What is Environmental Illness?
What is Environmental Illness? | Symptoms | Causes | Impact on Lives
What is Environmental Illness (EI)?
Environmental Illness has had many names, including Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS). This is a condition becoming more prevalent where people experience health impacts and symptoms following even small exposures to diverse environmental factors such as foods, moulds, chemicals, noise, smells, and electro-magnetic fields (EMFs). Environmental Sensitization, once begun, can spread to various body systems and can include a wide range of incitants and symptoms.
What Are the Symptoms?
Symptoms may occur in any or many body systems, including the skin (rashes, lesions and inflammation), lungs (asthma, cough), muscles and joints (aching and swelling), gastro-intestinal system (pain, bloating, constipation/diarrhea), nervous system (tingling, numbness, CNS symptoms), and brain (disorientation, cloudy thinking, mood swings). Fatigue often occurs. Symptoms can also include emotional, temperament and behavioural changes, including irritation, confusion, anger and depression. Headaches, stomach aches, infection and ‘stress’ are common indicators that all is not well.
How Is Environmental Illness Caused?
Sensitization may follow a large chemical exposure or smaller multiple exposures, (e.g. renovations or workplace exposure), use of a drug (antibiotics or recreational drugs), trauma or injury (emotional or physical). Individual history and tolerance may also play a part in the development of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).
What Can Cause Problems?
Incitants may include common chemicals and fumes from paints and solvents, felt markers, perfumes, fragranced products, hair gel, fabric softeners, renovation materials, pressed wood, car exhaust, cleaning products, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, oil, and fuels. Noise, electrical fields, fluorescent lights, and moulds may also be problematic.
How Does This Affect People's Lives?
Symptoms can interfere with daily activities, relationships, and career. Some people become too ill to hold jobs and may not be adequately accommodated by existing workplace compensation, social assistance and health care programs.
What Can One Do?
Now that you understand what Environmental Illness is, learn how you can make a contribution to the health and well-being of those affected in British Columbia and elsewhere.
www.ehabc.org/faq.html
Updated June 1, 2009
