4 Top Causes of Vestibular Migraine

Living with Vestibular Migraine (VM) can be confusing and frustrating. Some days, it feels like the world is spinning for no reason. Other days, you just feel “off balance” — dizzy, foggy, or motion-sensitive — even when you’re not having a headache.

So what actually causes vestibular migraine? The short answer: it’s complicated, but researchers are learning more every year.

What Is Vestibular Migraine?

Vestibular migraine is a type of migraine that mainly affects your balance system, not just your head. Instead of the typical pounding pain, people often experience:

• Spells of dizziness or vertigo
• Nausea or motion sickness
• Sensitivity to light, sound, or movement
• Feeling unsteady or off balance

These episodes can last anywhere from a few minutes to several days. Some people get a headache with them, and some don’t.

The Brain and the Balance System Are Over-Connected

In a normal brain, your vestibular system (the inner-ear and brain areas that control balance) constantly talks to your eyes and body so you can stay steady. In people with vestibular migraine, that connection gets over-stimulated or “misfires.”

Imagine your brain’s balance circuits as a group chat — and during an attack, everyone starts talking at once. The messages get jumbled, and suddenly the world feels like it’s moving when it’s not.

What Might Be Going On Inside the Brain

Doctors don’t fully understand the exact cause, but here are the main theories that explain what might be happening:

1. Migraine Pathways Overlap With Balance Pathways
   • People who get migraines have extra-sensitive brain cells. These “trigger-happy” neurons can also affect the areas that control motion and balance. When they fire too easily, it can cause dizziness and vertigo instead of (or along with) pain.
2. Blood Flow Changes
   • Migraines are known to cause short-term changes in blood flow to parts of the brain. If that happens near the vestibular centers or inner ear, it can lead to sudden imbalance or vertigo.
3. Genetic or Hormonal Sensitivity
   • Vestibular migraine tends to run in families. Hormone changes — like around your period, pregnancy, or menopause — can also make the brain more sensitive. That’s why VM is more common in women.
4. Sensory Overload
   • Our brains constantly blend information from vision, motion, and inner-ear balance. When those systems don’t agree (for example, scrolling on your phone or watching fast-moving visuals), it can trigger dizziness in people with VM.

Common Triggers

Even though everyone’s different, certain things can lower your “migraine threshold” and make an attack more likely:

• Stress or emotional overload
• Poor sleep or changes in sleep schedule
• Skipping meals or dehydration
• Hormonal changes
• Weather shifts (especially barometric pressure)
• Strong sensory input like flashing lights, loud noise, or screens
• Certain foods — caffeine, alcohol, aged cheese, processed meats, or foods with MSG, nitrates, or artificial sweeteners

These don’t cause VM by themselves — they just make your brain more likely to flip into “migraine mode.”

Why Some People Get VM (and Others Don’t)

If you’ve ever wondered, “Why me?” — you’re not alone.
Most people with vestibular migraine already have some kind of migraine tendency, even if they’ve never had classic migraine headaches. Your brain might just be wired to be more reactive.

Things like childhood motion sickness, a family history of migraine, or past head injury can also play a role. Essentially, your brain’s “balance circuits” are more sensitive, and certain triggers can push them into overdrive.

Why Understanding the Cause Matters

Knowing what’s behind vestibular migraine helps you manage it.
When you recognize your own triggers and understand that dizziness isn’t “in your head,” it becomes easier to take back control.

In Vestibular Group Fit, we focus on helping you:

• Identify personal triggers
• Strengthen your vestibular system safely
• Learn calming and balance-retraining techniques
• Build confidence and resilience

Because support is great — but the goal is always to feel better.

Ready to Take the Next Step Towards Healing?

If you’re looking for a supportive, expert-led space to help you regain confidence, reduce symptoms, and rebuild your life after a vestibular diagnosis, join us in Vestibular Group Fit.

This unique coaching program combines movement, education, nervous system retraining, and community — all designed specifically for people living with vestibular disorders. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been struggling for years, you are not alone and you can feel better.

👉Click here to join Vestibular Group Fit and starting your healing journey today.