What to know about diet and vestibular migraine

Vestibular migraine is a type of migraine that causes a feeling of vertigo. Different from other forms of migraine, vertigo can be the main symptom. This may make you feel like you are moving or that your surrounding is revolving around you even when it isn’t. It may last from a few seconds up to a few days.

Vestibular migraine may cause several symptoms, including:

• loss of balance
• dizziness
• lightheadedness
• motion sickness
• disorientation
• confusion
• nausea and vomiting
• a severe headache

Unlike typical migraine attacks, vestibular migraine may not always cause a severe headache. Vestibular migraine may occur after eating certain types of food or due to other factors like stress.

Knowing more about the role of diet in vestibular migraine can help guide you to avoid foods that may worsen symptoms and choose ones that may be helpful.

Can diet affect vestibular migraine?

Doctors do not currently know the specific cause of vestibular migraine. But researchers think a combination of genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle may play a role. This includes your dietary choices.

A 2020 study suggests that avoiding certain types of food that can trigger migraine attacks may help reduce their frequency and intensity. The same goes for vestibular migraine.

Trigger foods vary from person to person. It can take time before you get to know your triggers. You may consider slowly eliminating certain foods from your diet. This may help you work out whether your vestibular migraine episodes improve or you may not experience any benefit.

A 2020 systematic review confirmed the link between certain types of food and the occurrence of migraine episodes.

Fasting, skipping meals, or eating at irregular times may increase the risk of migraine. It’s important to keep drinking plenty of fluids during the day, as dehydration — even when mild — is another common trigger for migraine episodes.

Foods to try

While you work on removing the known migraine-triggering foods from your diet, like caffeine, citrus fruits, and alcohol, there are plenty of healthy foods to enjoy. These may include:

• fruit, excluding tomatoes and citrus
• vegetables, apart from onions, lentils, and beans
• grains
• fresh, nonprocessed meat and fish
• eggs
• dairy substitutes like oat milk
• decaffeinated beverages and water
• olive, coconut, and flaxseed oil
• fresh herbs and spices
• homemade condiments, avoiding supermarket’s processed dressing and dips

If you need support, a nutritionist can recommend a diet plan to help you combine these fresh and healthy foods. This can guide you to create delicious meals without processed or other food types you may have often used when preparing meals.

Foods to avoid

Several foods can trigger vestibular migraine. These foods typically contain chemicals that are known triggers of migraine, such as:

• tyramine
• nitrates
• histamine
• phenylethylamine

Foods you may consider removing from your diet that contain these chemicals and may lead to vestibular migraine include:

• aged cheeses
• chocolate
• processed meat like bacon, salami, hot dogs, sausages, and cured meats
• alcohol, especially beer and wine
• fermented and pickled foods
• beans, soy-based foods
• apple juice
• coffee and other drinks containing caffeine
• gluten
• onions

Remember that migraine-triggering foods can vary between people. The possible triggers above may not cause you any symptoms. If you suspect other types of food not listed above trigger your migraine, you can consult a doctor and consider removing them from your diet.

Migraine treatments

Several treatment options are available for people with vestibular migraine to help improve their symptoms during a migraine attack. These are no different from other migraine treatments and may include preventive and acute treatments.

Preventive treatments

Common medications to prevent migraine attacks include:

• antidepressants like sertraline (Zoloft) and fluoxetine (Prozac)
• beta-blockers like metoprolol (Lopressor) and propranolol (Inderal)
• antiepileptics like topiramate (Topamax)

Acute treatments

Acute treatments help treat the symptoms when a migraine attack is actively happening. These include:

• gepants like ubrogepant (Ubrelvy) and zavegepant (Zavzpret)
• triptans like almotriptan (Axert) and sumatriptan (Imitrex)
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol)

Depending on your symptoms and any health conditions, doctors can recommend the most appropriate treatment to prevent and manage vestibular migraine. However, finding the right combination of medications that works for you may take some time.

Doctors may also recommend making some lifestyle changes to prevent migraine episodes, including getting enough rest and doing physical exercise regularly.

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Summary

Vestibular migraine episodes typically cause vertigo, which can lead to significant discomfort. Several studies found a link between eating certain foods and the occurrence of migraine episodes.

While fresh fruits and vegetables and most nonprocessed foods are safe to eat for people with vestibular migraine, foods such as processed meats, chocolate, aged cheeses, coffee, and alcoholic beverages can trigger their symptoms. Fasting, skipping meals, or mild dehydration can also play a role.

A doctor can help you eliminate the foods in your diet that may cause vestibular migraine. A nutritionist can also help you develop a personalized diet to cook delicious meals while avoiding triggering foods. Once you identify your triggers, you can slowly start reintegrating those foods that do not cause you migraine.

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