My discovery of being Electrically Hypersensitive (EHS) was not due to a sudden onset of symptoms but rather being made aware of the terminology that described my unusual symptoms. The World Health Organisation (WHO) characterise electromagnetic hypersensitivity as a variety of non-specific symptoms, most commonly experienced include dermatological symptoms (redness, tingling, and burning sensations) as well as neurasthenic and vegetative symptoms (fatigue, tiredness, concentration difficulties, dizziness, nausea, heart palpitation, and digestive disturbances). Many countries are beginning to recognise EHS however Austria is the only country to have written guidelines for diagnosing and treating related health problems.
My most prevalent symptom is a tingling, irritating and slightly burning sensation along a nerve in my left cheek. Being chemically sensitive since childhood and having been diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome to mould by an Integrative physician, I felt a mixture of relief and dread for what EHS now meant for me. Relief that my suspicion EMF’s were affecting me after well-meaning GP’s had looked at me somewhat blankly when I described the sensation and told them what I thought seemed to be the cause. Dread because I knew that as our environment becomes saturated with more and more non-native EMF/RF’s from smart technology “solutions”, the ability for me to avoid exposure is so much harder.
My husband had inadvertently confirmed my suspicion one afternoon when I had arrived home from work and within 15 minutes of being in the main open plan kitchen/living area I could feel my cheek nerve sensation kick in. We had not long moved into the home and my symptoms hadn’t been triggered living there (we had a Building Biologist thoroughly test the EMF/RF environment before purchasing the property). I asked my husband what was ‘on’ in the house tech wise and was something different to usual as I could feel my nerve starting to throb. You should have seen his look of guilt and shock…. unbeknown to me, he had purchased a Wi-Fi extender that day and plugged it in near the kitchen, not thinking I was that sensitive. Even I was surprised at my body’s quick reaction to the changed RF fields.
Overtime I have come to realise that like many sensitivities, a lowered threshold means I can easily reach my tipping point and it seems to be somewhat influenced by things like how tired I am, my health in general or if I’ve been outside and ‘grounded’ to earth. Prolonged exposure for me, particularly to Wi-Fi, results in brain fog, a tightening sensation around my head, tinnitus, sore throat and occasionally heart palpitations as well as my cheek sensation. I have come to appreciate the fact that my body actually responds this way and is telling me the environment isn’t ‘safe’. Despite regulatory assurances of safety with daily exposure to mobile phones, Wi-Fi, smart meters, the WHO actually classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields such as wireless technologies as a class 2B ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’ in 2011.
Having yet to complete the electrobiology units with my Building Biology course and not wanting to invest in commercial meters before being taught how to use them properly, I decided to research cheaper personal meters and their reliability. This is when I came across the Mito Meter and based on my research, it seemed to be the meter of choice, even for people who had professional meters but wanted a discrete meter for everyday usage.
Tammy and I tested the Mito Meter against the Safe and Sound meter for RF and we were impressed with which the level of accuracy the Mito Meter detected fields. The Safe and Sound meter is a good quality screening meter but only measures RF and is configured to measure to Building Biology standards. The Mito Meter measures three frequencies being RF radiation, Electric Fields and Magnetic Fields making it a better screening tool to detect more EMF’s and at the same time the size makes it handy and compact.
Another benefit of choosing the Mito Meter was the ability to join the Mito Meter Mitigation and Management Facebook page which is a community of like-minded individuals able to share success stories, hacks, facts and questions.
The Mito Meter has helped me minimise exposure in our home by knowing where the ‘hidden’ sources are coming from such as lamps being plugged in besides our beds and the stand-by mode of the gas log fire. This is definitely a product I can highly recommend, particularly for anyone sensitive to EMF’s.
I can’t emphasise the importance of having your home environment assessed by a qualified Building Biologist or certified EMF technician who will not only determine the potential areas of concern in your home but also provide suitable mitigation solutions. We would never have known our former home had magnetic fields from the double power-lines far in excess of acceptable Building Biology standards in the front two bedrooms where two of my children slept had it not been for the Building Biologists assessment. These levels and the possible association with childhood leukemia was a risk we just weren’t prepared to take.
Knowing I have EHS and having the tools and knowledge on how to minimise my exposure, has had an enormous impact on my health. If you suspect you too might be electrically hypersensitive, it’s best to research and find a suitable integrative practitioner to confirm this. Of course, lowering your daily non-native EMF exposure, regardless of whether you think you are being affected or not, is vitally important.
Xx Sim
***This is NOT a sponsored post. The opinions expressed here are my own. Healthier Homes and Living is a re-seller of Mito Meters however I had owned and independently tested it long before the business was even thought of!