Thai Health Ministry warns people of 'virtual earthquake syndrome'

A man silently watches rescue workers work at the scene of the collapse of the 30-storey Office of the State Auditor General (OAG) building in Bangkok due to the impact of the earthquake in Myanmar - Photo: REUTERS

After two historic earthquakes in Türkiye in early February 2023, scientists and medical experts discovered that earthquakes have a significant impact on the human nervous system and psychology.

"Virtual Earthquake Syndrome"

Dr. Tansel Ünal, a neurologist at Near East University Hospital Yeniboğaziçi, Cyprus, confirmed that people who experience earthquakes can suffer from “Virtual Earthquake Syndrome,” which makes people feel the ground shaking, dizzy, and lose balance even when there is no earthquake at that time.

Not only do people with this syndrome feel the ground shaking, they also have psychological problems such as feeling restless, fearing that the earthquake will happen again, some cases always try to find a safe place to hide or cannot be alone.

According to Mr. Ünal, patients with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease may experience an increased frequency of seizures after earthquakes.

The activity of the ears, eyes, nerves in the legs and feet transmit signals to the central nervous system, helping us to stand upright, walk, move, creating balance for humans.

However, according to Mr. Ünal's analysis, experiencing an unexpected situation such as an earthquake will disrupt the system that helps people maintain balance. Because sudden changes make this system more sensitive, the brain can emit a series of incorrect signals, leading to the phenomenon of "virtual earthquakes".

Most people who experience “phantom earthquake syndrome” will recover within a few weeks, Ünal added. However, some cases may take longer, and such cases require specific treatment.

Thai Ministry of Health issues warning

Rescue workers work at the scene of the collapse of a 30-storey building in Bangkok, Thailand, due to the impact of an earthquake in Myanmar - Photo: REUTERS

According to Thairath newspaper, the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) of Thailand announced on March 31 that many people in the capital Bangkok and neighboring areas may suffer from this "virtual earthquake syndrome" lasting for several weeks after the aftershocks from the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar on March 28.

Despite being about 1,000km from the epicenter, Bangkok was still severely affected, with the tremors so strong that the 30-storey building that was expected to house the Office of the State Auditor (OAG) in the Chatuchak district collapsed, trapping more than 100 workers in the rubble.

MOPH warns that people with anxiety disorders or migraines are at higher risk of experiencing “phantom earthquake syndrome” than the general population.

The agency also offers some tips to help reduce the risk of this syndrome, such as regularly breathing slowly as if in a meditative state to reduce stress, drinking water or ginger water, and avoiding alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.

Besides reducing the time spent on the phone, regularly look at distant points such as the horizon or natural scenery, limit watching sad news about earthquakes, and take anti-motion sickness pills.

Especially when experiencing "virtual earthquake syndrome", the patient should lie down to improve the symptoms.

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UYEN PHUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bo-y-te-thai-lan-canh-bao-nguoi-dan-mac-hoi-chung-dong-dat-ao-20250331150709915.htm