In a 2012 study of patients with MdDS (Mal de debarquement), it was found that the range for patient quality of life fell in between being just as low as those with other, severe neurological and vestibular disorders, such as longstanding MS (multiple sclerosis), or, often times, much lower. 

Quality of Life for those with MdDS (Mal de debarquement)

Patients with MdDS (Mal de debarquement) commonly have severe, continuous problems staying still, maintaining balance, and feeling grounded. In a 2012 study of MdDS, over half of the patients studied reported that they had persistent issued maintaining balance and many reported falling at least once in the past year.


Falling, Balance, and MdDS (Mal de debarquement)


Patients with MdDS (Mal de debarquement) reported a marked economic burden caused by the onset of their condition. Most of this economic burden (85-90%) comes from indirect causes- meaning that it is not related to medical cost but to other figures, such as an inability to work. The cost for MdDS is so significant that if one were to get MdDS in their mid-twenties and live an average life span, the cost to them would be about over a quarter-million U.S. dollars.

The Economic Burden of MdDS (Mal de debarquement)

While most patients with MdDS (Mal de debarquement) develop symptoms after experiencing a long, passive motion such as a cruise or a lengthy flight, some patients develop most or all of the typical MdDS (Mal de debarquement) symptoms without exposure to such an event. This is called Spontaneous or Other Onset MdDS (Mal de debarquement) and is typically represented in shorthand with “SO MdDS”.

Spontaneous or Other Onset MdDS (Mal de Debarquement)

Patients with MDDS often feel relief from dizziness and other typical MDDS symptoms when they experience motion that counteracts their rocking, such as riding in a car or boat. 

Counteracting Rocking with MDDS

Some effective treatments for MDDS include specific pills, such as benzodiazepines or amitriptyline. Aside from medications, some promise has been shown with the use of physical therapy. Though these are not foolproof methods and although all methods of care for those with MDDS have a fairly high failure rate, these are shown to be most effective in many cases, including in a notable 2015 study. 

Treatment for MDDS

One notable theory as to the cause of MDDS postulates that it may occur due to the hippocampus sending out false vestibular signals indicating movement when there is none. 

Theorized Cause of MDDS

MDDS seems to affect older individuals at a higher rate as women in their 40s are the most likely group to develop the condition 

Age and MDDS

MDDS was not officially recognized by the medical community until 1987 and since then no major successful studies have been made in determining cause or altering the original basis of knowledge formulated when the disease was recognized

Recognition of MDDS

Flickering lights, bright lights, and loud noises may worsen MdDS symptoms such as imbalance, dizziness, and rocking sensations.

Sensory Triggers That May Worsen MdDS Symptoms

A 2018 study reported that every participant in both the typical mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS) and spontaneous/other-onset MdDS (SO MdDS) groups had been misdiagnosed at least once. General vertigo was the most frequently reported misdiagnosis in both groups.

Reported Misdiagnosis in Typical and Spontaneous/Other-Onset MdDS

MdDS is a poorly understood vestibular disorder/ neurological condition that causes rocking, dizziness, and associated symptoms. It usually appears after sustained, passive motion, such as a cruise. This disorder is poorly understood. 

Claremont Graduate University

A vestibular disorder is a temporary disorder, chronic illness, and/or disability caused by changes in, damage to, or incorrect development of the inner ear and surrounding area. Symptoms of vestibular disorders typically includes dizziness, hearing loss, and nausea and examples of vestibular disorders include Perilymph fistula, mal de debarquement, and labyrinthitis. Vestibular disorders tend to be more common in the elderly.

Vestibular Disorder

Macke, Allison, Andrew LePorte, and Brian C Clark. 2012. “Social, Societal, and Economic Burden of Mal De Debarquement Syndrome.” Journal of Neurology : Official Journal of the European Neurological Society 259 (7): 1326–30.

Social, Societal, and Economic Burden of Mal De Debarquement Syndrome

Approximately 60% of individuals experiencing symptoms associated with vestibular disorders are correctly diagnosed by medical professionals. Diagnoses are typically performed by enacting the following examination methods: general examination, assessment of eye movement, a fistula test, employment of the Dix-Hallpike maneuver, a head thrust/ head shaking test, cerebral testing, and more. Some vestibular disorders, such as mal de debarquement, have less successful diagnoses than others.

Diagnosis of Vestibular Disorders

While by definition vestibular disorders are typically caused by damage or underdevelopment to the inner ear, some vestibular disorders may be caused by unusual experiences and/or damage/ malformation/ disorder elsewhere in the body.

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