Understanding electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)

Understanding electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)

openaccessgovernment.org, 10 Dec. 2024

image: ©Nikada | iStock

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: Michael Bevington, Chair of Trustees at Electrosensitivity UK, explains the health risks associated with exposure to radiofrequency radiation and electromagnetic fields and why more robust action is needed to protect public health

Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) is a physical reaction to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) and electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These come from mobile phone masts, mobile phones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, smart meters, and similar devices, as well as power lines and electric motors.

Typical short-term symptoms are headaches, dizziness, brain fog, memory loss, muscle pains, heart palpitations, anxiety, depression, nosebleeds and skin rashes. Long-term symptoms, often subconscious, range from cancer and infertility to neurological and cardiovascular harm.

Short-term symptoms cease when the RFR and EMFs causing them are removed. Long-term symptoms can be irreversible.

Identifying the effects of Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity

One problem in recognising EHS is measuring RFR and EMFs when no one can see them, and few can feel them. Consequently, it can take years for someone to link their symptoms to these exposures. Perhaps 95% never make this link, especially where RFR and EMFs are synergistic with other pollutants such as air particulates or chemicals.

Another problem is cumulative and delayed effects. People with EHS may not react immediately but over hours, days and weeks as their bodies become increasingly ‘hyper’ sensitive. Genomic changes may take years to appear.

Thirdly, effects can be different on different occasions. Thus, temperature changes, having eaten or being hungry, time of day, and humidity can all cause different effects from specific RFR or EMF exposures.

Fourthly, most effects are subconscious. Frequency and amplitude RFR modulations produce low-frequency effects. Plant sensitivity to geomagnetic disturbances from the 11-year sunspot cycle was recognised 200 years ago, and human sensitivity more recently, where changes in magnetic fields can affect every cell membrane. People with EHS can react to increases of five nanoTesla (nT) in a manmade magnetic field of, say, 12 nT. Although many cancers are subconscious, people with EHS may feel acute symptoms around the affected tissues for cancers affected by RFR or EMFs.

Fifthly, the mechanisms are complex. Animals use geomagnetic fields for navigation, involving quantum processes, such as the radical pair mechanism, in cryptochromes and biomagnetite, also found in humans. Downstream pathways include voltage-gated channels, iron levels and compromised myelin.

Quantifying and diagnosing people with EHS

All human brains appear sensitive to natural EMFs. In the theta range, these include the Schumann Resonance, which encircles the earth at 7.83 Hz and is linked with sleep and decreased anxiety.

Continue reading:

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/article/understanding-electromagnetic-hypersensitivity-ehs/186204/