29th of January 2024

Tinnitus is a common symptom among individuals with environmental sensitivities, such as electrohypersensitivity and multiple chemical sensitivity.

Could tinnitus be caused by something you are taking or an indication of an undiagnosed medical condition?

Prescribed medications, supplements, or herbs, invariably influence our bodies in some way. Therefore, it’s important to ascertain whether any of these products might inadvertently contribute to the issue at hand. It is thus worthwhile to check whether anything we take could unintentionally be part of the problem. Additionally one must be mindful of medical conditions that could cause tinnitus symptoms and ensure that these are excluded as part of a thorough investigation into chronic tinnitus.

Ototoxicity

Ototoxicity is inner ear damage that develops as a side effect of taking certain medications. It can cause problems related to hearing and balance, functions your inner ear controls. It may be helpful to think of ototoxicity’s effects in terms of the word’s origins: “Oto” means ear. “Toxicity” means poisoning. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24769-ototoxicity

List of Ototoxic Medications That May Cause Tinnitus or Hearing Loss

There are more than 600 prescription and over-the-counter drugs that can trigger tinnitus, make existing tinnitus worse, or cause a new tinnitus sound to appear.

Knowledge is power when it comes to protecting your hearing health from ototoxicity. Before beginning prescription medication, ask your doctor about any potential ototoxic effects. While taking medication with potential ototoxic effects may be inevitable for certain health conditions, your doctor may be able to prescribe an alternative that does not affect your hearing health. https://www.soundrelief.com/list-of-ototoxic-medications/

Hidden ototoxins?

“Natural Compounds as Occult Ototoxins? Ginkgo biloba Flavonoids Moderately Damage Lateral Line Hair Cells”

This research demonstrates the potential for ototoxic damage caused by unregulated herbal supplements and suggests that further supplement characterization is warranted.

FDA-approved drugs are not routinely tested for ototoxicity, so their potential to affect hearing often goes unrecognized. This issue is further compounded for natural products, where there is a lack of FDA oversight and the manufacturer is solely responsible for ensuring the safety of their products. Ref. Neveux S, Smith NK, Roche A, Blough BE, Pathmasiri W, Coffin AB. Natural Compounds as Occult Ototoxins? Ginkgo biloba Flavonoids Moderately Damage Lateral Line Hair Cells. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2017 Apr;18(2):275-289. doi: 10.1007/s10162-016-0604-6. Epub 2016 Nov 28. PMID: 27896487; PMCID: PMC5352612. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5352612/

While not very common, acoustic neuromas and other head, neck, and brain tumors can cause tinnitus

Acoustic neuromas

Acoustic neuromas are also known as vestibular schwannomas, and are noncancerous tumors that grow in the ear, and can affect hearing and balance.

Tinnitus is a very common symptom of acoustic neuromas and many other inner ear conditions. Symptoms include balance problems and vertigo, headache and pressure, numbness in the face, facial twitching or weakness, swallowing problems, change in taste and tear production. These symptoms can be caused by many other, more common health issues. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/brain-tumor/vestibular-schwannoma

In children tinnitus often goes unnoticed. In some cases, the child is too young to describe what they are hearing, has come to think of it as normal, or is not troubled by the experience enough to mention it.

Although it is rare, more severe cases of tinnitus can cause enough distress that it interferes with sleep and concentration in school. https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/tinnitus-in-children

Acoustic Neuromas in Children

Although they are more common in adults, acoustic neuromas can occur in children and teens, and may grow large before they are diagnosed. Children with acoustic neuromas most often have the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 2. In children with this disorder, acoustic neuromas may arise on both sides. Symptoms of acoustic neuroma in children are usually hearing loss, headache and unsteady gait (ataxia), elevated pressure inside the skull, tinnitus and dizziness. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/brain-tumor/vestibular-schwannoma

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL)

Loud noise exposure can also cause tinnitus.

•Can be prevented

•Most NIHL is caused by the damage and eventual death of hair cells inside the cochlea of the ear. Unlike bird and amphibian hair cells, human hair cells don’t grow back. They are gone for good. Ref. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss

Video gaming and esports

Risk of sound-induced hearing loss from exposure to video gaming or esports: a systematic scoping review

This article was recently published in the BMJ Public Health (open access)

• The limited available evidence suggests that gaming may be a common source of unsafe listening, which could place many individuals worldwide at risk of hearing loss and/or tinnitus.

