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Mal De Débarquement Syndrome

Table of Contents

Mal De Débarquement Syndrome

MdDS; Mal de Debarquement; Sickness of Disembarkment; Disembarkment Syndrome

Mal de debarquement syndrome is a rare balance disorder that causes a lasting sensation of motion sickness even when the cruise, airplane, or car ride is over; can also be accompanied by fatigue and difficulty concentrating.

Dizziness

Image by Chanut is industries, TH

Summary

Depiction of a person feeling dizzy

Image by https://www.myupchar.com

Depiction of a person feeling dizzy

Depiction of a person feeling dizzy. The typical causes of dizziness have been listed.

Image by https://www.myupchar.com

What Is Mal De Debarquement Syndrome?

Mal de debarquement syndrome is a neurological disorder that most commonly develops following an ocean cruise or other type of water travel and less commonly following air travel, train travel, or other motion experiences. The symptoms typically reported include: persistent sensation of motion such as rocking, swaying, and/or bobbing, difficulty maintaining balance, anxiety, fatigue, unsteadiness, and difficulty concentrating. The symptoms may be last anywhere from a month to years. Symptoms may or may not go away with time; however, they may reoccur following another motion experience or during periods of stress or illness.

Although there is no known cure for mal de debarquement syndrome, there is evidence that some patients have responded positively to antidepressants or anti-seizure medications. Customized vestibular therapy and exercise routines may also be effective.

Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

Additional Materials (8)

Ocean Nova - Cruise Ship

The "Ocean Nova" cruise ship from a "Zodiac"

Image by LBM1948/Wikimedia

AGSOL Astronaut Training

Christopher Altman conducting space motion sickness test and acclimation protocol at the Ashton Graybiel Spatial Orientation Laboratory (AGSOL).

Image by Quantum Astronaut/Wikimedia

The Ship in the Tempest

Image by Henri Rousseau /Wikimedia

Dizziness

Vertigo, the sensation of one's surroundings are spinning around them is a common symptom of dizziness.

Image by THX0477/Wikimedia

Grounded and partially capsized Cruise ship Costa Concordia and the Ocean Crane Barge Meloria

IMG_0263.jpg

Image by Horacio Arevalo/Wikimedia

Optokinetic Head Roll Exercise to Treat Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MDDS) Dizziness

Video by Fauquier ENT/YouTube

Optokinetic Stripes (Left to Right) for Head Roll Exercises to Treat Mal de Debarquement Syndrome

Video by Fauquier ENT/YouTube

Optokinetic Stripes (Left to Right) for Head Roll Exercises to Treat Mal de Debarquement Syndrome

Video by Fauquier ENT/YouTube

Ocean Nova - Cruise Ship

LBM1948/Wikimedia

AGSOL Astronaut Training

Quantum Astronaut/Wikimedia

The Ship in the Tempest

Henri Rousseau /Wikimedia

Dizziness

THX0477/Wikimedia

Grounded and partially capsized Cruise ship Costa Concordia and the Ocean Crane Barge Meloria

Horacio Arevalo/Wikimedia

4:30

Optokinetic Head Roll Exercise to Treat Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MDDS) Dizziness

Fauquier ENT/YouTube

5:01

Optokinetic Stripes (Left to Right) for Head Roll Exercises to Treat Mal de Debarquement Syndrome

Fauquier ENT/YouTube

5:02

Optokinetic Stripes (Left to Right) for Head Roll Exercises to Treat Mal de Debarquement Syndrome

Fauquier ENT/YouTube

Diagnosis

Ear Exam

Image by Eden, Janine and Jim/Flickr

Ear Exam

Eden's Aunt Sara, who's a pediatrician, very nicely agreed to take a look at Eden's ears, which had been giving her problems early in the trip. She found a little fluid but not a real ear infection, and confirmed our feeling that they were getting better on their own. Then we all went out for Mexican food.

Image by Eden, Janine and Jim/Flickr

How Are Balance Disorders Diagnosed?

Diagnosis of a balance disorder is difficult. To find out if you have a balance problem, your primary doctor may suggest that you see an otolaryngologist and an audiologist. An otolaryngologist is a physician and surgeon who specializes in diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, neck, and throat. An audiologist is a clinician who specializes in the function of the hearing and vestibular systems.

