A post was merged into an existing topic: Head movement a trigger?
Hi all,
I woke up this morning feeling a little better than I have been doing.
Whilst making my breakfast and moving my head about, turning I had a lot of pressure feelings (like a migraine was on the horizon) I find if I do too much moving my head this can be a trigger so try to avoid this. (Need a neck brace) 
Is this a common symptom for many Mavers? I find Iām especially bad in the morning and then I seem to get better as the day goes on.
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Yep, itās always listed in any MAV symptoms list. Reaction to self movement. Majkr trigger. Youāll find it mentioned in lots of threads on here. In your case currently guess itās just sign system has become more sensitive for some reason. Iāve had it myself last couple of days first time for maybe six months,
IMHO No you donāt. Thatās about the last thing you need. Quite the opposite Iād say. The stiller you kerp it, the worse it will get and youāll get a stiff neck to boot. Iām not saying keep turning your head about to see if itās got worse (common practice. Everybody does it) and donāt do head turning exercises, just try to move it as necessary and as naturally as possible. Move chairs into circle for conversation, I spent years avoiding turning my head because I would get room spinning vertigo and that caused more problems.
Best bit of advice I was never given - a friend who had labs years ago was told by her GP āwhatever you do keep miving your head. VRT therapist commended her on the free movement of her neck despite her balance disorder! Iām still working on mine. Helen
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Hi Helen
That news is reassuring! Even though it is uncomfortable im trying not to make too many allowences even though I feel as dizzy as a duck! Its settled down now.
I wonder why it is particularly bad in the morning 
My Botox canāt come quick enough! It does appear that with Ami, botox and diet some days are better than others, but I feel like I perhaps need to increase Ami as Iām still only on 20mg!
Thank you for your reply Helen.
I knew I could rely on your for a very helpful response!
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Head movement is definitely a trigger. I move my head very slowly these days - avoiding any rapid and jerky movement.
Iām glad youāre asking these questions. 
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Well it is a symptom things are winding up or would be for me but knowing you I donāt suppose itās worth bothering to tell you today wouldnāt be the best day despite the sun to get the ladders out and climb onto the roof to dust the roof tiles. If it needs to be done, no doubt youāll do it.
Bit of a pattern that. Maybe because your balance system has been asleep overnight. Helen
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Good morning friends! @MNEK18, head (neck) movement, especially in the morning is probably my biggest trigger right now. Even when I am lying still after just waking, my neck muscles ājumpā around for a while as if they are recalibrating for the day ahead. It was very unnerving at first, now I just ride it out and let it do itās thing 
Once I am up, showering is always the next step which obviously consists of bending my neck forward and back to rinseā¦ this is where Iāve always had scary moments so I just try to ease my head / neck into necessary position. If I donāt make quite sudden movements I do pretty well. I do think a move up from your current dosage may be worth talking with your dr about thoughā¦ youāll know when / if youāve gone too far but you may not have reached the appropriate dose quite yet. XOXOXOXOXO
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Haha Helen!! You will be pleased to know I havenāt ventured to the gym once this week because now my threshold is lowered I know not to push it 
I am learning - I had a rest and it seemed to dissipate. 
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Hey RenĆØe!!
I am sorry to hear you struggle with this too! Do you think its a sign you need to rest? It seems I am always rushing about when it comes 
Iām with you on slowing up head movementsā¦ it can be so hard to keep remembering your brain is too sensitive to even look around with causing some discomfort! It generally makes me much dizzier 
Yes, defo going to try go up with Ami - see neuro soon! 
Keep well my friend!
Last night I was at dinner with my family for my sons birthday, I didnāt feel well and knew something was going to happen so I loaded up on my meds ahead of time. towards the end of dinner I turned my head to the left and turned it back and LOST MY MARBLESā¦ I donāt know why this happens but I have learned to turn my head ver slowly.
Best of luck to you friend.
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Oh dear!
That sounds very unpleasant! Iām sorry youāre suffering! Hopefully it will pass
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Thanks, it definitely makes our anxiety higher. It makes me nervous when I drive and checking my blind spots and stuff.
Yes moving my head makes me dizzy and massaging or vigorous stretching of the neck can start a full blown migraine. All my symptoms are worse in the morning especially visual vertigo and brain fog
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For anyone in doubt and, by the number of older posts there are on here relating I doubt there can be that many, it is official. And some days donāt I know it still!
āThe most prominent specific feature of MV was head motion intolerance.ā. Salhofer et al, 2012 after a investigation amongst 149 I think it was MAVers.
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Iām wondering how many of you have specific head/body movements as triggers? I can identify more positional triggers than food so far. I think Iām sensitive to alcohol, I know if I reach up into a shelf or lie flat on my back Iāll have problemsā¦ I wonder if this positional nature is common to VM even though it sounds more like bppv?
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Well holy cow! Thanks to the website gods (@turnitaround) who moved my post into the appropriate thread. I searched for positional and didnāt see this thread when I made my query.
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About 90% I would say. It is both a symptom and a trigger although must admit personally I always see it as a symptom. Yes for me it must be . If I can comfortably turn my head without feeling off then I am not symptomatic. What is more important is that the worst thing you can do is restrict neck movement because of it. I know it is instinct to do so. We even do it subconsciously. It is virtually impossible to resist doing so. As I have said on here before that was the best bit of advice (given to a friend by an aging family doctor) I was never given. I may never forgive her for forgetting to tell me that, for a few years! 
Very very much so. And probably the main reason I was misdiagnosed with BPPV for 12 years!
Yes head movement is my main trigger. Trying to do something like packing a bag or cooking with lots of looking up and down and around definitely makes symptoms much worse. But looking down with my head bent is the worst and really unbearable. To look at my computer or type this I have to be lying flat on my back without a pillow with my computer above me in the air (propped up on my leg). Or to look at my phone I have to look down with my neck straight just using my eyes, and then I can only look for a couple of minutes. Is there anyone else who has this trigger badly too?
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Thanks @dizzy and @Onandon03 - I was having this moment last night thinking maybe this sensitivity to head movement is uncommon or/and caused by my stiff neck. I so badly want a neck massage (or similar simple magic bean) to just cure me and let me get back to how my life was a year ago. Migraine is so confusing, so counter intuitive to think it can be caused or exacerbated simply by the position of my head in relation to my shoulders. Oh well.
The stiff neck is a sign the vestibular system is struggling. The brain tries to keep the head particularly steady to compensate: hence the stiffness. A mild vestibular suppressant like Amitriptyline can help. It solved mine.