Why your rocking, bobbing and swaying dizziness won't stop - Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS)

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, from Australia - for your sharing and expertise. I experienced MMDS back in 2014 in which I saw endless drs, physios, neurosurgeons who were clueless to this. Eventually with a lot of self research and work with another neurosurgeon, we believed I had MDDS. (MDDS literally disabled my quality of life, when I was in my 20’s after a prolonged kayaking tour). Came off the kayak and for 4yrs, I had these constant bobbing and swaying sensations whenever I was in a fixed position. I would feel like I was walking on mushy ground, walking on waves, or my feet are not planted on the ground firmly. These sensations were greatly heightened whenever I was sitting still, standing still, lying in bed. I would feel like I was floating on waves. Whenever I was walking, running, doing something in motion - I actually didn’t feel the rocking sensations. As if I was “moving” in the “rocking”? So it was ok. Believe it or not, as a Christian - through prayer in Jesus Christ, one night I heard Jesus ask me if I trusted in him, and I gave my life to Him if he would heal me. As crazy as it sounds - that following morning waking up…I was healed in every fiber of my being. Zero MDDS symptoms, was like a baby being able to sit, stand, again without bobbing. It’s been 6yrs of healing. And I’m grateful for Jesus. Even though these few days, I randomly experienced a relapse of what seems like MMDS again. First I thought it’s vertigo, however after trying epley maneuvers it didn’t trigger any spinning sensations. MDDS is a living hell! Just wanted to say thank you for your channel, you’re really bringing this rare illness into light , and hopefully there will be more medical investigations and treatments on this over time! I hope to try out the optical moving stripes app, you suggested :) and hope it will give some relief over the week! Please keep doing the amazing work you’re doing - you’re truly saving lives, even if it’s just mine for a day! ❤ God bless

This lady knows her stuff. What a pleasure it would be to go to such a knowledgeable clinician instead of the medical professionals we usually encounter when we come down with these conditions.

You are my HERO! I have listened to you very carefully. I’m 84 years old. 5years ago-I was struck down by a large dog-in the middle of my back. Long story short-I’m completely well now-as I understand why I’ve been “rocking and rolling”since that time. I’m overcoming it. I have so much to say-that I’m going to write it all out and somehow-send it to you. All of this has nothing to do with age. I, now, feel like I’m in my 70’s and have a lot more living to do.

I have MDDS. This is my sixth year. I took a very long airplane flight and i feel like i never got off of that airplane. I have classic symptoms and spent 10 days with the space doctors at Mt. Sinai Manhattan trying to get some relief. They put me in machines and slung me around and blew air into my ears until i puked. It was fun to play with the astronaut docs, but i have never gotten better. It is exhausting.

THANK YOU Dr. Arthur.. YOU (not the many other doctors I've seen) helped me. You spoke the truth about vestibular migraines, provided the tools to relieve symptoms, and answered all the many questions. I will always be grateful.

Excellent and informative video! Especially for people like me who have been diagnosed with spontaneous onset, persistent MdDS. I appreciate your in-depth analysis as a practitioner in getting to the bottom of all the pathology of MdDS on all angles. Thank you so much! I truly the psycho social factors of contemporary society and constant over stimulation is a HUGE factor in all of this.

Hi Yolit. I need to thank you for your videos. They give me peace of mind. I've had chronic dizziness for two months. It never goes away. I'm very afraid to have these symptoms forever. I can't see well and that's the reason why I can't work, since I'm a graphic designer and an artist... That has been the worst part of my illness. I feel so stressed and sad. Thank you for your help. I hope to get fully recover someday.

I want to first THANK YOU for this video and I think you are SPOT ON for every facet of MdDS. I stepped off my 29th cruise 3 years ago and within 48 hours began experiencing full blown MdDS symptoms. I believe I also suffered after my 19th cruise but did not know it was MdDS, I thought it was a stuffy ear and symptoms were off and on for 6 months. Both cruises I was on a lower deck in a cove balcony and it seemed I was right at the water and it would make me dizzy/ I stopped going on the balcony. I have read thousands of pages and watched hundreds of videos and I’m actually shocked that you described everything exactly correct about this syndrome. Being a sufferer we do not see many people who completely understand. When I am confronted with a stressful situation I will immediately begin to rock and sway more. How bad I rock or sway is greatly affected by how I react to symptoms. If I calm myself down I can greatly diminish them. If I keep my mind busy I almost forget I have MdDS. Standing still is my most difficult task. I can sit and lay easily as I have learned how to react. Of course the car is wonderful. A few weird facts- if I’m the driver for a full week my symptoms are a little amplified right when I get out of the car but then almost non existent. If I move hangers to the right I am fine, my eyes do not “like” them going to the left. If I turn my head to an exaggerated down I rock more. If I drink alcohol (less stress) almost non existent but worse the next day. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart- to be seen and heard is absolutely priceless!

While MDDS doesn’t describe my situation I can see the symptom patterns on many vestibular issues overlap and it’s helpful to hear you discuss the nuances.