You may be asked to participate in a hearing examination, blood tests, a video nystagmogram (a test that measures eye movements and the muscles that control them), or imaging studies of your head and brain. Another possible test is called posturography. For this test, you stand on a special movable platform in front of a patterned screen.

Posturography measures how well you can maintain steady balance during different platform conditions, such as standing on an unfixed, movable surface. Other tests, such as rotational chair testing, brisk head-shaking testing, or even tests that measure eye or neck muscle responses to brief clicks of sound, may also be performed. The vestibular system is complex, so multiple tests may be needed to best evaluate the cause of your balance problem.

Source: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Additional Materials (1)

Vestibular Audiological Testing

Video by Vestibular Disorders Association/YouTube

7:51

Vestibular Audiological Testing

Vestibular Disorders Association/YouTube

How Can I Help My Doctor Make a Diagnosis?

Drawing of a woman and a doctor seated at a table and talking in the doctor's office. The doctor is taking notes

Image by NIDDK Image Library

Drawing of a woman and a doctor seated at a table and talking in the doctor's office. The doctor is taking notes

Image by NIDDK Image Library

How Can I Help My Doctor Make a Diagnosis?

You can help your doctor make a diagnosis and determine a treatment plan by answering the questions below. Be prepared to discuss this information during your appointment.

The best way I can describe my dizziness or balance problem is:
- Is there a spinning sensation, and if so, which way does the room spin?
- Is the dizziness/spinning caused by any specific motion or does it occur even when sitting or lying still?
- Are there any other symptoms that occur at the same time as the dizziness/spinning, such as hearing loss, tinnitus, a feeling of pressure in one or both ears, or a headache?
- Does anything seem to help the dizziness/spinning?
How often do I feel dizzy or have trouble keeping my balance? How long do the dizziness or spinning episodes last (seconds, minutes, hours, days)?
Have I ever fallen?
- When did I fall?
- Where did I fall?
- Under what conditions did I fall?
- How often have I fallen?
These are the medicines I take. Include all prescription medications; all over-the-counter medicine, such as aspirin, antihistamines, or sleep aids; and all vitamin supplements and alternative or homeopathic remedies:
- Name of medicine or supplement: ______________________.
- How much (milligrams) _____ and how often (times) ______ per day.
- The condition I take this medicine for is: __________________________.

Source: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Balance Tests

Balance Tests

Also called: Vestibular Balance Testing, Vestibular Testing

Balance tests check for balance disorders. A balance disorder is a condition that makes you feel unsteady and dizzy. If you are diagnosed with a balance disorder, you can take steps to treat or manage the condition.

Balance Tests

Also called: Vestibular Balance Testing, Vestibular Testing

Balance tests check for balance disorders. A balance disorder is a condition that makes you feel unsteady and dizzy. If you are diagnosed with a balance disorder, you can take steps to treat or manage the condition.

