Mal de debarquement syndrome is a rare disease related to motion sickness, causing balance problems and rocking sensations. It is difficult to diagnose and has no reliable cure, but ongoing research may reveal its causes. Treatment options are limited, and patients often have good and bad days.
Mal de debarquement syndrome is a very rare and poorly understood disease that appears to be related to motion sickness. It is characterized by difficulty maintaining balance and rocking sensations similar to those people experience on ships. In fact, symptoms of this syndrome usually appear shortly after a person lands, or disembarks, a fast-moving, unstable cruise ship, airplane, or other transport vessel. Due to the rarity of the condition, doctors and medical researchers have yet to discover a reliable cure.
While most people feel unsteady for a few minutes after disembarking from a boat or plane, balance problems can persist for several months or even years in people with mal debarquement syndrome. Neurological tests on patients with the disease have been inconclusive. Doctors have been unable to link the condition to an obvious problem in the inner ear or brain. Ongoing medical research may reveal a genetic component to the disorder or a subtle physical or chemical deficiency in the brain.
Many of the symptoms of mal debarquement syndrome are similar to the more common varieties of motion sickness. On firm ground, the earth appears to sway forward, backward, and sideways as in a boat. A person usually has difficulty walking in a straight line and may need to hold on to an object of stationery to avoid losing balance and falling. Balance problems can also affect a person’s ability to focus on manual tasks and focus their vision. Unlike motion sickness, feelings of nausea and dull headaches are usually absent.
Because this syndrome is such a rare phenomenon, it is often difficult for a doctor to make an accurate diagnosis. When a patient reports lasting balance problems, a specialist can perform MRI scans, EEGs, vision screenings, and many other tests to rule out more common problems. A doctor may be able to make a diagnosis after ruling out other possible causes and confirming that the patient has taken a recent plane or boat trip.
Treatment options are limited for mal debarquement syndrome. Medications that are commonly given for motion sickness have proved largely ineffective in treating the condition. Some patients find symptom relief with psychoactive drugs such as benzodiazepines, but existing clinical research to confirm their effectiveness is limited. Most patients have many good days where symptoms are mild between very challenging episodes.
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