Understanding Vestibular Migraine: When Headaches Affect Your Balance
By Canberra Headache Centre
If you’ve ever experienced dizzy spells, a sense of spinning, or unsteadiness — sometimes with a headache, and sometimes without — you may have wondered what’s going on. For some, these symptoms could be signs of a condition known as Vestibular Migraine.
Despite the name, Vestibular Migraine isn’t just about headaches. It involves a complex interaction between your brain’s pain and balance systems. At Canberra Headache Centre, we’re seeing more people struggling with this confusing and often misunderstood condition. The good news is — help is available, and effective treatment is possible.
What Is Vestibular Migraine?
Vestibular Migraine is a type of migraine that primarily affects the vestibular system — the part of the inner ear and brain that controls balance and spatial orientation.
Unlike typical migraines, Vestibular Migraine doesn’t always involve head pain. Instead, the most prominent symptoms include:
- Dizziness or vertigo (a sense that you or your surroundings are spinning)
- Unsteadiness or imbalance
- Motion sensitivity
- Nausea or vomiting
- Visual disturbances
- Sensitivity to light, sound, or smell
- Headache (sometimes, but not always)
These episodes can last from a few seconds to several hours or even days, and they may come and go without a clear pattern.
How Common Is It?
Vestibular Migraine is more common than you might think. It’s estimated that up to 1 in 100 people may experience it, with women affected more than men. It often begins between the ages of 20 and 50, and many people with the condition also have a history of motion sickness or classic migraine.
However, many people go undiagnosed for years — especially if they don’t have typical migraine headaches — and are often told they have “just vertigo” or anxiety. That’s why increasing awareness and proper diagnosis is so important.
What Causes Vestibular Migraine?
Like other types of migraine, Vestibular Migraine is a brain sensitivity disorder. It involves a heightened sensitivity in the way your brain processes signals — particularly those related to balance, movement, and pain.
Triggers can include:
- Stress
- Hormonal changes
- Certain foods (e.g., chocolate, cheese, red wine)
- Lack of sleep
- Bright or flickering lights
- Changes in weather or air pressure
- Overstimulation (noise, motion, crowded environments)
Over time, repeated episodes can lead to sensitisation of the nervous system, where even normal movement or stimuli can trigger symptoms.
Diagnosing Vestibular Migraine
There is no single test to diagnose Vestibular Migraine. Diagnosis is based on a combination of:
- Medical history
- Symptom patterns
- Exclusion of other conditions
This is why working with a healthcare team — including GPs, neurologists, and vestibular-trained physiotherapists like those at Canberra Headache Centre — is essential.
How Canberra Headache Centre Can Help
At Canberra Headache Centre, our team of experienced physiotherapists specialises in treating headache and migraine conditions using a comprehensive, evidence-based approach. Here’s how we help people with Vestibular Migraine:
- Watson Headache® Approach
The Watson Headache® Approach is a manual therapy technique that assesses and treats dysfunction in the upper cervical spine (neck) — which has strong neurological links to both headache and vestibular symptoms.
Research has shown that dysfunction in the upper neck can contribute to sensitisation of the brainstem — a key player in migraine. By gently and precisely treating these areas, we aim to desensitise the system, reduce the frequency and severity of attacks, and improve quality of life.
- Vestibular Rehabilitation
For those experiencing dizziness, imbalance, or visual motion sensitivity, vestibular rehabilitation exercises can retrain the brain to process balance information more accurately and efficiently.
This might include:
- Balance retraining exercises
- Gaze stabilisation techniques
- Habituation exercises (to reduce motion sensitivity)
- Graded exposure to movement
Our vestibular programs are tailored to each person’s symptoms, triggers, and goals.
- Trigger Management and Education
We’ll help you identify and manage potential migraine triggers, improve sleep, hydration, posture, and movement patterns, and offer strategies for pacing and stress management.
Often, small changes in daily habits — when guided appropriately — can make a big difference in reducing attacks.
- Team-Based Care
We understand that Vestibular Migraine is a complex neurological condition that may require a multidisciplinary approach. We regularly collaborate with:
- GPs – to coordinate care and rule out other medical issues
- Neurologists – especially if medication or further investigation is needed
- ENT specialists – to exclude inner ear pathology
This team-based model ensures you get the right support at the right time.
Recovery and Outlook
Vestibular Migraine can be frustrating and life-disrupting, especially if you’re getting conflicting advice or feel like no one understands your symptoms. But there is hope.
Many people experience significant improvement — or even full resolution — of their symptoms with the right combination of:
- Manual therapy (e.g., the Watson Headache® Approach)
- Vestibular rehabilitation
- Trigger identification and lifestyle changes
- Medication support (when needed)
At Canberra Headache Centre, we’re passionate about helping people regain control of their lives, reduce their reliance on medication, and return to the activities they enjoy.
When to Seek Help
If you’re experiencing:
- Recurrent dizziness or vertigo
- Sensitivity to motion or visual stimuli
- A history of headaches or migraines
- Difficulty functioning day to day due to balance issues
… you don’t have to just “live with it.”
Book an assessment with our team at Canberra Headache Centre. We’ll take the time to understand your full story, assess your cervical spine and vestibular system, and design a treatment plan that works for you.