•Additional research on these relationships is needed along with steps to promote safe listening among gamers.

Ref: Dillard LK, Mulas P, Der C, et al Risk of sound-induced hearing loss from exposure to video gaming or esports: a systematic scoping review BMJ Public Health 2024;2:e000253. doi: 10.1136/bmjph-2023-000253 https://bmjpublichealth.bmj.com/content/2/1/e000253

Tinnitus can be a debilitating disease for some, leading to severe depression and loss of quality of life. It is concerning to note that adolescents and adult gamers might be at special risk that could have life-long consequences. Most of these individuals are not only exposed to loud noise from gaming but also to RF-EMF, ELF-EMF and blue light exposure from screens. Sometimes for extended periods of time. 

A 2018 study noted that the tinnitus prevalence in Korean adolescents is relatively high, and thus, intervention may be necessary to prevent or reduce depression and suicidal ideation to ensure that other areas of life are not negatively affected. Ref. Kim JS. Association between tinnitus and mental health among Korean adolescents: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2018 Mar;26(1):65-70. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a4514. PMID: 29684301. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29684301/

Less common tinnitus risk factors include

• Chronic conditions: diabetes, migraines, thyroid disorders, anemia, and certain autoimmune disorders such as lupus and multiple sclerosis are among the chronic conditions that have been linked to tinnitus.
• Ménière’s disease: tinnitus can be a symptom of Ménière’s disease, an inner ear disorder that can also cause balance problems and hearing loss.
• Jaw joint problems: the joint that connects the lower jaw to the skull is close to the ear. Jaw clenching or tooth grinding can damage surrounding tissue, causing or worsening tinnitus.
• Blood vessel problems: high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, or malformations in blood vessels, especially if they are in or close to the ear, can alter blood flow and cause tinnitus https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus

Tinnitus research and challenges

•Although it is a common condition, there is still no standardized classification of tinnitus: Hackenberg B, O’Brien K, Döge J, Lackner KJ, Beutel ME, Münzel T, Pfeiffer N, Schulz A, Schmidtmann I, Wild PS, et al. Tinnitus Prevalence in the Adult Population—Results from the Gutenberg Health Study. Medicina. 2023; 59(3):620. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59030620

•There is no consensus or standardization for a specific questionnaire in either research or clinical use. There have also been recent efforts to distinguish tinnitus as a symptom and tinnitus as a disorder. Tinnitus disorder specifically reflects the associated psychological and physical impacts of the disease. Standardization of these processes will prove paramount for creating a lasting impact on future tinnitus research. Ref. Park, K.W.; Kullar, P.; Malhotra, C.; Stankovic, K.M. Current and Emerging Therapies for Chronic Subjective Tinnitus. J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12, 6555. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12206555

•A new study from Mass Eye and Ear investigators shows that individuals who report tinnitus, which present as a ringing in the ears in more than one out of ten adults worldwide, are experiencing auditory nerve loss that is not picked up by conventional hearing tests.

By measuring the response of their auditory nerve and brainstem, the researchers found that chronic tinnitus was not only associated with a loss of auditory nerve but that participants showed hyperactivity in the brainstem. https://www.masseyeandear.org/news/press-releases/2023/11/loss-of-auditory-nerve-fibers-uncovered-in-individuals-with-tinnitus

Ref. Vasilkov, V et al. “Evidence of cochlear neural degeneration in normal-hearing subjects with tinnitus” Scientific Reports DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46741-5 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-46741-5

•Otorhinolaryngologic complications after COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine adverse event reporting system (VAERS)

A potential correlation between COVID-19 vaccines and the onset of tinnitus

Adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs)

