MdDS calculator

Timothy C. Hain, MD•Most recent update: May 10, 2023

See also: Questionnaires for dizziness.•PPPD calculator•Vestibular migraine (VM) calculator. •Meniere's calculator

This calculator attempts to determine whether or not an individual has symptoms that might meet the criteria for MdDS, as outlined by Dr. Cha and associates in the 2020 article referenced below. Material in quotes is mainly copied directly from the 2020 article, but some of the quoted material was also taken from a similar 2017 "consensus" paper of Dr. Staab et al, regarding a different chronic dizziness condition (PPPD).

Disclaimer: The content, drawn from the 2020 MdDS "consensus" paper, does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Dr. Hain.This page is not a substitute for medical care, and by itself, it does not establish a diagnosis. It is not written for or appropriate for use in legal endeavors. Answers are not stored. If you wish to retain this result, please print or save this page.

Calculator

Please check the boxes below, and then click "evaluate".

Dizziness includes the following "sensation present continuously or for most of the day". You can check more than one.

"Rocking"
"Bobbing "
"Swaying "
"Spinning "

Event that "precipitated" (triggered) the above symptom(s).

"Exposure to passive motion " (such as a boat cruise)
"A vestibular disorder "
"Heightened stress "
A head injury such as a motor vehicle accident

Symptoms temporarily reduce with: (You can check more than one. )

"exposure to passive motion" (such as driving)
Over the counter medication (such as meclizine, or ibuprofen)
Nothing

"Co-existing symptoms": (You can check more than one.)

"spatial disorientation"
"visual motion intolerance"
"fatigue"
"exacerbation of headaches"
"exacerbation of anxiety"
exacerbation of hearing loss

Duration of symptoms (just one).

"< 48 hours "
"48 hours but less than 1 month"
"symptoms resolved at or before 1 month"
"more than one month"
"more than three months"

Click to score

Note that according to the 2020 paper referenced below, in addition to meeting the criteria above, which are listed as items A-D in the paper, there is one additional diagnostic criteria, which is determined by your health care provider:

• E. Symptoms are not better accounted for by another disease or disorder.

This means that disorders like BPPV, migaine, Meniere's, vestibular neuritis, SCD, bilateral vestibular loss, or PPPD should not be also present and be a better explanation than MdDS.

Please see this page for our current treatment recommendations.

References:

• Cha, Y. H., et al. (2020). "Mal de debarquement syndrome diagnostic criteria: Consensus document of the Classification Committee of the Barany Society." J Vestib Res 30(5): 285-293.
• Staab, J. P., et al. (2017). "Diagnostic criteria for persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD): Consensus document of the committee for the Classification of Vestibular Disorders of the Barany Society." J Vestib Res 27(4): 191-208.

Acknowledgements:

• Polly Moyer (Facilitator of the Action for Mal de Debarquement Syndrome UK public fb page Founder of the Familial MdDS fb group) provided a very helpful proof reading of this page.