Vestibular migraine — the most common cause of dizziness you've never heard of

Vestibular migraine is one of the most under-diagnosed causes of dizziness in adults. It causes episodes of vertigo, imbalance, motion sensitivity or visual disturbance — sometimes with a headache, often without. Attacks last minutes to days and are frequently triggered by stress, poor sleep, certain foods, hormonal shifts or bright / flickering light.

Many patients spend years bouncing between doctors before it's identified, because the pattern doesn't match “classic” migraine and the standard ear tests come back normal. At Dr Hendrika de Clercq Audiologists we test for it as part of a full vestibular assessment, and we work with your GP or neurologist on management — a combination of lifestyle triggers, medication and, where needed, vestibular rehabilitation.