A significant finding of the study was the identification of tinnitus as a notable AEFIs following COVID-19 vaccination. While the precise mechanisms underpinning the development of tinnitus post-vaccination remain elusive, the accumulating evidence denotes a potential correlation between COVID-19 vaccines and the onset of tinnitus, necessitating more comprehensive clinical and mechanistic investigations. Ref. Shin, Shim, Lee, Ryu and Kim. Ref. (VAERS) Shin J, Shim SR, Lee J, Ryu HS and Kim J-Y (2024) Otorhinolaryngologic complications after COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine adverse event reporting system (VAERS). Front. Public Health. 11:1338862. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1338862 Copyright © 2024 Shin, Shim, Lee, Ryu and Kim. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1338862/full

•Personalized treatment: tinnitus symptoms are diverse, with different people hearing different sounds in different patterns. The results of brain imaging studies in people with tinnitus also vary considerably from person to person. Using data gathered from study participants who are tracking their tinnitus using a smartphone app, along with brain imaging data, scientists are working to characterize the many forms that the condition can take. They aim to describe distinct tinnitus profiles and to identify the most effective treatment approaches for each one. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus#5

•The effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields exposure on tinnitus, migraine and non-specific symptoms in the general and working population: A systematic review and meta-analysis on human observational studies

Interpretation (according to the authors) – This is currently the best available evidence to underpin safety of RF-EMF. There is no indication that RF-EMF below guideline values causes symptoms. However, inherent limitations of the research results in substantial uncertainty.

Ref. Martin Röösli, Stefan Dongus, Hamed Jalilian, John Eyers, Ekpereonne Esu, Chioma Moses Oringanje, Martin Meremikwu, Xavier Bosch-Capblanch, The effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields exposure on tinnitus, migraine and non-specific symptoms in the general and working population: A systematic review and meta-analysis on human observational studies, Environment International, Volume 183, 2024, 108338, ISSN 0160-4120 ,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.108338. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412023006116)

Current Options for Tinnitus

Management strategies include hearing aids, sound masking, tinnitus retraining therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and emerging therapies including transcranial magnetic stimulation and electrical stimulation. Although current treatments are limited, emerging diagnostics and treatments provide promising avenues for the management of tinnitus symptoms. As of November 2022, 50 clinical trials of treatments for tinnitus are registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as currently recruiting or preparing to recruit. Ref. Park, K.W.; Kullar, P.; Malhotra, C.; Stankovic, K.M. Current and Emerging Therapies for Chronic Subjective Tinnitus. J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12, 6555. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12206555

•EMFSA: cost effective solutions for EHS and MCS individuals that experience tinnitus (quick tips, not comprehensive).

Medical disclaimer: the information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment.

Aim to maintain optimal circadian and mitochondrial well-being. Note the impact of light, whether natural/artificial/beneficial/detrimental and use it to your advantage. It is free!

Disconnect the electricity (including the lighting circuits) from the distribution board to the bedroom when you sleep. Demand switches are available but are expensive and need to be installed by an electrician.

If possible have electrical “smart meters” replaced or moved.

Practice EMF Hygiene, starting with your cell phone use. Avoid using a phone in close proximity to your head or body.

Photobiomodulation can be helpful as part of a treatment protocol for tinnitus.

It is evident that we must be vigilant in our choices, whether opting for alternative medicine or conventional/mainstream medicine, and simultaneously, where applicable, exclude other medical conditions.

Teaching our children about the permanence and irreversibility of hearing loss is crucial, given that human hair cells in the ear do not regenerate.

While there are many clinical trials on the horizon, interdisciplinary research in the fields of environmental sensitivities should be encouraged.

The post Tinnitus and Environmental Sensitivities appeared first on EMFSA.

The most important topic in this month’s newsletter:

Colorectal cancer in young people

https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/ehs-emfis-jammers-cancer-mm-waves-smartphones-emi

The post EMFSA March 2023 Newsletter appeared first on EMFSA.

•A jammer itself emits radiation!

•The use of jammers is illegal.

Sourced from ANFR Surveys and Investigations (auto translated).

ANFR survey – Fighting evil with evil?

https://www.anfr.fr/liste-actualites/actualite/enquete-de-lanfr-combattre-le-mal-par-le-mal

A sad case of a person (who considers himself  Electrohypersensitive):

The person used a jammer for “therapeutic purposes” and outfitted his entire apartment with metallic tapestries, hoping to make it into a Faraday cage.