Balance tests are a group of tests that check for balance disorders. A balance disorder is a condition that makes you feel unsteady or dizzy. Dizziness means different things to different people. It can include:
- Vertigo, a feeling that you or everything around you is spinning
- Feeling as if you're going to fall
- Feeling lightheaded or as if you are going to faint
Balance disorders can be mild or so severe that you may have trouble walking, climbing stairs, or doing other daily activities. They can happen at any age, but they are more common in older people. Balance disorders are one of the main reasons that older adults tend to have more falls than younger people.
Good balance depends on your brain receiving signals about your position and movement from your ears, eyes, and the muscles and touch sensors in your legs. These signals also help your eyes stay focused on objects when you change position. Problems with any of the signals that are part of your sense of balance can cause dizziness and other symptoms.
The part of your ears that controls your sense of balance is called the vestibular system or "the labyrinth." It is in your inner ear. It includes special organs filled with fluid and lined with sensors that have hair-like structures. When you move your head, the fluid in your inner ear moves the hair sensors. This triggers them to send nerve signals to your brain about your head's position and which direction it's moving.
Balance disorders may be caused by conditions in your inner ear, head injuries, or certain medicines and medical conditions that affect your inner ear or brain. Other conditions can also cause problems with balance, such as vision problems, heart disease, blood vessel disorders, migraine headaches, and arthritis.
Balance tests help find the cause of balance problems so that you can get the right treatment to improve your balance and avoid falls.
Balance tests are used to help find the cause of balance problems, so you can get the right treatment to improve your balance and avoid falls. There are many types of balance disorders, including:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). BPPV is the most common cause of vertigo in adults. With this condition, you feel a spinning sensation when you move your head in certain ways. Normally, part of your inner ear has grains of calcium that trigger signals that tell your brain about your head's position and movement. BPPV happens if these grains slip out of place and get into a part of your inner ear where they don't belong. When the grains move around in the wrong place, they trigger confusing signals about how your head is moving.
- Labyrinthitis. This balance disorder can cause dizziness and temporary hearing loss. It happens if your inner ear becomes irritated and swollen, usually from a cold or flu.
- Meniere's disease. This disorder causes vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and a full feeling in your ears. It happens when too much fluid builds up in the vestibular system. The cause is unknown.
- Vestibular neuritis. This is inflammation (swelling) of the vestibular nerve. This nerve carries signals from the vestibular system in the inner ear to your brain. It's usually caused by a virus. The main symptoms are nausea and vertigo.
- Perilymph fistula. This happens when fluid in the inner ear leaks into the middle ear, where your eardrum is. It causes an unsteady feeling, dizziness, and nausea. The symptoms usually get worse with activity. Causes include head injury, ear surgery, and having many long-lasting ear infections.
- Mal de Debarquement syndrome (MdDS). This condition is triggered after long periods of motion, such as being on a boat or running on a treadmill. After you stop moving, you still have a swaying or bobbing feeling that can last for hours or days. Severe cases can last months or even years. The cause is unknown.
You may need balance tests if you have symptoms of a balance disorder. Symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Vertigo (a spinning feeling)
- Falling or feeling as if you are going to fall
- Staggering when you walk
- Feeling lightheaded, like you are going to faint, or a floating sensation
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
Other symptoms may include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, changes in heart rate and blood pressure, and anxiety.
If you're age 65 or older, your health care provider may use simple screening tests to check your balance even if you don't have symptoms. This helps check your risk for falls so you can make changes to reduce your risk if needed.
Balance disorders can be difficult to diagnose. If you have symptoms of a problem, your provider may suggest that you see a specialist in disorders of the ear. These include:
- An audiologist, a health care provider who is trained to diagnose hearing loss and balance disorders. They also can provide certain treatments to improve these conditions.
- An otolaryngologist (ENT), a doctor who specializes in treating diseases of the ears, nose, throat, and head and neck.
You may need several tests to help find out if you have a disorder in your inner ear. Common tests include:
Electronystagmography (ENG) or videonystagmography (VNG) tests. These tests measure eye movements that you can't control, called nystagmus. Normally, these eye movements happen briefly when you move your head into certain positions. If they happen at other times or don't happen when they should, you may have a problem in your inner ear.
During the test:
- You will sit in an exam chair in a dark room.
  For an ENG, electrodes will be placed near your eyes to record their movement. The electrodes are small sensors that either stick to your skin or are put in a headband that you wear.
  For a VNG, you'll wear special goggles that record your eye movements.
- You'll follow a light on a screen with your eyes.
- You'll be asked to move your head and body into different positions. The provider will also move your head into certain positions.
- Warm and cool water or air will be put in one ear at a time. This should make your eyes move in specific ways.
Rotary test, also called a rotary chair test. This test measures how well your eyes and inner ear are working together to help you keep your balance. During this test:
- You'll sit in a computer-controlled chair with a motor that makes it move.
- You'll wear special goggles that records your eye movements as the chair moves back and forth and turns at different speeds.
Posturography, also known as computerized dynamic posturography (CDP). This test measures how well you can keep your balance while standing. It can help find out whether a balance disorder is caused by a problem with your inner ear, eyes, or nerve signals from your feet and legs. During this test:
- You'll stand barefoot on a platform facing a screen.
- You'll wear a safety harness to catch you if you lose your balance.
- Your balance will be measured when the platform is still and when it's moving while:
  Your eyes are opened and closed
  You are looking at a moving image on the screen in front of you
Other tests include:
- Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) tests to measure how certain parts of your inner ear are working. This test involves lying back in a chair and listening to sounds through earphones while you lift and turn your head. Electrodes attached to your neck and face record your muscle movements.
- Dix-Hallpike maneuver to check how your eyes move when your provider quickly moves your head in different positions. This test can show whether vertigo is caused by changes in head position or a more serious condition. A newer version of this test is called a video head impulse test (vHIT). For this test, you wear goggles that record your eye movements while your provider moves your head.
Tests for balance disorders may also include hearing tests. That's because many balance disorders are related to hearing problems, such as tinnitus. You may also have imaging tests of your head and brain.
If your results show that you may have a balance disorder, your provider may order more tests and/or start treatment. Treatment depends on the type of disorder you have. For example:
- For benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), your provider may move your head in different positions to move calcium grains in your inner ear back where they belong. The procedure is called the Epley maneuver or canalith repositioning.
- For Meniere's disease, your provider may suggest diet and lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity and quitting smoking. Medicines may also help.
If your balance problems are from medicine or a condition that's not in your inner ear, changing medicine or treating the condition may help.
If treatment doesn't help enough, balance retraining therapy, also called vestibular rehabilitation, may help you learn to cope with your symptoms and reduce your risk of falling.
If you have questions about the results of your balance tests, talk with your provider.

