Why Migraine and Motion Sickness Often Happen Together

If you’ve ever felt that rollercoaster-style nausea creeping in after scrolling through your phone too long or riding as a passenger in a car, you’re not alone. I’ve been there—once during a winding mountain drive where the combo of twisty roads and a rising headache had me reaching for both the window and the nearest bottle of ginger ale. What I didn’t realize back then was how closely motion sickness and migraines are connected. This isn’t just about feeling queasy—there’s a real, biological overlap, and it’s something more people should be aware of.

Understanding the Link Between Migraine and Motion Sickness

Let’s start with a simple truth: migraine isn’t just a headache. It’s a complex neurological condition, and for many people, it comes bundled with bonus symptoms—like motion sickness. If you’re one of those people who gets car sick more easily than others, or you’ve always had issues with boat rides or virtual reality headsets, there’s a good chance migraine could be playing a role.

In fact, research from the American Migraine Foundation points out that those who live with migraine are significantly more sensitive to visual motion and vestibular disturbances. That means your inner ear—the part responsible for balance—might be working overtime, and not in a good way.

For me, it was always the backseat of cars that triggered it. Nausea, fogginess, and eventually that all-too-familiar throbbing above the eye. Turns out, that’s not unusual. The overlap between these two conditions often begins early in life. Some kids who experience motion sickness grow up to have migraine as adults.

Why Do Migraines and Motion Sickness Often Go Together?

There are a few possible reasons for the overlap:

• Shared pathways in the brain: Both conditions involve the central nervous system and are affected by similar neurotransmitters—particularly serotonin.
• Vestibular system sensitivity: This system helps you maintain balance, and it’s often hypersensitive in migraine sufferers.
• Genetic predisposition: Studies suggest both migraine and motion sickness can run in families, sometimes together.

According to clinical reviews, up to 50% of people with migraine report issues with motion sickness. That’s a staggering number when you think about how often this combo goes undiagnosed or dismissed.

Symptoms That Overlap Between Migraine and Motion Sickness

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t get migraines, I just get really sick when I travel,” consider this list of overlapping symptoms:

1. Nausea or vomiting
2. Dizziness or vertigo
3. Visual disturbances (like blurring or floaters)
4. Headache or pressure behind one eye
5. Fatigue or confusion after exposure to movement

These aren’t just coincidences. For example, migraine with aura often brings about visual or sensory symptoms before pain even begins, and those same sensations can mimic the early stages of motion sickness.

What Happens in the Brain During These Episodes?

It’s wild how much your brain controls. When you’re exposed to motion—like reading in a moving car—your eyes, inner ears, and body send conflicting messages to your brain. If you’re migraine-prone, this “sensory conflict” can overload your system and trigger an episode.

Neuroimaging studies (like those cited in PubMed) have shown that people with migraine process motion differently. Their brains light up more intensely in response to visual or physical motion, and that overactivation can lead to symptoms like dizziness, vertigo, and pain.

Everyday Triggers That Make It Worse

Here’s where it gets tricky: you don’t have to be on a cruise ship or rollercoaster to feel the effects. In fact, my worst episodes often hit when I was staring at a screen too long or driving through stop-and-go traffic.

Common real-world triggers include:

• Riding in cars, especially in the backseat
• Boats, elevators, or even escalators
• Virtual reality or first-person video games
• Nighttime driving with bright lights and glare
• Watching shaky videos or scrolling on your phone while in motion

What’s even more frustrating is that these triggers can be cumulative. A long week of bad sleep, stress, and screen time can make you more susceptible to motion-related symptoms on the weekend drive to the beach.

How to Tell If It’s Migraine-Related

Sometimes, people write it off as “just motion sickness.” But if it happens repeatedly, especially with head pain, sensitivity to light or sound, or visual disturbances, it’s worth looking deeper. You might be dealing with vestibular migraine, a subtype that specifically involves dizziness and balance issues.

It took me years to realize the two were linked in my case. I used to think I had separate problems—one for car rides and another for headaches. Turns out, they were just different sides of the same coin.

If this sounds familiar, it may be time to explore diagnosis options. Check out this guide on how migraines are diagnosed and speak to a neurologist who understands vestibular symptoms.

For a full breakdown of triggers and symptoms, don’t miss the comprehensive Migraine Triggers resource. It dives into environmental, hormonal, and dietary triggers that might be adding fuel to the fire.

You can also explore the full migraine and headache main guide for deeper context on types, treatments, and prevention tools.

Managing Migraine and Motion Sensitivity: What Actually Helps?

I used to carry mints, ginger chews, and way too many sunglasses in my bag, thinking they’d somehow save me from that creeping sense of doom during long commutes. Turns out, while some of those things help, there’s a whole world of migraine-specific tactics that are way more effective—especially when motion is involved.