He believed that his symptoms disappeared each time he settled down next to his jammer and that he slept much better.

The jammer’s electromagnetic emissions were particularly strong in the apartment and the man did not realize that his homemade shielding produced multiple echoes and… hindered the exit of the radiation.

The Faraday cage was imperfect and the jammer powerful enough, since it was still responding to the transmitting antenna located several hundred meters away!

In the end 4 jammers were confiscated and the individual received a fine.

The ANFR investigations – The teeth, the jammer and to bed!

https://www.anfr.fr/liste-actualites/actualite/les-enquetes-de-lanfr-les-dents-le-brouilleur-et-au-lit

A case of a jammer that had been installed by a father to prevent his teenagers from accessing the internet with their smartphone instead of falling asleep. His children had indeed become addicted to social networks and other applications, in particular since the confinement imposed due to the epidemic of Covid-19. After consulting forums on the internet, the father decided that a jammer was the best solution to put an end to these excesses.

A radical solution, but above all illegal and… disproportionate. The jammer’s effect reached far beyond the house. He seriously disrupted all telephone and mobile internet in the area around his home, depriving not only his children but also his neighbours, the inhabitants of his municipality and the neighboring municipality of a good mobile connection! By wanting to ban the internet in his home, he applied the same sentence to his entire neighborhood.

This father faces legal proceedings: the illicit possession and use of a jammer, both subject to a criminal penalty of up to 6 months imprisonment and €30,000 fine, plus an intervention fee of 450 euros.

What is a wave jammer?

A jammer is a radio transmitter designed to jam, disrupt or block radio communication signals or services. In general, it acts by emitting stronger signals than the useful signals, on the targeted frequency band. The useful signals are then no longer detected by the receivers.

The radius of the action of jammers is often wider than what one thinks or what the seller suggests. The scope of the equipment is never limited to a small space, such as a room or a vehicle.

For example, a jammer used in a classroom to prevent students from using their laptops can disrupt the mobile telephone networks of an entire neighborhood! Similarly, a GPS jammer used by an employee who wants to stop being geolocated by his employer can disrupt planes flying at an altitude of 2,000 m or parked at 500 m. The use of a jammer constitutes deliberate and offensive interference with the radio spectrum.

The scenario described above by the ANFR is not so far fetched. We receive enquiries from people looking to safeguard themselves with the use of jammers. We point out the facts and hope some information has sunk in and that common sense prevails.

The post Misguided use of jammers to counter radiation appeared first on EMFSA.

IGNIR offers science-based advice and guidance on the health and environmental effects of man-made non-ionising radiation.  Its aim is to protect people and the environment from detrimental exposure to man-made EMF pollution, and comprises three functions:
To provide advice about appropriate safety levels for man-made electromagnetic exposure
To assess published guidelines on man-made electromagnetic exposure and make its own recommendations as to which are appropriate
Provide practical and reliable assessment guidelines for surveyors and building biologists.

IGNIR has developed a set of Guidelines for electromagnetic exposure based on the peer-reviewed EUROPAEM EMF Guidelines 2016.

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/reveh-2016-0011/html

It has three guideline groupings:
Day (D)
Night (N)
Sensitive (S)

It covers three frequency ranges:

Extremely Low Frequency

(ELF)Very Low Frequency

(VLF)Radiofrequency (RF)

Electromagnetic (EM) hygiene and safety involves minimising exposure levels that can be toxic to the environment and human health. The guidelines set forth by EUROPAEM (European Academy on Environmental Medicine) were published under open access by the international journal Reviews on Environmental Health. Although at present there are no assured safe levels of man-made EM exposure, and studies continue to show harm to living systems at very small exposure values, IGNIR’s guidance aims to help achieve substantial reduction in EM exposure.

IGNIR’s Guidelines are aimed to also help protect sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, fetuses, pregnant women, those with co-morbidity, body metal work and people with Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS).

