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Orrex

(67,521 posts)
6. I don't have a strong opinion on this, but....
Mon Nov 30, 2015, 09:32 AM
Nov 2015

Most of the testing that's been done has shown that "electro-sensitives" confidently report the symptoms when they know the electricity is on, and the symptoms abate when they know that the electricity is off. In double-blind studies, however, they report they symptoms no more frequently than random chance. In short, testing has not yet supported claims of electro-sensitivity.

I also have a friend who did extensive study in this area in the 90s, and she found that the levels of electromagnetic "leakage" (my term, not hers) at power stations and under power lines is insufficient to generate the symptoms as claimed.

A more compelling explanation IMO is that these sites also feature other potentially deleterious factors, such as residences located near power lines and by high-volume traffic routes (resulting in heavier volumes of pollution). or residences near sub-stations with toxic substances on-site or leeching into the soil over time (and contaminating ground water, etc.).

In any case, if someone experiences mysterious symptoms that they attribute to some environmental factor, they should quickly seek a professional diagnosis rather than relying on Dr. Google. The symptoms may indicate a treatable condition or, more urgently, a serious condition requiring prompt intervention.

"Chemosensitivity" is kind of vague, by the way. "Sensitive" how? And to which chemicals? It's ok as a broadbrush description, but as a diagnosis it's about as nebulous as "pain somewhere in the body." Greater specificity would benefit both the sufferer and the researcher.


For that matter, I'm not sure that it's useful to group "chemosensitivity" together with "electro-sensitivity" either, since they would presumably operate by wildly different mechanisms, even if the reported symptoms are broadly similar. It would be like lumping a throat-closing peanut allergy with a trachea blocked by a poorly chewed piece of cheese; both will seal off the airway, but the cause and treatment of each is very different.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I had MCS and electro-sensitivity for yrs but am much better now womanofthehills Nov 2015 #1
Mine came after a severe adverse reaction to a medication Person 2713 Nov 2015 #2
pesticides for me too KT2000 Nov 2015 #4
K&R betsuni Nov 2015 #3
Still have it. Duppers Nov 2015 #5
I don't have a strong opinion on this, but.... Orrex Nov 2015 #6
I'm With Orrex On This ProfessorGAC Nov 2015 #8
the abstract KT2000 Nov 2015 #11
That's fine for chemo-sensitivity, which no one is disputing Orrex Nov 2015 #12
not here to argue KT2000 Nov 2015 #13
As I noted, I don't have a strong opinion on the subject Orrex Nov 2015 #14
for educational purposes KT2000 Nov 2015 #15
I've seen it as well, and the causes are many Orrex Nov 2015 #16
I am so bitter I can't see straight sorefeet Nov 2015 #7
I understand KT2000 Nov 2015 #9
Better Call Saul alcibiades_mystery Nov 2015 #10
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Chemical sensitivity &...»Reply #6