Additional Materials (24)

Vestibular Tests - DGI Tests

Video by BoysTownHospital/YouTube

Dizziness and Balance Testing - Mayo Clinic

Video by Mayo Clinic/YouTube

Learning How You Stand in a Balance Test

Video by Lee Health/YouTube

Vestibular Tests: Rotary Chair - Boys Town National Research Hospital

Video by BoysTownHospital/YouTube

Vestibular Tests: VNG - Boys Town National Research Hospital

Video by BoysTownHospital/YouTube

Vestibular Tests: VEMP - Boys Town National Research Hospital

Video by BoysTownHospital/YouTube

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test

Video by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/YouTube

Sense of balance or equilibrioception

Sense of balance or equilibrioception

Image by geralt

Balance training - Sense of balance or equilibrioception

Balance training - Sense of balance or equilibrioception

Image by mohamed_hassan

Balance at great heights - Sense of balance or equilibrioception

Balance at great heights - Sense of balance or equilibrioception

Image by Alexas_Fotos

Finding Balance

If you have depression, you may blame yourself and think that somehow you caused this condition or should be able to pull yourself out of it. But being depressed is not a failure on your part. You are not to blame for it, and you aren’t weak because you can’t “just snap out of it.” Depression is a disease—and like many other diseases, it responds to treatment. Many different forms of treatment are available. The key is to find balance: balance in your life, and the right balance of depression treatments.

Image by TheVisualMD

Pilates

Curso de Instructor de Pilates

Image by J. Vílchez

Yoga

Pictured here, on a green grassy Georgia field, this young woman was getting in some exercise time, on what was a beautiful sunny day. At this moment, she was warming up by assuming some Yoga-like poses with the aid of a large inflatable balance ball. Here she was in a modified sit-up position, with her calves resting atop the ball, buttocks on the ground, and arms crossed over her chest. Hopefully, she’d applied sunscreen to her sun-exposed skin, and had packed some fresh drinking water to avoid dehydration.

Image by CDC/ Amanda Mills

3D visualization reconstructed from scanned human data of the female endocrine system.

The endocrine system is the regulator of the human body as it responsible for maintaining homeostasis by producing and directing chemical messengers called hormones. Hormones act on just about every cell to carry out a variety of functions related to the following: metabolism, water and mineral balance, sexual development, growth, and stress reactions. Most hormones travel throughout the body via the bloodstream to affect their target organs and tissues. Other hormones act locally and arrive at their site of action via microcirculation.

Image by TheVisualMD

Ear Internal Anatomy

3D visualization of the inner structures of the ear reconstructed from scanned human data. Sound waves enter the ear through the external auditory meatus (ear canal) where they bounce up against the thin membranous tympanic membrane (eardrum). This vibration moves three very small bones (the ossicles) of the middle ear which in turn, pass on the vibration to a membrane at the entrance of the middle ear. When this membrane vibrates, it stimulates a pulsating wave through the fluid that fills the cochlea causing a current of vibrations to pass over millions of small hairs called stereocilia. The stereocilia translate the mechanical movement into sensory impulses which are transmitted directly to the brain. The brain interprets the impulses as sound. The mechanisms of the inner ear are also responsible for perception of balance and equilibrium.