IGNIR’s latest independent guidelines on EMF exposure are available now to download and use.

https://www.emfsa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/IGNIR-Guidelines-2021.pdf

Source: https://ignir.org/

Added note by EMFSA:

See our February 2021 newsletter under the heading “Millimeter Waves Will Not Penetrate The Skin” https://mailchi.mp/emfsa/news

The post Jan 2021: IGNIR publishes International Guidelines for electromagnetic exposure appeared first on EMFSA.

2021, Clinical Practice Guidelines for Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) – Proceedings from a Symposium on the Impacts of Wireless Technology on Health

Abstract

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is explicitly recognized as a disability in many nations. However, individuals with EHS who make disability claims often are not accommodated by employers or service providers and tend to have limited success in the legal system. This paper provides an analysis of legal protections available in Canada for those living with EHS, and discusses the relationship between law, scientific advances, and the role of metapolicy in developing preventative policies that protect vulnerable persons and overall populations. The paper deals with, amongst other things, the role played by medical professionals in providing accommodation for EHS. Recognizing and validating EHS is challenging for a number of reasons. Electromagnetic fields (EMF) and electromagnetic radiation (EMR) are odourless and invisible and there are numerous sources of in homes, workplaces, and public spaces. Thus, professional electromagnetic surveys are typically needed to identify sources of EMF and EMR. Industry experts and some medical specialists have argued that EHS cannot be diagnosed using traditional physiological techniques due to psychological factors, the range of non-specific symptoms, and a resemblance of symptoms to those associated with illnesses such as multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS). Consequently, there is a great deal of skepticism towards EHS, especially amongst industry-employed professionals, engineers and scientists, as well as many medical experts, judges and lawyers. These factors often present problems for the Canadian courts and tribunals when considering medical evidence on EHS. Establishing proof of a workplace-related triggering exposure is a key difficulty in EHS cases due to variations in reaction severity-even between several EHS-impacted employees-and because symptoms tend not to cease when the workplace source is removed. Many of the frustrations that EHS advocates experience with legal and policy systems are related to metapolicies, particularly related to prevention of health impacts and requisite standards of evidence.

The full paper is available at

1 This paper is not legal advice and only provides general information about how the legal system can be used. Patients seeking specific legal advice should contact the lawyer referral service for their respective Law Society or the appropriateorganization in their jurisdiction and retain a lawyer.

2 The author gratefully acknowledges the work of Dr. Meg Sears, Chairperson of Prevent Cancer Now, past and current clients and Canadian medical researchers in preparing this presentation.

3 The author is an environmental lawyer based in southern Ontario, and retired Adjunct Professor. He was pro-bono counsel on the Board of the Wireless Radiation Safety Council of Canada from 2011 to 2013. He has worked with numerous clients on a range of wireless radiation safety, air pollution, water pollution and chemical sensitivity issues. David served for sixteen years as In-House Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor at the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. David has a B.Sc. in Biology and a Master’s in Environmental Studies on Biological Conservation. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School, undertook graduate law studies and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1990. David taught law to undergraduate and graduate students at York University, Osgoode Hall Law School, the University of Toronto and Humber College between 1987 and 2011. He has published dozens of books, journal articles and articles. Book titles include Risky Business: A Guide to the Use, Handling and Transportation of Asbestos (2012) and My Municipal Recycling System Made Me Fat and Sick  (2012)

The post Using Law and Advocacy to win Accommodations for Clients with Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) appeared first on EMFSA.

Abstract: Human exposure to the electromagnetic field emitted by wireless communication systems has raised public concerns. There were claims of the potential association of some neurophysiological disorders with the exposure, but the mechanism is yet to be established. The wireless networks, recently, experience a transition from the 4th generation (4G) to 5th generation (5G), while 4G long-term evolution (LTE) is still the frequently used signal in wireless communication. In the study, exposure experiments were conducted using the LTE signal. The subjects were divided into sham and real exposure groups. Before and after the exposure experiments, they underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. Within-session and between-session comparisons have been executed for functional connectivity and network properties. Individual specific absorption rate (SAR) was also calculated. The results indicated that acute LTE exposure beneath the safety limits modulated both the functional connection and graph-based properties. To characterize the effect of functional activity, SAR averaged over a certain tissue mass was not an appropriate metric. The potential neurophysiological effect of 5G exposure has also been discussed in the study.

