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. 2013 Oct;33(14):1160-9.
doi: 10.1177/0333102413487999. Epub 2013 May 14.

Rocking dizziness and headache: a two-way street

Yoon-Hee Cha  1 , Yongyan Cui
Affiliations

Rocking dizziness and headache: a two-way street

Yoon-Hee Cha et al. Cephalalgia. 2013 Oct.

Abstract

Background: Chronic rocking dizziness, often described as the feeling of being on a boat, is classically triggered by prolonged exposure to passive motion. Patients with this motion-triggered sensation of rocking, which is also known as MAL DE DEBARQUEMENT SYNDROME , often develop new onset headaches along with the dizziness. Chronic rocking dizziness has also been noted in vestibular migraine, occurring without a motion trigger. We sought to clarify the association between both motion-triggered (MT) and non-motion-triggered (non-MT) chronic rocking dizziness and headache history.

Methods: Our methods included questionnaire and interview study of subjects with either MT or non-MT chronic rocking dizziness.

Results: Onset of headaches was earlier in patients with non-MT rocking dizziness (median 26 years: MT; 16 years: non-MT). In MT subjects, there was a bimodal peak of age of onset of headache (20-29 years and 40-49 years). Most headache met criteria for migraine in both groups. By the time that chronic dizziness occurred, both groups had a comparable prevalence of migraine headache (41%: MT; 46%: non-MT). Pre-existing headache usually worsened after the onset of dizziness.

Discussion: Though rocking dizziness does not meet current criteria for vestibular migraine, migraine physiology may predispose to, develop in, or worsen with the onset of chronic rocking dizziness.

Keywords: Rocking dizziness; chronic subjective dizziness; mal de debarquement syndrome; vestibular migraine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Age of onset of headache and chronic rocking dizziness in subjects with MT and non-MT symptoms, presented in decades. MT: motion triggered; non-MT: non-motion-triggered.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Change in headache frequency in MT and non-MT subjects before (blue) and after (red) the onset of chronic rocking dizziness. MT: motion triggered; non-MT: non-motion-triggered.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Convergence of risk factors to create a common state of rocking dizziness and migraine.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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