Image by TheVisualMD

Woman with visible middle ear, eustachian tube showing connection from ear to nasopharynx

The middle ear is the chamber between the eardrum and the cochlea; its primary function is to transfer the energy of sound waves entering the outer ear to the membrane and fluid within the cochlea. The eustachian tube connects the middle ear chamber with the nasopharynx, which drains from the back of the nose into the upper part of the throat. The ability of the eustachian tube to open enables it to equalize the pressure in the middle ear with atmospheric pressure; the eustachian tube also helps clear mucus and prevent infection of the middle ear.

Image by TheVisualMD

Ankle Extention

Radiograph of a dancer's en pointe foot.

Image by Paul Galmiche

Female Skeletal System in Motion

3D visualization reconstructed from scanned human data of the female skeletal system in motion. Brilliantly engineered, the living skeleton not only bears the body's load and enables movement but also stores minerals, protects internal organs, and, in its spongy interiors, houses the main bloodworks. The efficient weight bearing capabilities of bone coupled with mobilizing joints allow for a great range of movements positioning.

Image by TheVisualMD

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis : Disseminated sclerosis; walking with cane Animation) Subject: Men; Nudes; Multiple sclerosis; Staffs; Walking; Human locomotion

Image by Eadweard James Muybridge

Multiple Sclerosis - Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS), also known as disseminated sclerosis or encephalomyelitis disseminata ICD9 340 (animated Gif) caption: Description: Disseminated sclerosis; walking with cane

Image by Eadweard James Muybridge

human ear

This shows what the inner ear looks like, the vestibular system is the colored part. The inner ear is the part of the ear that is inside a person's head. This is the part of the inner ear called the vestibular system. Some doctors think a problem here may cause Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood. This is the part of the inner ear called the vestibular system. Some doctors think a problem here may cause Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood.

Image by Didier Descouens

Yoga Stretch

A flexible yogini doing a backbend pose in the middle of a white archway. Photo by Oksana Taran.

Image by Oksana Taran/Unsplash

Vestibulocochlear Nerve

Inner ear. Cochlea and vestibular system from MRI data.

Image by Nevit Dilmen (talk)

The Vestibular System: The Brain and Balance

Video by BrainFacts.org/YouTube

4:11

Vestibular Tests - DGI Tests

BoysTownHospital/YouTube

4:44

Dizziness and Balance Testing - Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic/YouTube

2:00

Learning How You Stand in a Balance Test

Lee Health/YouTube

1:11

Vestibular Tests: Rotary Chair - Boys Town National Research Hospital

BoysTownHospital/YouTube

1:26

Vestibular Tests: VNG - Boys Town National Research Hospital

BoysTownHospital/YouTube

1:13

Vestibular Tests: VEMP - Boys Town National Research Hospital

BoysTownHospital/YouTube

1:29

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/YouTube

Sense of balance or equilibrioception

geralt

Balance training - Sense of balance or equilibrioception

mohamed_hassan

Balance at great heights - Sense of balance or equilibrioception

Alexas_Fotos

Finding Balance

TheVisualMD

Pilates

J. Vílchez

Yoga

CDC/ Amanda Mills

3D visualization reconstructed from scanned human data of the female endocrine system.

TheVisualMD

Ear Internal Anatomy

TheVisualMD

Woman with visible middle ear, eustachian tube showing connection from ear to nasopharynx

TheVisualMD

Ankle Extention

Paul Galmiche

Female Skeletal System in Motion

TheVisualMD

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Eadweard James Muybridge

Multiple Sclerosis - Introduction

Eadweard James Muybridge

human ear

Didier Descouens

Yoga Stretch

Oksana Taran/Unsplash

Vestibulocochlear Nerve

Nevit Dilmen (talk)

6:03

The Vestibular System: The Brain and Balance

BrainFacts.org/YouTube

Videonystagmography

Videonystagmography

Also called: VNG

Videonystagmography (VNG) is a test that measures a type of involuntary eye movement called nystagmus. If your VNG results are not normal, it may mean you have a vestibular disorder, a disorder of the balance system in your inner ear.

