Meet Electrohypersensitivity, the allergy of the 21st century

Do you work with computers? Are you in front of a PC for too many hours? Then you should definitely read the following very interesting article about electrohypersensitivity.

Some scientists link the increase in electromagnetic pollution to a multitude of unexplained symptoms that are affecting more and more people today:

Nausea, headaches and migraines
Ringing in the ears
Numbness in the face or other parts of the body
Dry eye and vision problems
Inability to concentrate and unexplained fatigue
Depression
Tachycardia and cardiac arrhythmia
Hyperactivity and insomnia
Redness and rashes
Dryness in the throat and oral cavity
Sinus congestion and rhinitis symptoms

The phenomenon of an "allergic" reaction to artificial electromagnetic radiation is called "electrohypersensitivity", has been recognized by the World Health Organization and is considered likely to affect a significant percentage of the population in developed countries in the coming years.

In the past, the terms “microwave sickness” for the symptoms of workers near radio and television antennas and radars, and “yuppie flu” for the symptoms of corporate executives overexposed to mobile phones and electronic office equipment.
[quote]“electrohypersensitivity is a real and sometimes debilitating problem for sufferers (…) The amount of radiation caused by the phenomenon is often below internationally recognized limits” World Health Organization [1][/quote]

Medical associations warn
The Austrian Medical Association states [17]:

"There has been a sharp increase in unexplained, often stressful, health problems that confront doctors with the challenge of complex differential diagnoses.

A cause that has received little attention so far is the increase in exposure to electromagnetic radiation at home, at work and during recreational activities, combined with chronic stress in personal and professional life (…) which can lead to symptoms of burnout.”

The resolution (Freiburger Appeal [15]) of the German Association of Environmental Medicine (IGUMED), signed by thousands of doctors and scientists from around the world, sounds the alarm:

"In recent years we have observed a dramatic increase in serious and chronic diseases in our patients such as

learning, concentration and behavioral problems (attention deficit disorder, etc.)
extreme fluctuations in blood pressure that are more difficult to regulate with medication
cardiac arrhythmias
heart attacks at younger and younger ages
degenerative brain diseases (e.g. Alzheimer's) and epilepsy
leukemia and brain tumors.

Also, symptoms that are incorrectly characterized as psychosomatic such as headaches, migraines, chronic exhaustion, insomnia, ringing in the ears and muscle pain (…)

[box style=”black info shadow” ]Efforts to restore health are becoming increasingly ineffective.[/box]

The unhindered and continuous penetration of wireless radiation into workplaces and homes (and especially into bedrooms – essential places of rest and rejuvenation) causes incessant stress and prevents the patient from fully recovering (…)

We have now clearly observed the temporal and spatial connection of diseases with cases of neighboring mobile phone antenna installation, extensive mobile phone use, installation of cordless phones in the same or neighboring houses, etc.

It is very common for chronic diseases to improve or be cured in a short time by reducing electromagnetic pollution in the patient's environment."

The latest international medical resolution International Doctors' Appeal 2012 [18] similarly observes that:

"Empirical observations indicate that increased exposure to wireless radiation is one of the critical environmental factors responsible for the steady increase in allergies, skin problems, pain syndromes, infections, high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, metabolic and multisystem disorders.".

The observable temporal and spatial relationship between the onset of these symptoms and the onset of exposure to electromagnetic fields (e.g., in close proximity to a newly installed cell phone tower or after heavy cell phone use) suggests that they are causally related.”

The first modern case

Per Segerbäck, a telecommunications engineer, was a high-ranking executive at Ellemtel, a subsidiary of the Swedish mobile phone company Ericson, since the early 1980s, and he also played his part in developing the mobile phone networks that have now spread to every corner of the earth.

After 10 years of work, he and almost all of his colleagues developed constant nausea, headaches, and skin redness. The relief of their symptoms outside the office led them to conclude that these were due to their electromagnetically charged work environment from radiation from computers, fluorescent lighting, the nearby cell phone antenna, etc.

In order to keep Segerbäck, who was an important executive, Ericson shielded his office with electromagnetic insulation material, replaced the computers with less burdensome ones, and gave him a special electromagnetically insulated suit so he could move around outside the office.

In the mid-1990s, when the first mobile phone networks began to appear in Stockholm and avoiding their radiation became impossible, Segerbäck retired to a farmhouse in the countryside. He lives there to this day, far from mobile phone masts and the electricity grid, using an external 12-volt battery for his limited needs [16].
How chronic exposure to artificial electromagnetic radiation leads to health problems

Dr. Blank, a professor at Columbia University and researcher in bioelectromagnetism, explains that our cells exhibit a stress response to artificial electromagnetic fields as well as other environmental toxins (heavy metals, etc.)[2].

Human DNA functions as an antenna that receives even low-power artificial electromagnetic signals of low and high frequencies and gives instructions for the production of stress proteins.