Let’s talk practical. You don’t have to live like a hermit to avoid triggers, but a few smart changes can mean fewer miserable days stuck in bed with an ice pack and blackout curtains.

1. Stabilize Your Environment

• Front-seat travel: When riding in a car, choose the front seat. It reduces visual dissonance and motion discrepancy, and makes a surprising difference.
• Limit screen use while moving: Trust me, texting while on a bus? Instant regret.
• Controlled lighting: Wear blue-light filtering glasses to minimize eye strain and light sensitivity.
• Calming scents: Peppermint and lavender can help reduce nausea and tension, especially in tight travel spaces.

Also, don’t underestimate posture and neck positioning—poor alignment during travel can exacerbate both migraine and vestibular issues. A neck pillow isn’t just for naps.

2. Supplementation & Nutrition That Supports the Brain

There’s no one-pill-cures-all, but targeted nutrients help. For motion-sensitive migraine, neurologists often recommend supplements that support the vestibular system and nerve stability. Some of the most promising include:

• Magnesium: Regulates nerve signals, helps prevent attacks, and can ease nausea.
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): May reduce attack frequency over time.
• Ginger: Proven anti-nausea effects with mild anti-inflammatory support for migraine onset.

There’s also growing evidence around Coenzyme Q10 improving mitochondrial energy metabolism in migraine patients, particularly for motion-induced or vestibular types.

3. Smart Tools and Devices

I was skeptical about devices at first. But after trying one of the FDA-cleared wearables, I became a convert. Tools like Nerivio and Cefaly work by stimulating specific nerves involved in migraine activation, helping reduce both onset and intensity.

Additional motion-related migraine tools worth exploring include:

• Relief headbands that apply pressure or cooling
• Mobile apps for tracking triggers and episode patterns
• Weighted eye masks or blackout sleeping masks to block out overstimulation during travel

If your symptoms lean toward dizziness or disorientation, consider vestibular migraine aids, including balance exercises and vestibular rehab.

Is It Time to Talk to a Specialist?

If your migraine episodes consistently follow travel, motion, or visual stimulation, it’s worth seeing a neurologist who specializes in migraine or vestibular disorders. You might be living with vestibular migraine or another subtype that needs tailored treatment.

Don’t wait for symptoms to become unbearable. Start by logging what triggers your symptoms. A migraine diary is your best friend here—it helps pinpoint what sets off your episodes and track which strategies work.

Sometimes your regular physician might miss the signs. That’s why visiting a migraine-focused neurologist can be a game-changer, especially if traditional motion sickness meds aren’t cutting it.

Over-the-Counter and Prescribed Options

Yes, medications exist—and they can work well when combined with lifestyle strategies:

• Meclizine: Often used for motion sickness, and can be effective for vestibular migraine too.
• Triptans: Used during the onset of migraine attacks, though not all types respond.
• CGRP inhibitors: A newer class of medication targeting the migraine pathway.

Be cautious with overuse—some medications can actually cause rebound headaches if taken too frequently.

Building Long-Term Tolerance to Motion Triggers

This might sound strange, but you can train your brain to better tolerate motion. Vestibular therapy involves gradual exposure to movement patterns that normally trigger symptoms, helping desensitize your system over time.

I tried a version of this when I couldn’t even scroll my phone on a bus without getting nauseous. Over time—with slow exposure and the right medications—I built up more tolerance. Now, I can take longer rides and even enjoy VR in short bursts without triggering symptoms.

You can start with simple things like:

• Watching slow-motion videos for brief periods
• Turning your head side-to-side while standing still
• Practicing eye-tracking exercises with a fixed object

It’s not an overnight fix, but it can be incredibly effective in reducing attacks and rebuilding confidence.

Stay Ahead of the Triggers

Migraine and motion sickness are a tough combo—but they’re manageable with the right plan. Whether you’re prepping for a trip or just trying to get through the workday without that wave of nausea, small changes add up.

Explore more science-backed prevention tips in the Migraine Prevention guide and visit the full main migraine and headache pillar for treatment options, lifestyle adjustments, and expert-reviewed recommendations.

Bianca Nala

Bianca Nala is a compassionate Nurse Practitioner with a strong background in primary and respiratory care. As a health writer for Healthusias.com, she combines her clinical expertise with a talent for clear, relatable storytelling to help readers better understand their health. Bianca focuses on topics like asthma, COPD, chronic cough, and overall lung health, aiming to simplify complex medical topics without losing accuracy. Whether she’s treating patients or writing articles, Bianca is driven by a single goal: making quality healthcare knowledge accessible to everyone.