Holistic Management of Vestibular Migraine with Dr. Sheikh.

Holistic Management of Vestibular Migraine with Dr. Sheikh

Dr. Sheikh is very knowledgeable and has had extensive training to help address and manage headaches, and more specifically migraines. Dr. Sheikh got her MD and then completed her residency at MOntefiore Medical Center in Bronx NY. She then went on to complete two fellowships; a vascular fellowship and then a fellowship in “Headache and Facial Pain” Harvard Medical school and is now an adjunct professor at Ichan Medical school at Mt Sinai in New York City. Being in a clinic setting for over 6 years now, Dr. Sheikh has been treating and helping her patients manage complex headaches with a holistic approach. She’s very up to date on current medication options and other complementary treatments that she is sharing with us in Vestibular Group Fit!

Migraine is more than a Headache

“I like to think of migraine as a disease, and headache as a symptom…migraine is a genetic neurological disease and headache is a symptom of migraine”. Dr. Sheikh 

Migraine is more than just a headache! Migraine may have a headache (not in all cases) but also vertigo and dizziness, light or sound sensitivity, brain fog, or visual auras. Headache associated with migraine is most reported disabling symptom, but others may have dizziness or sound sensitivity as their most prominent symptom. For a more indepth look at vestibular migraine, here’s a helpful article to review, click here.

How do we treat migraine holistically?

How do we treat migraine holistically? 

1. Your doctor should listen 
   1. Best management should be a discussion about your experience, your options, and creating a plan. Not just being given a prescription and nothing else. If a med is all you need and you’re interested in, great! Having the chance to discuss what you want and the options is key. 
2. Remember, you have options 
   1. Don’t like the idea of medications? Meditation, diet, exercise, yoga, breathing, sleep and more can be a major part of your preventative plan. Sometimes medications are helpful in getting you feeling better to get a better foundation to manage holistically. You don’t need to be on meds forever but it can be a useful tool. Using medications is not a failure, just a tool that can be used daily, only during attacks, or never. This is why discussions are so important to address concerns and adjust your plan based on your responses for best results. 
3. Reducing hypersensitivity (increasing your threshold) 
   1. Addressing your treatment holistically can reduce hypersensitivities and help increase your migraine threshold 
4. Treat from all angles
   1. Holistic and natural options are wide ranging and finding the ones that work for you can be super helpful in migraine management. Medications can range from a daily preventative, botox injections that are months apart, or an abortive med that’s only used to reduce your symptoms during a migraine. 
5. Stress management
   1. Stress can lower our migraine threshold and make you susceptible to an attack, the better we can use holistic approaches to manage stress, the better for not only your migraines but your overall well being! 
6. Be prepared! 
   1. A common stressor for those with migraine is the unpredictability of when a migraine attack might occur. Having a plan in place (natural remedies, an abortive med, ice packs etc) can help reduce the stress about a possible attack, ultimately decreasing your attack frequency. Having a plan is key!

Treatment for vestibular migraines is overall similar to other migraine management, however Vestibular Rehab Therapy with a physical therapist can be helpful and neuromodulation devices (cepahly or gammacore for example) can be good options to consider when addressing vestibular migraine!  

Contact info for Dr. Huma Sheikh: 

Instagram: @headachesnyc

Website: Headachesnyc.com

Dr. Sheikh talks more about family planning, diet, and sleep in the premium content in Vestibular Group Fit.  Found out more at this link: https://tvd.flywheelstaging.com/about-group/

Disclaimer:

Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.