Vestibular migraine is a common cause of repeated dizziness, imbalance, and headaches that affects about three percent of Canadians. Many people do not find relief from current medications, leaving them with long term problems in balance and daily function. This study will test a new, non drug based treatment called electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS). EVS delivers gentle, safe electrical signals behind the ears to activate the brain's vestibular pathways. Fifty adults with vestibular migraine will take part. Half will receive real stimulation, and half will receive a sham (placebo) treatment. Each participant will attend six sessions over two weeks. Around the treatment period, they will record dizziness and migraine symptoms in a daily diary and complete questionnaires and balance tests using motion sensors. The main goal is to determine whether EVS can be delivered safely and comfortably in adults with vestibular migraine and whether participants can complete the sessions and assessments as planned. Results will also show whether symptoms or balance improve, providing essential information to design a larger clinical trial and, ultimately, develop new, accessible treatments for dizziness and migraine.
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Change in Vestibular Migraine Patient Assessment Tool and Handicap Inventory (VM PATHI) score
Timeframe: Baseline (pre intervention) to one month after completion of the two week EVS/sham intervention.
Session Adherence (feasibility of delivering six Stim/Sham sessions)
Timeframe: From first stimulation session to end of the two week intervention period
Diary completion rate
Timeframe: 30 days prior to first stimulation session through 30 days after the final stimulation session (total 60 days)
EVS related adverse events (safety and tolerability)
Timeframe: From baseline visit through one month post intervention follow up.