Compensation and ... Decompensation

and Re-compensation!

Good article on vestibular.org:

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That was a good read!

I was about to respond to you James. Have read this before. Cerbellar clamp is an interesting concept. My VRT specialist said lots of people get a remission and when the clamp releases they are dizzy again and now they have to compensate.

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Whilst I appreciate the role of VRT and compensation in some vestibular conditions I have always found it difficult to accept it with regards to MAV. My own symptoms vary tremendously from day to day and I really find it impossible to believe that that is because my brain is constantly compensating, decompensating and recompensating.

This article also refers to ā€˜damageā€™ which infers something permanent. I cannot apply this to my type of MAV. I donā€™t see how that can be when on a crystal clear head day my balance is fine, and on a day with rear head pressure it will be absolute rubbish to the point it can be difficult to stand (not talking acute attack here just daily symptom variations). If my balance can be what I must with reticence refer to as ā€˜normalā€™, ie functional there cannot be permanent damage underneath. Helen

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Hi Helen,
I agree with you 100%. On cyrstal clear head days balance is ā€œalmostā€ perfect. Once the eye pressure and head pressure/pain starts balance is down the drain. I donā€™t think this is due to decompensation or compensation.
After hangover from migraine there might be a small compensation phase to regain balance.

So youā€™re the same then. Gosh. Guess it only goes to show how closely associated the dizziness is with the migraine, hence the expression ā€˜Migraine associated dizziness, eh. Certainly brings home the need to obtain those ā€˜crystal clear headā€™ days.

Itā€™s strange thing really. The neuro-otologist who dx first mentioned migraine to me as being the probable cause of my dizziness, after 12 years of being told it was BPPV, just stated ā€˜Migraine can cause dizzinessā€. Iā€™d since had my symptoms referred to as ā€˜migrainousā€™ but it was until last Tuesday, just one month shy of 16 years in, that a neurologist actually confirmed I have a type of Vestibular Migraine. So now Iā€™m beginning to think I really have joined the Club. Guessed I was really but
Itā€™ll take me a long time to remember to refer to my ā€˜rear head pressureā€™ as migraine. Hopefully not another 16 years! Helen

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