Disembarkation syndrome is a problem that may arise after a cruise, as well as after traveling by plane or even by car. It is associated with feeling, after the end of the journey, rocking or difficulties with maintaining balance. In most people, the disembarkation symptoms disappear after a short time, but in others they persist for a longer period - what treatments eliminate unpleasant sensations?

Disembarkment syndrome, mal de debarquement,MDDwas first described in 1881 - the author of this publication, which appeared in the medical journal "Lancet", was J. A. Irwin. Then the problem was called mal de débarquement, which in direct translation means disembarkation disease.

Disembarkation syndrome can occur in representatives of both genders and age groups, but it is characteristic of the fact that it occurs mainly in women aged 30 to 60.

Disembarkation syndrome: causes

Typically the disembarkation syndrome develops in people who traveled by sea for some time. However, it can appear not only after sailing, but also after flying by plane, by train or even by car.

While traveling by ship or plane, the human body is exposed to various stimuli, with which it does not have contact while walking on land - we are talking here, for example, about swaying during a voyage.

In this case, the nervous system gets used to the new stimuli after a shorter or longer period of time. However, it should somehow "forget" about them when the journey ends - it has been suggested that the disembarkation syndrome develops when, despite the cessation of stimuli, the human nervous system continues to function in the same way as when they had an impact on the body patient.

The persistence of the impressions that occurred during the trip after its completion is not disturbing - for several seconds to several minutes, most people actually have the impression that they are swaying after they leave the ship.

In the course of the disembarkation syndrome, however, these problems persist for a much longer timetime - it can be several hours or even several months.

Some information about the causes of the disembarkation syndrome is generally available, but in practice the problem is very enigmatic and its origins have not been sufficiently understood so far.

Due to the fact that mal de débarquement occurs more often in women, it has been suggested that female sex hormones may be associated with its occurrence.

Additionally, there is also a noticeable correlation between the disembarkation syndrome and migraines - in what exactly mechanism such headaches would increase the possibility of unpleasant ailments after the end of the trip, it is not known.

Disembarkation Syndrome: Symptoms

In the course of mal de débarquement, the patient develops problems that resemble the sensations of walking on a ship sailing in rough seas.

The symptoms of the Disembarkation Syndrome are primarily:

  • rocking feeling
  • dizziness
  • nausea

Characteristic for the individual is that the symptoms associated with it are most severe when the patient is at rest - e.g. when he is standing or lying in bed.

Interestingly, the disembarkation symptoms may subside after the patient starts to move around, e.g. by train or car. Unfortunately, after such a journey is over, the symptoms of the syndrome may reappear in the patient.

The symptoms of the disembarkation syndrome themselves can be quite troublesome and it is not uncommon for other ailments to coexist with them, which may be:

  • concentration disorders
  • depressed mood
  • anxiety and fear
  • irritability
  • feeling of constant fatigue

Disembarkation Syndrome: Diagnostics

In general, it is worth mentioning here that in fact many patients do not recognize the disembarkation syndrome - the reason for this situation is little awareness of the existence of this problem.

It is not uncommon for people struggling with the manifestations of this entity to have many different tests performed, in which it is not possible to detect any deviations that could be responsible for their symptoms.

In diagnostics, head imaging examinations (e.g. computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging), neurophysiological examinations and hearing tests are usually performed.

In the case of the Disembarkation Syndrome, no deviations are detected during the Disembarkation Syndrome - in fact, the diagnosis of the Disembarkation Syndrome is made on the basis of linking its typical symptoms with theirarriving after a trip.

Disembarkation Syndrome: Treatment

Mal de débarquement proceeds very differently - in some patients its symptoms disappear within a few days, in others they may persist for a much longer time, reaching even several months or years.

Disembarkation syndrome may disappear spontaneously, however, due to the fact that it is impossible to predict how long the problems will pass, patients are looking for various methods that would allow them to deal with unpleasant ailments.

Treating the Disembarkation Syndrome - as its exact causes are still unknown - is not easy.

Some patients are helped by pharmacotherapy based on the use of drugs such as benzodiazepines or antidepressants from the group of serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants.

There are also reports of the efficacy of anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine, phenytoin and gabapentin in some patients.

The possibility of using vestibular rehabilitation or transcranial brain stimulation in people with disembarkation syndrome is also mentioned.

Disembarkation syndrome: prevention

As the mechanism for the development of the Disembarkation Syndrome is unknown, there is no way of defining how to prevent its occurrence.

It is emphasized that in those whose lives have a history of mal de débarquement, the problem may develop again and in this case it would be best to avoid using this mode of transport after traveling which developed disembarkation syndrome.

However, it is not always possible, for example for professional reasons, to avoid flights by plane.

Here, however, you can cite case reports of people who once developed the disembarkation syndrome and who later - during the journey - took benzodiazepines on an ad hoc basis, which ultimately prevented them from recurring the symptoms of this individual.

About the authorBow. Tomasz NęckiA graduate of the medical faculty at the Medical University of Poznań. An admirer of the Polish sea (most willingly strolling along its shores with headphones in his ears), cats and books. In working with patients, he focuses on always listening to them and spending as much time as they need.

Read more from this author

Category:

Neurology