Migraine and Meniere's Disease

Abstract

The fact of the association of migraine with Ménière's disease is no new observation—Ménière himself referred to it—but it has not received the recognition which would appear to be its due. While undifferentiated headache is well known as a very frequent accompanying complaint in cases of Ménière's disease, classical migraine as a precursor is far from uncommon. A frequent story told by the Ménière patient is that he has suffered from migraine "all his life," but that when his dizzy attacks began, his headaches ceased. In some cases the transition has been gradual, in others it is abrupt—"I have never had a headache since my dizzy attacks started." And some do not lose their headaches. These are the patients who are really out of luck, who continue to have migraine attacks after acquiring Ménière attacks, one alternating with the other. Such a person lives in a very special hell. I