Criteria for Diagnosis
The International Headache Society diagnostic criteria for vestibular migraine is made up of the following:
- Half of the episodes happen with a migraine attack, visual disturbances, or discomfort with sound or light
- Moderate-to-severe vestibular symptoms, lasting 5 minutes to 72 hours
- Ruling out other conditions
- At least five episodes of either vestibular symptoms alone, or with migraine
- Current or history of migraine
These criteria also help rule out other explanations for your symptoms, including medical disorders that can lead to migraine or tinnitus. Some of these disorders include:
- Benign positional vertigo (BPV) [1]
- Fluid leaks in the inner ear
- Early signs of hearing loss
- Nerve irritation
- Meniere’s disease [2]
Your doctor will also ask you some questions to know if the tinnitus is linked with the migraine or it is caused by something else.