Videonystagmography

Also called: VNG

Videonystagmography (VNG) is a test that measures a type of involuntary eye movement called nystagmus. If your VNG results are not normal, it may mean you have a vestibular disorder, a disorder of the balance system in your inner ear.

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Use the slider below to see how your results affect your health.
Your result is Normal.
Balance-related sensors in the inner ear are linked to muscles that control eye movement.
Related conditions
You may need a VNG if you have symptoms of a vestibular disorder. The main symptom is dizziness. Dizziness means different things to different people. It can include:
- Vertigo, a feeling that you or everything around you is spinning
- Feeling as if you're going to fall
- Feeling lightheaded or as if you are going to faint
Other symptoms of a vestibular disorder may include:
- Ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
- Feeling of fullness or pressure in your ear
A VNG is usually done by a specialist, such as:
- An audiologist, a health care provider who is trained to diagnose hearing loss and balance disorders. Audiologists can also provide certain treatments to improve these conditions.
- An otolaryngologist (ENT), a doctor who specializes in treating diseases of the ears, nose, throat, and head and neck.
- A neurologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the brain and nervous system
During a VNG test, you'll sit in a dark room wearing special goggles. A camera in the goggles will record your eye movements during these three main parts of the test:
- Ocular testing. Without moving your head, you will follow moving lights with your eyes and stare at steady lights.
- Positional testing. You'll be asked to move your head and body into different positions. The provider will also move your head into certain positions. Your eyes will be checked to see if certain movements cause nystagmus.
- Caloric testing. For this part of the VNG, your ears will be tested one at a time. This can show if the vestibular system in one ear is working better than the other. Cool water or air will be put into your ear. The cool temperature should make your eyes move in specific ways. You will be tested again with warm water or air in the same ear. If your eyes don't move as expected, it may mean you have damage in your inner ear or the part of your brain that controls balance.
If your VNG results were not normal, it may mean you have a disorder of the vestibular system in your inner ear. The disorder may be in one or both ears. Your provider can explain what type of disorder you may have. You may need more tests, including other balance tests, to confirm your diagnosis.
A VNG can help diagnose several vestibular disorders, including:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). BPPV is the most common cause of vertigo in adults. With this condition, you feel a spinning sensation when you move your head in certain ways. Normally, part of your inner ear has grains of calcium that help tell your brain about your head's position and movement. BPPV happens if these grains slip out of place and get into a part of your inner ear where they don't belong. When the grains move around in the wrong place, they trigger confusing signals about how your head is moving.
- Meniere's disease. This disorder causes vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and a full feeling in your ears. It happens when too much fluid builds up in the vestibular system. The cause is unknown.
- Labyrinthitis. This balance disorder can cause dizziness and temporary hearing loss. It happens if parts of your inner ear become irritated and inflamed (swollen), usually from a cold or flu. It sometimes goes away on its own.
- Vestibular neuritis. This is irritation and inflammation (swelling) of the vestibular nerve. This nerve carries signals from the vestibular system in your inner ear to your brain. It's usually caused by a viral infection. The main symptoms are nausea and vertigo./li>
- Acoustic neuroma. This is a tumor which develops on the nerves involved with hearing and balance. It's usually benign (not cancer), but it can cause hearing loss, tinnitus, and/or dizziness.
An abnormal VNG result may also mean you have a condition that affects the parts of your brain that help control your balance. Treatment options depend on the type of balance disorder you have.
If you have questions about your results or treatment, talk with your provider.

Normal reference ranges can vary depending on the laboratory and the method used for testing. You must use the range supplied by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits."

