Disembarkation syndrome, also known as Mal de Debarquement syndrome, is a condition where people have difficulty readjusting to walking on land after leaving a ship or airplane. Symptoms can include dizziness, fatigue, and blurred vision, and can range from mild to severe. Treatment may be necessary for severe cases.
Disembarkation syndrome is a type of health problem that sometimes affects people who travel by air or water. Sometimes referred to as Mal de Debarquement syndrome, the condition essentially involves the inability to readjust to walking on land after leaving a ship or airliner. The severity of symptoms associated with this disorder can be mild and fade very quickly, or be more severe and persist for some time after disembarkation.
The symptoms of disembarkation syndrome are very similar to the discomforts some travelers experience when boarding a ship or airliner for the first time, as the body is trying to adjust from a relatively stable walking environment to one in which some degree of constant movement occurs. Just as passengers may take a while to adjust to the rocking of a ship as it moves through a large body of water, those same passengers may find that it takes some time to get used to land again. During this adjustment period, former passengers may experience a form of motion sickness that is based on a lack of movement underfoot rather than the constant motion that is usually the reaction known as seasickness. The individual may have difficulty standing and feel a little lightheaded until the brain is able to adjust to the new circumstances.
Other symptoms can also occur as a result of the disembarkation syndrome. Some travelers will experience fatigue after leaving the ship or airliner. Others may feel their bodies sway even when they aren’t. Still others may find that the quality of vision is temporarily blurry. In severe situations, the sense of dizziness can be so strong as to cause nausea and possibly vomiting. There is also the possibility of feeling disoriented, making it difficult for the individual to concentrate on participating in a conversation or even be able to speak coherently.
The severity of disembarkation syndrome can be mild or very pronounced. It is not unusual for some passengers to experience a brief period of difficulty walking on land after being at sea for some time. Although a certain amount of dizziness may be present during this time, a mild case can normally be managed with relatively little discomfort, possibly by lying down until the sensation of still moving passes. More severe manifestations of disembarkation syndrome may require treatment from a doctor, with treatment often focused on managing symptoms until the body and brain have a chance to adjust.
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