Extreme Allergic Reactions to Mobile Phones

Most of us use our mobile phones without a second thought. However, there are a lot of other people who believe that their mobile phones are making them sick. Mobile phones have been blamed for ailments ranging from “cell phone elbow” (a form of carpal tunnel syndrome) to cancer. One of the things that some people suffer from is an extreme allergy to the radiation caused by mobile phones.

It’s called electro-hypersensitivity (EHS)

The condition that is being referred to here is technically called electro-hypersensitivity (also known as EHS). It is a physical reaction in the body to the experience of electromagnetic radiation. This radiation doesn’t just come from mobile phones. It comes from many different consumer electronics including computers and televisions.

What EHS feels like

People who experience electro-hypersensitivity feel physically ill when they are directly exposed to electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones and other consumer electronics. For most people suffering from this problem, the major symptoms are headaches and a feeling of nausea. Some people even faint as a result of exposure to the radiation from mobile phones. Other symptoms include dizziness, rashes and a burning sensation in the body.

One extreme example

One extreme example that was recently written about in detail was the case of a Swedish man named Per Segerbäck. When a mobile phone is used near him, he immediately becomes nauseous. In many cases, he passes out as a result of his allergy. Some people have accused this of being a case of “mind over matter”. In other words, they believe that he sees the phone and becomes obsessed with the problem of radiation so he passes out. However, there have been instances in this man’s life where he passed out and only found out later that someone was using a mobile phone near him.

Just being around a mobile phone won’t cause this problem

Notably, it isn’t the presence of a mobile phone alone that would cause this type of extreme allergy. (If it did, it would be some other form of mobile phone phobia). Instead, it is the active radiation from a mobile phone that causes the illness. The phone has to be in use (sending, receiving or searching for a signal) and needs to be relatively close to a man like Per Segerbäck in order for the experience of the illness to occur.

Imagine a life with EHS

Take a moment to imagine what a life with this extreme form of allergy might be like. These days, it’s impossible to escape being around computers and mobile phones. To do so, you need to remain in your own home or in a remote area of the world. People like Per Segerbäck live in rural areas and don’t travel to urban areas for the obvious reason that they would become very ill around the type of radiation that is being emitted in these places at all times. These people can’t actively use mobile phones or computers; this limits them in a number of different ways. It may not seem like a serious illness; it is rare and it seems like something that is unfathomable to most of us. However, it does exist. Imagine the life of those people who are dealing with it!

Sweden recognizes this illness as a disability

Many people don’t even believe that this is a serious problem. Studies about the issue have proven inconclusive (as have studies about the link between mobile phones and cancer). Certainly, most governments don’t pay attention to this issue. However, Sweden (where Per Segerbäck lives) is an exception. This country considers EHS to be a serious disability. People suffering from this disability are able to receive disability benefits in this country. This makes sense if they are unable to work a normal job because of EHS symptoms. The government in Sweden will even pay to install technology in the homes of severe EHS sufferers. This technology uses metal shielding to divert the radiation from the outside world so that suffering does not occur inside of the home. According to research, it is believed that about three percent of the Swedish population suffers from this problem. That’s approximately a quarter of a million people who are dealing with EHS.

Treatment for people suffering from EHS

Treating someone with this condition is very complicated. Many of the medical devices that are used in hospitals emit the exact kind of radiation that causes the symptoms of this allergy. At this time, there is no known cure for being allergic to mobile phone radiation. The only treatment is to avoid the radiation whenever possible.

Studies may not have answers until 2029

There are studies taking place that are designed to provide more information and insight into the condition of EHS and how to deal with it. However, studies to date have been inconclusive. The study that people have the most hope for isn’t designed to be complete until 2029. This study, called the Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Users (also known as COSMOS) is reviewing mobile phone use among a quarter of a million people in Europe over the next two or three decades. The study will look at the links between mobile phone use and many different healthy conditions including those that are symptoms of EHS. Other studies taking place are in their preliminary stages and are being done on lab rats rather than people. This means that there is hope for the future for people who suffer from mobile phone allergies but that the answers and cures probably won’t be available for some time.

Measuring mobile phone radiation

One positive thing for the people who are suffering from this condition is that we’re starting to see a push for labelling phones with information about the amount of radiation that they emit. This would allow people suffering from low-level mobile phone allergies to choose the phones that were least likely to cause them problems. Of course, this isn’t going to be a solution for people like Per Segerbäck who have extreme EHS but it’s a start.