Many vertigo patients report feelings of unsteadiness, rocking, or dizziness. Although some of these symptoms are true of MdDS, often the condition they are experiencing is something more common than this.
- One such condition is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). While BPPV does involve sensations of dizziness, it is usually characterized as being brought on suddenly when the patient changes the location of their head (e.g. getting up out of bed, getting out of a chair, bending down, lying down in bed). Usually, the attack will lead to the patient experiencing severe vertigo and nystagmus (eye-movement), which usually lasts no more than a minute or two. This is in contrast to the normal pattern of MdDS, which is that patients experience symptoms constantly , regardless of the way their head is located, and seldom involves sudden losses of balance or abnormal eye movement.
- Another condition that may sometimes seem similar to MdDS is Meniere’s Disease. This condition also causes general unsteadiness, but like BPPV, it is most often characterized by severe attacks. This condition can be treated somewhat with drugs and diet.