Additional Materials (20)

fast eye movements Horizontal nystagmus

fast eye movements Horizontal nystagmus

Image by Mr.Polaz

Aniridia

A man with aniridia

Image by The original uploader was Gardar Rurak at English Wikipedia

Nystagmus

Balance Disorder Illustration

Image by NIH

Nystagmus

Nystagmus

Image by House, Earl Lawrence. Pansky, Ben.

fast eye movements Vertical nystagmus

fast eye movements Vertical nystagmus

Image by Mr.Polaz

Optokinetic nystagmus

Optokinetic nystagmus

Image by Student BSMU at English Wikipedia

horizontal nystagmus

horizontal nystagmus

Image by Mr.Polaz

Rapid eye movement

Image by Mr.Polaz

Cross-Section of the human eye with view of retina, lens, cornea, optic nerve, sclera,eyelid

Cross-Section of the human eye with view of retina, lens, cornea, optic nerve, sclera

Image by TheVisualMD

Internuclear ophthalmoplegia

Schematic demonstrating right internuclear ophthalmoplegia, caused by injury of the right medial longitudinal fasciculus.

Image by Samir at English Wikipedia

What is Vertigo & Nystagmus?

Video by Whirled Foundation/YouTube

Voluntary Nystagmus

Video by NEJMvideo/YouTube

Living with Nystagmus in Childhood - Molly's Story

Video by RNIB/YouTube

Living with nystagmus - Phil's story

Video by RNIB/YouTube

Videonystagmography (VNG eng testing) National Dizzy and Balance Center

Video by DizzyBalanceCenter/YouTube

Vestibular Tests: VNG - Boys Town National Research Hospital

Video by BoysTownHospital/YouTube

Vestibular Tests - DGI Tests

Video by BoysTownHospital/YouTube

Dizziness and Balance Testing - Mayo Clinic

Video by Mayo Clinic/YouTube

What to Expect at your Audiology Diagnostic Testing Appointment

Video by DizzyBalanceCenter/YouTube

Audiology: Balance Testing

Video by Cincinnati Children's/YouTube

fast eye movements Horizontal nystagmus

Mr.Polaz

Aniridia

The original uploader was Gardar Rurak at English Wikipedia

Nystagmus

NIH

Nystagmus

House, Earl Lawrence. Pansky, Ben.

fast eye movements Vertical nystagmus

Mr.Polaz

Optokinetic nystagmus

Student BSMU at English Wikipedia

horizontal nystagmus

Mr.Polaz

Rapid eye movement

Mr.Polaz

Cross-Section of the human eye with view of retina, lens, cornea, optic nerve, sclera,eyelid

TheVisualMD

Internuclear ophthalmoplegia

Samir at English Wikipedia

3:11

What is Vertigo & Nystagmus?

Whirled Foundation/YouTube

1:07

Voluntary Nystagmus

NEJMvideo/YouTube

4:30

Living with Nystagmus in Childhood - Molly's Story

RNIB/YouTube

4:05

Living with nystagmus - Phil's story

RNIB/YouTube

2:37

Videonystagmography (VNG eng testing) National Dizzy and Balance Center

DizzyBalanceCenter/YouTube

1:26

Vestibular Tests: VNG - Boys Town National Research Hospital

BoysTownHospital/YouTube

4:11

Vestibular Tests - DGI Tests

BoysTownHospital/YouTube

4:44

Dizziness and Balance Testing - Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic/YouTube

2:14

What to Expect at your Audiology Diagnostic Testing Appointment

DizzyBalanceCenter/YouTube

4:24

Audiology: Balance Testing

Cincinnati Children's/YouTube

Treatment

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Image by StoryMD

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a procedure that uses magnetic fields from an electromagnetic coil to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. It targets the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the region of the brain involved in mood regulation and depression.

Image by StoryMD

How Might Mal De Debarquement Syndrome Be Treated?

Treatment options for mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS) are limited. Most drugs that work for other forms of dizziness do not work for MdDS. On some cases, medications classified as vestibular suppressants, such as anti-depressants and anti-seizure medications, may be used. Customized vestibular therapy like optokinetic stimulation has been effective in some cases. In recent years, a renewed interest in understanding the underlying cause of MdDS has led to new treatment options, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. More studies into these treatment options are needed.

Source: Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center

Additional Materials (1)

illustration of transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS

Image by NIMH Image Library

illustration of transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS

NIMH Image Library

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Mal De Débarquement Syndrome

Mal de debarquement syndrome is a rare balance disorder that causes a lasting sensation of motion sickness even when the cruise, airplane, or car ride is over; can also be accompanied by fatigue and difficulty concentrating.

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