Thank you so much for this excellent video. I started experiencing MdDS symptoms two months ago...it was during a stressful exam period but I cannot shake the rocking since. My symptoms are very much brought on by computer use which is hard to avoid. I also think that from previous illnesses, my sympathetic nervous system gets stimulated easily. I nearly cried when you said you think this is due to repressed emotions. I also feel the rocking and swaying when I eat or have a bowel movement...anytime my nervous system fires up. I feel this video may be the first step in understanding what is going on.

Sounds like what you’re saying is in alignment with what I’ve learned about TMS (the mindbody syndrome) and Dr Sarno’s work. Regardless, it has the ring of truth and it’s very interesting that your clinical experience lead you to that conclusion.

Such a great video and super helpful. After 2 years of doing my own research on Mdds, I believe in everything you mentioned here. I am so happy to have found you and now be working with you. I am getting closer to my healing!!

This is very interesting. I recently went on a cruise ship for 4 days and have not retained my balance and it is starting to really concern me. I suffer heavily from work stress. I run a business on my own and work crazy hours sometimes 100 hour weeks and also have suffered most of my adult life with anxiety as well as IBS. I'm going to get straight into trying to relieve my stress and anxiety along with trying your VOR exercises and hopefully my rocking dizziness will go away. It's super annoying and the more I think about it the more it gets worse!

You are a God send!! I started noticing slight dizziness at the end of 2022. I told my Dr at the time and he did some silly quick test and let it go. In 2023, my current Dr did the same thing. I do cruise yearly and in November of 23, I took a cruise with out any issues. About 3 days back the symptoms started and today they are constant! I have had mri, ct scan, told by neurologist that there is nothing wrong in any way that would lead to concerns. Yet, still happens. I can do stuff like wash car or cleaning but when I get still or subtle things, it’s very intense. I ware motion sickness patches, I’m seeing a chiropractor for military neck issues which they say can cause cervical dizziness. Of all this, your video just gave me some peace!

Thank you SO SO MUCH . I have been living with this condition for over five years or more. I have seen so many specialists and so far nobody has been able to really help me, i have been diagnose as suffering of chronic exhaustion, having vestibular migraines.. post head trauma (i had a very bad car accidents, amnesia, causing neck issues) taking some anti depressants not really because of being depressed but i guess anxiety that definitely triggers the condition. I have to say it has helped, and not working for months (because of the pandemic) has also helped. All these diagnostics are somewhat relevant. But this summer after a 12 hours car ride the symptoms kick in seriously… and yesterday i decided to use an old oxyciser for 15 minutes, an apparatus that moves the legs while lying down… and the MDds symptoms kick in right away. I never heard about MDds before this morning… just putting a name on it helps me relax and understand better. And i think there is a trigger that awakes past trauma. Your channel is so helpfull i will definitely go through your videos. I am a therapeutic yoga teacher and body worker for thirty years, so will also share your channel. Sorry for this long comment. But this condition is difficult i feel for all those people out there suffering from these isolating and disabling conditions. Thank you and have a long life, may you be of benefit for a long time 🙏

I seem to get this after long car rides. Optometrist thought it was binocular dysfunction and ended up with prism glasses. Not sure this is problem. Drove and rode 4 days to Florida. No major issue s but now on drive home am struggling. I think coming home I have many more stressor going on than trip down. This video really makes sense.

Thank you for your MDDS views on WHY. In all the years I have had MDDS ,8 total no one ever said anything about the why. I am 85 years old, lived on boats for 15 years then moved to land and MDDS started. I will take your course on stress and believe that unexpressed emotions and issues of the past need to be released. Just hearing that has helped already. I have done many of the exercises for mdds with a therapist in Denver which did help. Some of the triggers have been better until last week when the swaying became worse again. So never give up keep searching and I found you with the WHY

Ich hatte das erste mal vor 5 Jahren nach einer Kreuzfahrt 5 Wochen MDDS. Jetzt habe ich es seit 7 Wochen, nach einer Fährüberfahrt wieder. Ich denke schon, dass auch Stress eine Rolle spielt. Ich war vor dem Urlaub beruflich sehr gestresst. Anfangs habe ich versucht es zu ignorieren, da ich es ja bereits kannte, dann ist aber noch mehr Stress dazu gekommen und die Symptome haben sich verstärkt und ich war auch psychisch völlig fertig. Ich hoffe es ist bald vorbei. Deine Videos sind sehr hilfreich.

I have these symptoms that also overlap with PPPD. I am fine in a car and is the only time I feel normal. I did go on a short plane ride (2.5 hours), six weeks before symptoms started, but I dont think it was the flight, but the reason I was flying (emotional trip back home 18 months after my mum passed and covid restrictions did not allow me to do so beforehand and I missed her funeral). I have been doing the VRT and most of them do not help, apart from the balance exercises. I feel like I have wasted months living with this because I was being fed misinformation and in a lot of cases no information. Thank God for your channel Dr Yoni.

Great great super helpful