FAQ
Browse a selection of our most frequently asked questions and answers about balance and dizziness disorders. Submit your own question here.
Advocate for Yourself
Ménière's Disease
The relationship between changes in barometric pressure and dizziness has been described in medical literature, particularly in patients suffering from migraine related vertigo and Ménière’s disease. Both of these vestibular disorders are characterized by an episodic nature. This means that the symptoms come and go, in spells.
For some people, these episodes can be triggered by changes in atmospheric pressure, such as weather changes before a storm or travelling from sea level to higher altitude. Read our post on Facebook about this topic.
You mention the recurrent nature of your dizziness – vestibular neuritis is not classically recurrent like you describe. It is usually caused by a single viral or bacterial attack on the vestibular nerve. Symptoms typically start quite suddenly and may include severe vertigo and vomiting lasting for several hours. This is due to a loss in function of the vestibular nerve that can be temporary or permanent. During the recovery stage, which can last for several weeks, symptoms gradually improve and plateau.
We recommend speaking to your family doctor and/or your ENT doctor (otolaryngologist) about the episodic/recurrent nature of your dizziness and vasovagal spells. Further investigation may be warranted into their cause.
Complex vestibular disorders are challenging to treat. For example, it can be very difficult to tease out the symptoms that distinguish Ménière’s disease or migrainous vertigo; they have very similar symptoms, but are treated very differently.
More complex cases are very individual and cannot always be pigeon-holed as Ménière’s or migrainous vertigo or some other particular disorder link i en blogg. Patients may have some but not all of the characteristics of Ménière’s disease, for example, and that is frustrating for doctors.
Migrainous Vertigo
If there are signs of vestibular dysfunction, vestibular rehabilitation may help because the migraine has affected the functioning of the vestibular system. However, if there is more permanent damage or it is a chronic long-term condition that happens over years and years, vestibular rehabilitation might get people used to (habituated) to some of the symptoms. Vestibular therapists can also educate people on how to avoid possible triggers that could worsen their migraines. For example, avoiding processed foods, stress or certain modifiable factors.
Motion sickness and an overall reduced tolerance to movement is often reported in patients who suffer from migraine. The recommendation is to treat the migraine first. When migrainous episodes are under control, patients benefit greatly from vestibular rehabilitation aimed at increasing motion tolerance. Identifying and avoiding triggers is one way to keep migraines under control as well reduce the number of episodes. Triggers include stress, foods (e.g., cheese), alcohol (e.g., red wine), smells. Preventative medications can also be used to avoid migraine episodes from happening.
The relationship between changes in barometric pressure and dizziness has been described in medical literature, particularly in patients suffering from migraine related vertigo and Ménière’s disease. Both of these vestibular disorders are characterized by an episodic nature. This means that the symptoms come and go, in spells.
For some people, these episodes can be triggered by changes in atmospheric pressure, such as weather changes before a storm or travelling from sea level to higher altitude. Read our post on Facebook about this topic.
You mention the recurrent nature of your dizziness – vestibular neuritis is not classically recurrent like you describe. It is usually caused by a single viral or bacterial attack on the vestibular nerve. Symptoms typically start quite suddenly and may include severe vertigo and vomiting lasting for several hours. This is due to a loss in function of the vestibular nerve that can be temporary or permanent. During the recovery stage, which can last for several weeks, symptoms gradually improve and plateau.
We recommend speaking to your family doctor and/or your ENT doctor (otolaryngologist) about the episodic/recurrent nature of your dizziness and vasovagal spells. Further investigation may be warranted into their cause.
Not all specialists have a particular interest or specialization in vestibular migraine. Ask your referring doctor to match you to one who does. For example, some neuro-otologists, neurologists and neuro-ophthalmologists are comfortable diagnosing and managing headache disorders, including vestibular migraine. This is less common, however, for generalist otologists (ear, nose and throat doctors). Some physiotherapists may be knowledgeable about headaches. Many, however, are more interested in balance and muscle- and joint-related issues. Read more about vestibular migraine.
Complex vestibular disorders are challenging to treat. For example, it can be very difficult to tease out the symptoms that distinguish Ménière’s disease or migrainous vertigo; they have very similar symptoms, but are treated very differently.
