Is Vertigo Affected by Weather?

I often meet patients who say that their vertigo is affected by weather. In this article, I will discuss the two most common causes of vertigo affected by weather.

Seasonal BPPV

BPPV is known to have seasonal trends, with certain months showing higher rates of BPPV. Many theories exist about the seasonality of BPPV.

One theory of the seasonal trends in BPPV is related to changes in barometric pressure.

For example, many of my patients and I wake up with BPPV when the Santa Ana winds blow through Southern California. These winds are hot and blustery, associated with a change in pressure.

Here is a research study correlating BPPV with changes in barometric pressure.

Click here for more information on BPPV.

Vestibular Migraines

People with a history of migraines can suffer from dizziness or vertigo affected by weather.

Vestibular migraines can even occur without a headache. The absence of head pain may cause migraine sufferers and their doctors to overlook Vestibular migraine as a possible cause of vertigo affected by weather.

Can I Tell If My Vertigo Is Affected by the Weather?

If you have vertigo affected by weather, it can be hard to tell if you have a new onset of BPPV or a vestibular migraine.

Keep in mind that a migraine typically resolves within three days. Migraines also cause sensitivity to light (photophobia), sensitivity to sound (phonophobia), or heightened sense of smell during the migraine event.

Migraines can cause motion sensitivity but will not improve with BPPV treatment maneuvers.

In contrast, motion sensitivity from BPPV improves with the correct BPPV treatment maneuvers done properly. BPPV does not cause photophobia, phonophobia, or a heightened sense of smell.

Weather Changes Can Cause Both BPPV and a Vestibular Migraine

With a major weather change, you could have both BPPV and a Vestibular migraine event at the same time. Why not?

In fact, when the Santa Ana winds blow through, many of my patients and I wake up with a vestibular migraine and BPPV in both ears on the same day!

Dramatic changes in barometric pressure can trigger a migraine or a new onset of BPPV for some people, and are unavoidable as weather changes. Therefore, it’s important to know how to recognize and respond to either one of those health conditions. 

I hope this article was helpful in determining whether your vertigo is affected by weather.