 |
EMF Health Risks
Health issues ostensibly caused by electrical and magnetic radiation are difficult to catalog according to source, as ongoing exposure to many sources of EMF is unavoidable, and effects can be attributed to many other causes, as well.
The degree of illness can apparently vary according to proximity to the source, and whether exposure is acute and intense, or chronic long-term low-level. Also, any individual’s health vulnerabilities, genetic predispositions, or prior exposures to other toxins can account for variations in susceptibility among individuals.
What is becoming more and more apparent is that individuals exposed to intense exposure, such as from living close to a cell phone tower or WiMax tower, or from ongoing close proximity to a Smart Meter, can develop a condition called Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome, or EHS. Once someone has developed this syndrome, relief can only be found in areas devoid of EMFs, a situation more and more difficult to find, virtually anywhere on this planet.
The following lists have been culled from various sources (listed in references at the end), and should give a good indication of reported collective health effects experienced by many people.
Symptoms and Health Problems Caused by Exposure to Microwave Radiation
- Sleep disturbances / insomnia (probably one of the most common complaints); interferes with melatonin production.
- Pain in muscles, joints, legs, feet
- Numbness, tingling
- Flu-like symptoms, including fever
- Headaches
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Palpitations, arrhythmia
- Dizziness, nausea
- Agitated, nervous feeling, anxiety
- Cognitive problems (memory problems, learning disabilities, brain fog, impaired concentration and thinking ability)
- Hyperactivity in children
- Depressed mood, irritability, depression
- Persistent Fatigue
- Skin problems (burning / glowing sensation, redness, rash)
- Weakened immune system
- Allergies
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Hypoxia (lack of oxygen getting to your tissues)
- Vision problems
- Frequent urination
- Night sweats
- Dry eyes, eye inflammation, pressure behind the eyeballs
- Intestinal disturbances
- Increase in respiratory illnesses
Potential long-term effects:
- Increased leukemia and cancer rates(several studies indicate a 3 to 4-fold increased risk of cancer, which also occurs at a younger age)
- Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, other neurological, degenerative diseases
- Disturbed functioning of immune system (leading again to a series of diseases and disorders can cause, such as allergies)
- Infertility, birth defects in offspring
- Premature aging
- Depletion of body’s natural store of antioxidants, enzymes, and hormones, like Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase, Glutathione, CoQ10, and Melatonin.
- Increased susceptibility to viral, fungal, and bacterial infections because microwave radiation breaches the blood brain barrier (BBB) and lowers immunity.
- Heart attacks, strokes
- Increased risk of senile dementia and motor neuron diseases (ALS) may be associated with an above average level of electromagnetic field exposure
Effects from Electrosmog *
Caused by pulsed EMFs with sharp pulse rise (10- 100 Hz), such as from the following sources:
- Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) system of cordless phones, baby monitors, etc. (a microwave technology)
- Radar from nearby airport
- Alarm system in homes
Known biomedical effects:
- Disturbs all known intrinsic rhythms (EEG, heart rate variability, breathing pattern, 24 hr meridian activity, bowel movements, detoxification, etc.)
- Blocks blood-brain barrier and gut barrier (leaky gut syndrome) in stuck-open position leading to possible food and environmental allergies, and possible neurological illness (Parkinson, MS and ALS, autism, etc.)
- Synergistic effects with other toxic fields
- Can increase mold growth and mycotoxin production in homes
- Lowered immune status
Symptoms of Electromagnetic-Hypersensitivity (EHS) or Radio Wave Sickness
- Neurological: headaches, dizziness, nausea, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, irritability, depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, weakness, tremors, muscle spasms, numbness, tingling, altered reflexes, muscle and joint paint, leg/foot pain, flu-like symptoms, fever. More severe reactions can include seizures, paralysis, psychosis and stroke.
- Cardiac: palpitations, arrhythmias, pain or pressure in the chest, low or high blood pressure, slow or fast heart rate, shortness of breath
- Respiratory: sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma
- Dermatological: skin rash, itching, burning, and facial flushing
- Ophthalmologic: pain or burning in the eyes, pressure in/behind the eyes, deteriorating vision, floaters, and cataracts
- Others: digestive problems; abdominal pain; enlarged thyroid, testicular/ovarian pain; dryness of lips, tongue, mouth, eyes; great thirst; dehydration; nosebleeds; internal bleeding; altered sugar metabolism; immune abnormalities; redistribution of metals within the body; hair loss; pain in the teeth; deteriorating fillings; impaired sense of smell; ringing in the ears.
Sources:
Epidemiology. 2000 Sep;11(5):539-43
http://www.naturalmatters.net/article.asp?article=2965
http://www.beperkdestraling.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=57
http://prd34.blogspot.com/2007/07/radio-wave-sickness-symptoms-oct-21st.html
*Some of this information comes from Public Health SOS: The Shadow Side of the Wireless Revolution, written by Camilla Rees and Magda Havas, published June 2009. See www.electromagnetichealth.org, for more information.
Further information on EMF effects, particularly from Smart Meters:
Wireless Utility Meter Safety Impacts Survey:
http://emfsafetynetwork.org/surevy-results-wireless-meters-impact-health-and-safety/