More complex cases are very individual and cannot always be pigeon-holed as Ménière’s or migrainous vertigo or some other particular disorder link i en blogg. Patients may have some but not all of the characteristics of Ménière’s disease, for example, and that is frustrating for doctors.
Vestibular Migraine
If there are signs of vestibular dysfunction, vestibular rehabilitation may help because the migraine has affected the functioning of the vestibular system. However, if there is more permanent damage or it is a chronic long-term condition that happens over years and years, vestibular rehabilitation might get people used to (habituated) to some of the symptoms. Vestibular therapists can also educate people on how to avoid possible triggers that could worsen their migraines. For example, avoiding processed foods, stress or certain modifiable factors.
Not all specialists have a particular interest or specialization in vestibular migraine. Ask your referring doctor to match you to one who does. For example, some neuro-otologists, neurologists and neuro-ophthalmologists are comfortable diagnosing and managing headache disorders, including vestibular migraine. This is less common, however, for generalist otologists (ear, nose and throat doctors). Some physiotherapists may be knowledgeable about headaches. Many, however, are more interested in balance and muscle- and joint-related issues. Read more about vestibular migraine.
Complex vestibular disorders are challenging to treat. For example, it can be very difficult to tease out the symptoms that distinguish Ménière’s disease or migrainous vertigo; they have very similar symptoms, but are treated very differently.
More complex cases are very individual and cannot always be pigeon-holed as Ménière’s or migrainous vertigo or some other particular disorder link i en blogg. Patients may have some but not all of the characteristics of Ménière’s disease, for example, and that is frustrating for doctors.
Vestibular Neuritis
The relationship between changes in barometric pressure and dizziness has been described in medical literature, particularly in patients suffering from migraine related vertigo and Ménière’s disease. Both of these vestibular disorders are characterized by an episodic nature. This means that the symptoms come and go, in spells.
For some people, these episodes can be triggered by changes in atmospheric pressure, such as weather changes before a storm or travelling from sea level to higher altitude. Read our post on Facebook about this topic.
You mention the recurrent nature of your dizziness – vestibular neuritis is not classically recurrent like you describe. It is usually caused by a single viral or bacterial attack on the vestibular nerve. Symptoms typically start quite suddenly and may include severe vertigo and vomiting lasting for several hours. This is due to a loss in function of the vestibular nerve that can be temporary or permanent. During the recovery stage, which can last for several weeks, symptoms gradually improve and plateau.
We recommend speaking to your family doctor and/or your ENT doctor (otolaryngologist) about the episodic/recurrent nature of your dizziness and vasovagal spells. Further investigation may be warranted into their cause.
Vestibular Rehabilitation
If there are signs of vestibular dysfunction, vestibular rehabilitation may help because the migraine has affected the functioning of the vestibular system. However, if there is more permanent damage or it is a chronic long-term condition that happens over years and years, vestibular rehabilitation might get people used to (habituated) to some of the symptoms. Vestibular therapists can also educate people on how to avoid possible triggers that could worsen their migraines. For example, avoiding processed foods, stress or certain modifiable factors.
Motion sickness and an overall reduced tolerance to movement is often reported in patients who suffer from migraine. The recommendation is to treat the migraine first. When migrainous episodes are under control, patients benefit greatly from vestibular rehabilitation aimed at increasing motion tolerance. Identifying and avoiding triggers is one way to keep migraines under control as well reduce the number of episodes. Triggers include stress, foods (e.g., cheese), alcohol (e.g., red wine), smells. Preventative medications can also be used to avoid migraine episodes from happening.
Vestibular Testing
Complex vestibular disorders are challenging to treat. For example, it can be very difficult to tease out the symptoms that distinguish Ménière’s disease or migrainous vertigo; they have very similar symptoms, but are treated very differently.
More complex cases are very individual and cannot always be pigeon-holed as Ménière’s or migrainous vertigo or some other particular disorder link i en blogg. Patients may have some but not all of the characteristics of Ménière’s disease, for example, and that is frustrating for doctors.