16 November 2022 Feeling like being on a boat (Mal de barquement disorder)

Hello to you. How are you doing? I’m trying to figure out why I have the feeling of being on a boat all the time – a swaying sensation in my head when I walk or move around. Well I found out about a condition that happens after you get off a boat but can persist or just happen even without having been on a craft. I haven’t been on a boat recently. The sensation just started a few months ago when I was in the hospital. It’s very frustrating. I have to talk to a doctor about it as this is just a self diagnosis right now. It’s called Mal de debarquement disorder. Here is a description I found:

Mal de Debarquement

Mal de Debarquement

NORD gratefully acknowledges the Vestibular Disorders Association and Jeffrey Kramer, MD, Neurology Department, Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, Chicago, IL, for assistance in the preparation of this report.

Synonyms of Mal de Debarquement

• MDD

General Discussion

Mal de debarquement (MDD) is a rare and poorly understood disorder of the vestibular system that results in a phantom perception of self- motion typically described as rocking, bobbing or swaying. The symptoms tend to be exacerbated when a patient is not moving, for example, when sleeping or standing still. Studies have shown that a brief period of these symptoms is common in healthy individuals after prolonged episodes of passive motion, normally lasting seconds to three days. However, in MDD, significant balance impairment can persist for months to years. Symptoms may diminish in time or may reappear spontaneously or after another exposure. The most common triggers are water-based activities such as ocean cruising. Less common triggers include airplane travel, extended landing travel and sleeping on water beds. Other common complaints of patients with MDD include a sensation of uneven ground below their feet while walking, or feeling as if they are still on a boat. It is rare for MDD patients to have true rotational vertigo or motion sickness.

Signs & Symptoms

The primary symptom is the persistence of a sense of motion and rocking. Some patients may experience fatigue, mood changes and confusion. Imbalance is a common complaint. Symptoms often increase when exposed to fast movements, flickering lights and grocery store aisles. There may be transient improvement in symptoms with re-exposure to passive motion, for example, riding in cars or trains. After completion of the trip, however, the symptoms tend to recur.

Studies have shown that the length of time one is exposed to a motion experience does not determine the severity or duration of the syndrome, but most typical cases are triggered by day trips lasting several days.

Causes

The true cause behind MDD is still unknown. MDD likely results from the body’s balance system inadequately processing and adapting to multiple sensory inputs (visual, vestibular, proprioceptive and cognitive) from the environment once the stimulus (trigger) has ended. It is as yet undetermined as to the cause of the balance system’s inability to appropriately compensate and adapt. How or why this happens remains a mystery.

Affected Populations

The majority of people affected are adult females, although there have been reports of males having the diagnosis. Patients with migraine may have any increased susceptibility through unknown mechanisms

https://youtu.be/Jc8yzCD-y-U – ask Dr Yo- Pppd or mdDs – (which one do I have and why it matters)