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Itai-itai disease is caused by long-term cadmium poisoning, which affects the bones, kidneys, and liver. It originated in Japan due to cadmium-contaminated water in a river basin and is extremely painful. There is no treatment, but symptoms can be relieved with vitamin D and calcium supplements.
Itai-itai is a disease that results from long-term cadmium poisoning. The name comes from Japan, where large numbers of people in the 1950s developed the condition due to the widespread presence of cadmium in the waters of a province; itai-itai means ahi ahi in Japanese. Itai-itai disease, or ouch ouch disease, gets its name from the cries of pain sufferers emit. The condition is quite painful and affects the bones, kidneys and liver where cadmium is stored.
Cadmium is a metal that has several modern applications, including some dyes, some types of batteries and electronics, some plastics and paints, and in the protective coating applied in the manufacture of steel and iron. Even in low doses, it is extremely poisonous to humans. Cadmium was discovered in 1817, but widespread use didn’t occur until the early 20th century. Around this time in Japan, cadmium contaminated water in a river basin. It has been released into the water as a byproduct of mining activities.
The people who lived near the Jinzu Reservoir farmed rice paddies located downstream from the pollution. The cadmium got into the rice they ate and then turned out to be toxic to their bodies. Environmental pollution had been ongoing since about 1910 in the Jinzu River, and long-term exposure has led to symptoms of itai-itai disease in humans and mass deaths of river fish. Cadmium is slow to leave the human body, and many years of exposure such as experienced by people in the Jinzu Reservoir has created high levels of cadmium accumulation in their bodies. The first itai-itai diagnosis was made in the catchment area in 1912.
Also spelled “itai itai,” the disease can lead to a condition called osteopenia, which is a weakening of the bones due to depleted calcium levels. Weakness, fractures, and pain result from this loss of calcium. Itai-itai can also cause lung and kidney problems, as well as cancer. A urine test can help determine whether cadmium is causing a person’s symptoms, and a blood test can ascertain whether a toxic level of cadmium is present in the body.
Once itai-itai has fully developed, there is no treatment. Some things a patient can do to relieve symptoms include taking vitamin D and calcium supplements. Exposure to cadmium should be eliminated if possible to protect the kidneys. Also, since cadmium is found in cigarette smoke, smokers with itai-itai are advised to quit.
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