to vestibular migraine. These other conditions include:
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)
- Ménière's Disease (also called hydrops)
- Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) or small strokes
- Fluid leaks in the inner ear
- Vestibular nerve irritation
Vestibular Migraine Medication
Once your doctor has established that it is indeed vestibular migraine, he can prescribe similar migraine medication as that used for other types of migraines. However, the following variations may need to be made:
- For attacks of dizziness that include nausea, medication such as meclizine is used to provide relief from the symptoms.
- Where such attacks are frequent or cause the sufferer to become incapacitated, medications are used such as beta-blocking agents or calcium channel blockers.
Vestibular Migraine Triggers
Like all migraines, triggers play an important part and it will be helpful if you can try to ascertain what trigger is causing your attack – eliminating the triggers can be an effective form of vestibular migraine treatment.
Such triggers could be:
- Low blood sugar
- Stress and/or an altered sleep pattern
- Your diet
Also read: What Triggers Cluster Migraines?
Who Is More Likely to Be Affected?
Unfortunately, women are more likely than men to suffer from all forms of migraines and the symptoms are often worse around menstruation. If migraines run in your family, you need to be aware that they are often passed down from one generation to the next.
Other types of migraine and headache:
Ocular Migraines: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Cluster Migraine Headaches: Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment
Headaches: Types, Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Go to our Migraine and Headache page
Sources
- Lempert T, Olesen J, Furman J, et al. Vestibular migraine: Diagnostic criteria (Update). Bárány Society and International Headache Society. Journal of Vestibular Research. 2022;32(1):1-6. (Accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Cleveland Clinic. Vestibular Migraine. (Accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Vestibular Migraine (review). Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports. 2022;22(10):601-609. (Accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Vestibular migraine (review of diagnosis under ICHD-3 and the International Classification of Vestibular Disorders). PubMed Central. (Accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Obermann M, Strupp M. Current Treatment Options in Vestibular Migraine. Frontiers in Neurology. 2014. (Accessed Oct 6, 2026)
Note: This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Sudden or severe dizziness or vertigo, especially with weakness, numbness, slurred speech, vision loss or a severe new headache, needs urgent medical attention, as these can be signs of a stroke or TIA. Recurring vertigo or dizziness should always be assessed by a qualified healthcare professional.