Vestibular migraine (VM) calculator

Timothy C. Hain, MD of Chicago Dizziness and Hearing•Most recent update: July 29, 2022

See also: Questionnaires for dizziness •MdDS calculator•PPPD calculator.•Meniere's calculator

This calculator attempts to determine whether or not an individual has symptoms that might meet the criteria for VM, as outlined by Dr. Lempert and associates in the 2013 and 2022 articles referenced below. Material in quotes is mainly copied directly from the 2013 or 2022 articles. Vestibular migraine is the currently accepted name for Migraine Associated Vertigo (MAV). (Hain and Cherchi, 2019).

Disclaimer: The content, drawn from the "consensus" papers, does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Dr. Hain.This page is not a substitute for medical care, and by itself, it does not establish a diagnosis. It is not written for or appropriate for use in legal endeavors. Answers are not stored. If you wish to retain this result, please print it out.

Calculator

Please check the boxes below, and then click "evaluate".

Have you experienced at least 5 episodes of any of the following, lasting 5 minutes to 72 hours, and of moderate or severe intensity. "moderate" means that they interfere with but do not prohibit daily activities, and "severe" if daily activities cannot be continued. You can check more than one.

"spontaneous vertigo" including "internal vertigo, a false sensation of self-motion" and external vertigo, a false sensation that "the visual surround is spinning or flowing"
"Positional vertigo, occurring after a change of head position "
"visually-induced vertigo, triggered by a complex or large moving visual stimulus "
"head motion-induced vertigo, occurring during head motion "
"head motion-induced dizziness with nausea" (dizziness is define in this document as a sensation of disturbed spatial orientation)

Is there a "current or previous diagnosis of migraine with or without aura" ? This should be according to the ICHD criteria, but if you don't know, please just answer according to your doctor's diagnosis regarding whether or not you have migraine.

Yes
No

Have there been " one or more migraine features with at least 50% of the vestibular episodes." ? If there were none, don't check any of them.

"headache with at least two of the following characteristics: one sided location, pulsating quality, moderate or severe pain intensity, aggravation by routine physical activity"
"photophobia and phonophobia"
"visual aura"

Click to score

Note that according to the 2012/2022 papers referenced below, in addition to meeting the criteria above, there is one additional diagnostic criteria, which is determined by your health care provider:

• "Not better accounted for by another vestibular or ICHD diagnosis" (ICHD means International Classification Headache Disorders).

This means that disorders like BPPV, MdDS, Meniere's, vestibular neuritis, SCD, bilateral vestibular loss, or PPPD can also be present but should not be a better explanation than vestibular migraine.

More about Vestibular Migraine can be found here. • We offer consultations regarding Vestibular Migraine at Chicago Dizziness and Hearing.

References:

• Hain, T. C. and M. Cherchi (2019). Migraine Associated Vertigo. Advances in Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Vestibular Disorders. J. Lea and D. Pothier. New York, Karger. 82: 119-126.
• Lempert, T., et al. (2012). "Vestibular migraine: diagnostic criteria." J Vestib Res 22(4): 167-172.
• Lempert, T., et al. (2022). "Vestibular migraine: Diagnostic criteria." J Vestib Res 32(1): 1-6.