Experts said my headaches and vertigo were just anxiety. Then one neurologist helped me feel hopeful againSoon after my first child was born in 2012, I woke up every morning with a pulsating pain in my head and a disorienting feeling, like the floor was shifting beneath my feet. I’d stumble to the bathroom, popping Tylenol and Tums, but they only offered temporary relief. As a new mom, I struggled to care for myself while also looking after a tiny human. At first, I thought my frequent throbbing headaches, relentless nausea and debilitating vertigo were normal for postpartum life.Then, everything became a trigger. At live concerts, loud music made my ears ring, my neck tighten and the room spin. So I stopped going. At playgrounds, seesaws and merry-go-rounds made me queasy. At happy hours with other moms, my hands went numb, fearing alcohol would set off an episode, leaving me unable to drive home. So I avoided those places, too. Continue reading...
After years of debilitating migraines and seeing multiple doctors, the author was diagnosed with vestibular migraines by a vestibular audiologist. This neurological disease caused dizziness, severe headaches, and other symptoms like sensitivity to light and sound. Vestibular migraines are underdiagnosed, affecting over 8 million people annually. Contributing factors and root causes vary, and diagnosis relies on clinical assessment of symptoms.
