Environmental Sensitivities: are they real?

#1

In writing about healthy homes I’ve run into this question in a number of places.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MSC) is one issue, sensitivity to electromagnetic fields (EMF) is another.

I’d never heard of MSC until I was asked to inspect a straw bale home about a year ago. Not knowing anything about them, I contacted local straw bale builders in an effort to find out how to inspect them and what the common potential problems were.

The client (Jill) told me she’d lived down the street from the twin towers when they fell on 9/11 and that during the following year or so she’d developed bad reactions to many chemicals which were so severe that she sometimes had to live outside until she could find a home her body would tolerate. When you start researching MCS this turns out to be not uncommon.

In pursuing this healthy homes writing project I’ve run into two others who suffer from MSC. One woman (Anchorage) has been pretty much confined to her home for 14 years, the other woman (Colorado) took a year to recover after a large exposure to chlorine. Her early symptoms were life-threatening.

In looking for a home, Jill said that on several occasions she was denied entry to the home after telling the sellers that she suffered from MCS. They didn’t want to become involved in a transaction with her because they were afraid it would fall through. Their fears are not unfounded, this has happened here in Boulder.

The fair housing act? There is confusion over whether MCS is a disability or an impairment, so at this point there is no precedent and no legal protection for those suffering from MCS. Many federal organizatons are gearing up to deal with MCS but at this point, since there are few conclusive studies, actually few studies, little has actually been done.

I have never met anyone who suffers bad reactions from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF), although the websites offering information on MCS also discuss EMF as though it is equally serious.

As the US population grows and more problems related to various environmental hazards appear, inspectors will find themselves coming into contact with these problems with increasing frequency.

#2

Hello Kenton:

Essentially MCS is a psychological disorder, and has been shown to entirely unassociated with any actual chemical exposures. The sufferer only needs to believe they are being exposed to chemicals to elicit symptomology.

I would be happy to discuss the matter, but because it is a psychological disorder, and the psychological profile of the sufferer is not a pleasant one, it is likely that the discussion will result in a lot of VERY nasty, (indeed usually vehement and vicious) posts from people who want to believe that they suffer from a real disease.

Regarding EMFs … Tens of thousands of hours and literally millions of dollars were spent on studying the EMF question. Ultimately, no support was ever found that supported the argument that EMFs, at field strengths normally seen from overhead power lines and household products produced any known risks.

Eventually the CDC, AMA and other groups just said to the claimants “Show me the proof.” The proponents of EMFs as an etiological agent of disease were unable to produce any evidence, and the thig just died out (except from among those who want to believe they suffer from MCS … they are BIG believers that EMFs cause an whole slew of diseases.)

I would be happy to address either of these issues from an objective science perspective.

Watch this space … I promise you, as soon as a single MCSer finds this site, things will get wild.

Cheers!

Caoimhín P. Connell
Forensic Industrial Hygienist
www.forensic-applications.com

(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

AMDG

#3

Hi Caoimhín, thanks for posting.

I must say your post took me by surprise. The two women sufferers I’ve met (online and by phone) were very convincing, and so are some of the websites which discuss MCS, this in addition to the fact that most of the braches of the federal government which have a reason to be concerned with MCS (EPA, CDC, OSHA, etc.) seem to be making provisions of some kind for dealing with those claiming to suffer from it.

Your advice has always seemed very professional, well-researched, thought out and expressed and in approaching this subject I’ve tried to stay objective. You’re the first person I’ve heard whom I thought qualified to comment who’s said that MCS is completely psychological. Of course, it’s been hard to find any comments from qualified people…

On what do you base your conclusions? In the past you’ve sited studies and I’d be interested to know what’s been done and by who.

#4

Sometimes Prozac (or a reasonable facsimile) helps people with the MCS disorder Kenton.

#5

I hear voices in my head, but as Brian stated, the Prozac does help…:stuck_out_tongue: :stuck_out_tongue:

#6

Dale, buy the extra large capsules… they’ll double as ear plugs.

#7

…:smiley: :smiley: :smiley: …:-k …:-({|=

#8

Kenton…you just received a Greenie for this vital information…:smiley:

#9

Hello Kenton!

OK –
Trying to discuss MCS and simultaneously discussing EMFs would become too convoluted.

So, let’s separate them, and start a new thread for each (which I have done). Over the next couple of days or so, I will respond to questions, etc.

I am not aware of any legitimate organizations who officially accept the claims of the MCS bunch, but I am aware of the fact that most legitimate organizations have issued policy statements that MCS is not a real pathological manifestation outside of a real psychological manifestation.

Furthermore I have professionally worked on both EMF surveys and MCS investigations.

So, visit the new thread, and I will discuss first, MCS, and then in the next day or so, EMFs. Give me an hour or so to post the new thread.

Cheers,
Caoimhín P. Connell
Forensic Industrial Hygienist
www.forensic-applications.com
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(The opinions expressed here are exclusively my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect my professional opinion, opinion of my employer, agency, peers, or professional affiliates. The above post is for information only and does not reflect professional advice and is not intended to supercede the professional advice of others.)

AMDG
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