The stress adaptation mechanism activates our hormonal system to deal with any challenge that comes our way. Unfortunately, it is designed to function temporarily.

Chronic production of stress proteins, as occurs due to continuous exposure to multiple radiation sources:

It is associated with sleep problems, depression, headaches, gastric and dermatological problems, obesity, heart disease, asthma, infections, etc.[3]

It depletes the immune system and leads to the appearance of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Lyme disease, lupus, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, etc.[4]

What is the reason for the recent increase in cases?

The increase in cases of electrohypersensitivity is due to the large increase in the amount and variety of radiation to which the population is exposed in recent years.

Exposure to low-frequency radiation has increased significantly due to the increased use of electricity, while the simple 50Hz sine wave of the electrical network has been distorted by high-frequency harmonics.
The phenomenon of “contamination” of the electrical network with harmonics, called “Dirty Electricity”, has already been linked to electrohypersensitivity[5] and is due to the spread of the use of non-linear load electronic devices (fluorescent lamps, AC adapters, electronic dimmer switches, inverter air conditioners, plasma televisions, photovoltaic systems, etc.).
In addition, the levels of high-frequency radiation have multiplied due to the rapid development of telecommunications (mobile telephony and the Internet).
According to Professor Paul Doyon of Kyushu University[6], wireless radiation causes a multitude of biological effects that are also found in people with chronic fatigue syndrome: increased oxidative damage and decreased catalase, glutathione, CoQ10, SOD, etc., cellular calcium efflux, mitochondrial dysfunction, decreased Natural Killer (NK) cells, decreased norepinephrine levels, decreased 5-HT (serotonin precursor), etc.

The size of the problem and the impact on the lives of those affected

Electrohypersensitivity is currently recognized as a disability in Sweden, where it is thought to affect 3% of the population (approximately 250,000 people), while Great Britain and Canada are moving in the same direction.

Researchers Hallberg and Oberfeld, studying the rates of increase in cases, predicted that by 2017, 50% of the population will experience electrohypersensitivity[8].
“Electrohypersensitivity is the emerging health problem of the 21st century. It is necessary for medical practitioners, governments, schools and parents to learn more about it. The risk to human health is significant.” Dr. William Rae, former president of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine [9]

The European Parliament, in a resolution in 2009, “calls on Member States to follow the example of Sweden and recognize people suffering from electrohypersensitivity as persons with disabilities, so that they receive adequate protection and equal opportunities”[7].

The consequences in the lives of the people affected are often dramatic, as they find it difficult to work and move around in public spaces due to the excessive presence of artificial radiation.

For many, zero-radiation zones are now essential, such as those created in hospitals in Sweden[11] or in the Drôme region of France (see photo), which has been declared a refuge for radiation-sensitive individuals[12].

“We call for the creation of Wireless Free Zones in cities, public buildings, schools, hospitals and transport, so that access is also possible for people who have allergic reactions to artificial electromagnetic radiation” Benevento Scientific Resolution (2006), International Commission on Electromagnetic Safety (IECEMS)[13]
“Every aspect of the life of electrosensitive individuals is being judged, including their ability to work productively in society, have healthy relationships and find a permanent place to live. The basics of life have become inaccessible to an ever-increasing proportion of the world’s population. I recommend that all governments take action while there is time” Dr. Johansson, Department of Neurology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm [10]
What doctors and patients need to know

Chronic exposure to artificial electromagnetic radiation is an important biological factor that should not be overlooked in the diagnosis of diseases and chronic symptoms.

Electromagnetic pollution may be the real cause of a multitude of diseases with similar symptoms that are characterized by doctors as chronic fatigue syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis, chronic immune dysfunction, neuromyasthenia, encephalopathy, environmental hypersensitivity, psychosomatic reactions, etc.

Children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with allergies or weakened immune systems belong to high-risk groups.

Also, women are more affected by the disease[14], since their brains, due to hormonal peculiarities, are more vulnerable to radiation than men's.

Exceeding the exposure limits recommended by scientific organizations to avoid health problems often come from invisible sources of radiation (neighbors' wireless devices, camouflaged mobile phone antennas, ungrounded electrical appliances, faults in electrical wiring, etc.).
How to reduce your daily exposure to artificial electromagnetic radiation

Read the new Home Biology guide with simple tips for protection from artificial radiation
Request an Electromagnetic Burden Check of your home or workplace and reduce your daily exposure to artificial radiation with the help of a specialized engineer
Easily measure radiation levels yourself from mobile phone antennas, cordless phones, wireless modem-routers (Wi-Fi), electrical appliances, cables, pylons, transformers, etc. with easy-to-use radiation meters.
New rental service of leading radiation meters for reliable and economical radiation measurements!
Get to know the modern electromagnetic shielding materials that protect you in situations where you cannot avoid radiation sources (e.g. proximity to mobile phone antennas).
Zero your exposure to wireless radiation during the critical hours of sleep by using innovative electromagnetic shielding mosquito nets.