The post Functional and network analyses of human exposure to long-term evolution signal. appeared first on EMFSA.

What do electro – and chemical sensitive, or health conscious people want for their homes and workplaces?

The survey is for people who encounter barriers in their lives due to environmental factors. Many of them have special sensitivities or allergies, intellectual giftedness or sensory processing skills that make them perceive stimuli from their environment in unusual ways. They often experience much higher intensity in perception to the outside world and its stimuli.

With the survey the team in Germany wants to take a first step in creating positive opportunities so that neurodiverse people e.g. with Electrosensitivity or MCS can live healthy, financially independent lives and take their space in the job market with joy.

The survey is meant for everybody who:

•offers housing or 

•is looking for housing, or who 

•offers jobs or 

•is looking for work in unusual environmental settings, e.g. no Wi-Fi, free of fragrance and the like. 

Accessibility for those with environmental illnesses:

Environmental illnesses are increasing rapidly and consequently the need arises for workplaces and living spaces to take into account sensitizing substances and physical agents.

In an interdisciplinary project of the DHBW Stuttgart, students of the computer science course in cooperation with the Center for Empirical Research (ZEF) are working on solutions for people who have environmental-related diseases such as multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) or electrosensitivity (EHS). It is all voluntary work without external funding, because of the urgency of the situation that MCS and EHS people face.

The mix of chemicals that people are exposed to today ranges from carpeting adhesives, disinfectants, wood preservatives and mold to evaporation from furniture, computers and printers. Sensitive people can get sick from these substances as well as from electrosmog.

The importance of the survey:

The purpose of the study is to listen to the people and to make them visible as a large group worldwide.

With results of the survey politicians, municipalities and social housing initiatives can be approached – providing an opportunity for all of us to publically discuss pollutant free housing and jobs.

The survey will provide valuable input for political work so that the group of EHS and MCS people become visible as a large group.

We need as many as possible to participate in the survey, it only takes 10 – 20 minutes. 

This is an international survey and is available in English and German. Please forward the information to others.

Link to survey:

https://ww3.unipark.de/uc/2020_PA_JHecke/e36e/ospe.php?qb

Info:

https://www.emfsa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Survey_EHS_MCShousingWork-1.pdf

 The survey is supported by the Ecological-Democratic Party (ÖDP Brandenburg):

The environment can make you sick: Arranging housing needs and jobs for special needs. 

The ÖDP Brandenburg welcomes the IT initiative “Living, Leben, Vivre (LiLeVi) – unique together” at the Stuttgart Cooperative State University to develop an online placement platform for living spaces or workplaces with accessibility for people with environmental disorders. 

With a population of “allergy sufferers” at 30% already and increasing environmental illnesses, the need arises for safer workplaces and living spaces, not only questioning levels of “toxicity”, but also taking into account sensitizing substances in the sense of “accessibility for the environmentally ill”.

https://www.oedp-brandenburg.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/nachrichtendetails/news/umwelt-kann-krank-machen-vermittlung-von-wohnbeda/?fbclid=IwAR3AhksRXNbKJl1uprYH8Ghhma0-XLWK4VDJc0LV7T7UPRriPjOY37Vd6hc

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Abstract

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), known in the past as “Microwave syndrome”, is a clinical syndrome characterized by the presence of a wide spectrum of non-specific multiple organ symptoms, typically including central nervous system symptoms, that occur following the patient’s acute or chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields in the environment or in occupational settings. Numerous studies have shown biological effects at the cellular level of electromagnetic fields (EMF) at magnetic (ELF) and radio-frequency (RF) frequencies in extremely low intensities. Many of the mechanisms described for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) apply with modification to EHS. Repeated exposures result in sensitization and consequent enhancement of response. Many hypersensitive patients appear to have impaired detoxification systems that become overloaded by excessive oxidative stress. EMF can induce changes in calcium signaling cascades, significant activation of free radical processes and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in living cells as well as altered neurological and cognitive functions and disruption of the blood-brain barrier. Magnetite crystals absorbed from combustion air pollution could have an important role in brain effects of EMF. Autonomic nervous system effects of EMF could also be expressed as symptoms in the cardiovascular system. Other common effects of EMF include effects on skin, microvasculature, immune and hematologic systems. It is concluded that the mechanisms underlying the symptoms of EHS are biologically plausible and that many organic physiologic responses occur following EMF exposure. Patients can have neurologic, neuro-hormonal and neuro-psychiatric symptoms following exposure to EMF as a consequence of neural damage and over-sensitized neural responses. More relevant diagnostic tests for EHS should be developed. Exposure limits should be lowered to safeguard against biologic effects of EMF. Spread of local and global wireless networks should be decreased, and safer wired networks should be used instead of wireless, to protect susceptible members of the public. Public places should be made accessible for electrohypersensitive individuals.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32289567/

