A major diagnostic indicator is that most patients feel better while driving or riding in a car, i.e., while in passive motion.
MdDS is unexplained by structural brain or inner ear pathology and most often corresponds with a motion trigger, although it can occur spontaneously.
This differs from the very common condition of "land sickness" that most people feel for a short time after a motion event such as a boat cruise, aircraft ride, or even a treadmill routine which may only last minutes to a few hours.
Since 2020, the syndrome has received increased attention due to the number of people presenting with the condition, and more scientific research has commenced in determining what triggers MdDS and how to cure it.
[2] Common symptoms most frequently reported include a persistent sensation of motion usually described as rocking, swaying, or bobbing, disequilibrium with difficulty maintaining balance; it is never accompanied by a spinning vertigo.
[4] Research reveals MdDS is not migraine-related and many sufferers have never had migraine symptoms prior to the onset of the disorder.
Sufferers can have low quality of life in both the physical and emotional realms, comparable to people who have multiple sclerosis with many symptoms being of a similar nature.
Tests include hearing and balance, and MdDS is generally diagnosed by either a neurologist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
Medications that suppress the nerves and brain circuits involved in balance (for example, the benzodiazepine clonazepam) have been noted to help and can lower symptoms; however, it is not a cure.
[11] This apparent gender disparity, however, may be due in part to the fact that the questionnaire which formed the basis of the study was circulated in a publication with a predominantly female reader base.
[citation needed] Mal de Débarquement syndrome has been noted as far back to the times of Erasmus Darwin in 1796,[9] and Irwin J.
[citation needed] At least one clinical trial on readaptation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex undertaken by Dr. Mingjia Dai from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City produced results for a significant percentage of patients who participated in the program.
Participants of this study were exposed to therapeutic interventions, such as vestibular rehabilitation therapy, to stimulate the vestibular-ocular reflex and reform their perception of gravity and motion.
The results indicated that opto-kinetic stimulation was effective in alleviating the pulling sensation experienced by MdDS.
A case study conducted by[23] Amuk and colleagues focused on a 30-year-old male patient with MdDS to highlight potential psychiatric comorbidities.
Physicians suggested the symptoms were initially caused by psychological distress and prescribed anti-anxiety medications.
Treatment additionally included therapeutic intervention like opto-kinetic stimulation and vestibular ocular reflex exercises.
Researchers also emphasized how this displays the importance of proper and timely diagnosis to prevent impacting the likelihood of mental distress.