What is Earthquake Sickness: A Medical Phenomenon

Earthquake sickness appears to be a medical phenomenon occurring in Japan, following the March 11, 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plant problems, in that area. Patients experiencing this illness are complaining of dizziness and nausea.

The Jakarta Globe reported this as motion sickness, relating it to the recurrent aftershocks in the area. (1) 

Inquirer.net suggested that it was motion sickness also, but at the same time, the Mejiro University Clinic referred to it as earthquake sickness, similar to motion sickness. (2) 

It seems there are three distinct possibilities, in other words, motion sickness, earthquake sickness or earthquake-sickness-similar-to-motion-sickness. One cannot discount the reality that there are many additional health-related factors in a tragedy of this proportion. These could present similar symptoms.

Other possible factors contributing to a medical problem of this nature could include fear, paranoia about radiation exposure, consumption of contaminated food and water, disorientation as a direct result from a shift in the world’s axis and disease entities like cholera or other health problems, like Meniere’s disease.   

Fear invariably puts people into a state of shock and can lead to panic attacks. Repeated aftershocks following a major earthquake could cause a state of mental confusion and emotional insecurity, which might be instrumental in triggering panic attacks.

Aftershocks cause people to live in fear of injury, death, the loss of loved ones or personal property and homelessness, particularly when they are frequent and severe in nature. The fear of an unknown future could spread like wildfire throughout the general population and result in mass panic attacks. This is inevitable following any natural disaster.

Radiation may be an important factor in this situation. Note that exposure to different levels of radiation vary depending upon one’s proximity to a nuclear accident. Radiation sickness could cause people to experience a number of different symptoms depending upon their degree of exposure. There is also the possibility of illness from the consumption of radiation contaminated food and water.

Contamination of food and water from other sources, may be the direct result of the disruption of essential services in a community affected by a natural disaster. Septic gases could affect populated areas. There is the possibility of unknown, toxic chemicals from the earthquake zone.

There is the scientific question as to whether a minor change in the earth’s axis can lead to a feeling of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual disorientation. It seems likely that continual motion from ongoing aftershocks following a major earthquake could lead to the symptoms of motion sickness and thus, be dubbed earthquake sickness. If there is continual shifting of the ground, it might trigger a motion sickness type of illness.       

Medical professionals are normally aware of the other inter-related factors in a scenario like this. From a medical perspective, it may be more than a diagnosis of earthquake sickness or motion sickness. One might argue that because of the possibility of the spread of disease processes like cholera in a country affected by this kind of a natural disaster, appropriate health precautions are vital to prevent the spread of diseases.

Motion sickness involves the inner ear, affecting a person’s balance and equilibrium. Meniere’s disease, which is an inner ear infection, causes dizziness, but does not necessarily result in nausea.    

Recommendations for the resolution of the phenomenon of earthquake sickness or motion sickness include relaxing and returning to normal schedules of daily activity and sleep. (3)

Will these treatments be sufficient? Perhaps only time will tell.

1. http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/asia/earthquake-sickness-hits-japan/434277

2. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20110408-330085/Earthquake-sickness-hits-Japan 

3. Ibid.