The post Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS, microwave syndrome) – Review of mechanisms appeared first on EMFSA.

The two NGOs are also inviting the public to sign a new petition demanding a temporary halt to 5G deployments in France.

Read more at the link

https://www.telecompaper.com/news/french-associations-bring-battle-against-5g-to-supreme-court–1324815?fbclid=IwAR1RKXz-YH-CVB0aLk8tEnUYbNIzkqLEcjqoSQJ1rMr1-VIGwZNHrLJEwXI

More on the topic, article in French:

January 29, 2020 at 7:39 PM, by Stan Adkens

The post 5G: French Associations launches an Appeal With Supreme Court appeared first on EMFSA.

Abstract:

Introduction: 5G millimeter wave technology offers advantages: “smart” homes, “smart” cities and autonomic automobiles. A rise of at least 30-100% in exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from antennas in the public space near citizens’ homes is expected, and higher exposure levels inside homes from millions of devices communicating with antennas (“Internet of Things”). Scientists have declared current exposure levels not relevant to protect against health effects. A rise in exposure raises the risk of an extreme rise in incidence of adverse health effects including electrohypersensitivity. Susceptible members of the public such as pregnant women, babies and children have a right to be protected from chronic exposure of public source, in their private homes, against their will. Following implementation of 5G technology in the public space, some electrohypersensitive individuals would be forced to leave their homes and become refugees.

Methodology: Presented at the CEST 2019 Electromagnetic Radiation Workshop, this is a summary of some of the adverse health effects reported following exposure to electromagnetic radiation, and of health effects of exposure to 5G frequencies (millimeter waves) reported in animal studies. No study that proves safety of 5G frequencies for public use exists.

Reported effects: Reported health effects, similar to symptoms reported in Occupational Medicine studies in the 1950-60’s, include: headache, hematologic problems, fertility problems, decline in libido and neural effects –named “Microwave Sickness”. In newer studies this same syndrome is called Electrohypersensitivity. EMR has been categorized as a possible human carcinogen by IARC. Experiments conducted in former USSR on animals exposed to non-thermal levels of millimeter waves for only 15 minutes a day demonstrated detectable changes in both the central and peripheral nervous system, changes in permeability of blood vessels, changes in the reflex response of the nervous system (stronger response from a lower trigger) and changes in the hematopoietic and lymphatic systems. Studies from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and from Japan demonstrate that human sweat ducts respond to millimeter waves and concentrate the energy inside the skin, contradicting the assumption that G5 frequencies cannot penetrate the skin.

Conclusions: There is no known method to measure 5G frequencies outside the laboratory. The decision to authorize 5G frequencies by the US FCC relied only on thermal 1996 guidelines and did not take non-thermal biological effects or public health precautionary measures into account. Extensive public exposure keeping with thermal allowable levels is expected to have adverse health effects and is therefore unsafe. Safer alternatives do exist: broad band internet via fiber-optic infrastructure, including for wired “smart” meters. Electromagnetic radiation is an environmental pollutant. There is a need to evaluate the potential health effects and the environmental effects of both the new and the existing technology as well as the economic burden on the Health system of a rise in health effects including electrohypersensitivity. In accordance with the precautionary principle, it is the responsibility of those who wish to implement G5 technology, to prove that it is safe for public use.

Electromagnetic Radiation Including G5 Frequencies, Health Effects Summary and Policy Recommendations

PDF

AEER2019100701

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