In the laboratory, chronic exposure to low level electromagnetic fields clearly affects growth and development, stress response, immune response and many neurological functions. This is not surprising because at the cellular level we are all electrical beings. Epidemiologic studies relate electromagnetic fields to birth defects, psychosis, childhood leukemias and to other cancers, especially brain and reproductive tumors.

Radio frequency sickness is an environmentally induced functional impairment caused by exposure to radio frequencies. In other words, remove the environmental pollutant that is causing the impairment which results in the symptoms and the symptoms go away. Sources of exposure to radio frequencies are electrical pollution and wireless technology. If a person has had radio frequency sickness long enough permanent damage can result, so it is imperative that exposure levels be reduced as much as possible as soon as possible. See the Solutions page for a list of steps you can take to reduce your exposure to high frequencies in your environment most effectively.

From the first awareness of health effects related to electromagnetic radiation decades ago, non-localized neurological symptoms have been very prominent. These include: headaches, dizziness, nausea, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, irritability, depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, weakness, tremors, muscle spasms, numbness, tingling, altered reflexes, muscle and joint pain, leg/foot pain, "Flu-like" symptoms and fever. More severe symptoms can include seizures, paralysis, psychosis and stroke. These complaints, along with numerous non-specific multiple systems symptoms, constitute radio frequency sickness.

You should suspect radio frequency sickness when you have a significant number of symptoms on the list and there does not seem to be another cause for the symptoms. Radio frequency sickness should be suspected if you have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, attention deficit disorder, and multiple sclerosis as a number of people with those disorders have substantially recovered after being treated for it. Asthma, headaches-including migraines, blood sugar control, allergies, and sleep quality have all improved with reducing exposure to radiofrequencies. Please read these articles for a more in-depth discussion of children and radiofrequency sickness and autism and the probable relationship to radiofrequency radiation. Links to other topical articles can be found at the top of the page.

The extensive list of symptoms relates to the multiple cellular and sub-cellular effects of electrical pollution. The BioInitiative Report is a comprehensive compilation of research on the extensive effects exposure to radiofrequencies has and is a good resource for those wanting a detailed scientific report. Lab tests, including EEG (as described by Marha et al.) may be done as a baseline but are not definitive.

The best way to diagnose and confirm radiofrequency sickness is to reduce exposure. This is not as simple as it once was. It is essential to address both electrical pollution and wireless technology sources of exposure.

A simple meter provides accurate measurements of electrical pollution in most situations. In rare situations, frequencies are outside the meter effective range. In these situations, measurements require specialized instrumentation and a trained technician to interpret the data. The simultaneously diagnostic and therapeutic measure is to eliminate "dirty" power and unplug/turn off all transmitters in the home and/or workplace and determine whether or not symptoms improve, often within days. There are many stealth transmitters. They can be in stoves, refrigerators, fans, TVs, etc so a meter that measures RF is needed to track them all down. I have used both the HFE-35C and the Cornet ED85EX with sound. They each have their strong points.

The filters needed to "clean" up "dirty" electricity only need to be "plugged in," and are inexpensive when compared to multiple medical office visits and/or medications. Please see the Solutions page for more details on how to make your home safe from high frequencies, including wireless technology.

To treat electrical pollution, the average home requires approximately twenty filters. If improvement occurs only slowly, more filters may be necessary. It is important to install enough from the beginning because if too few are installed initially, no difference may be observed. Instructions for filter installation can be found at http://www.stetzerelectric.com/filters/filter_instructions.html. The instructions can be used to help estimate how many filters will be necessary for optimal filtering.

In addition to being part of an electrical circuit because of the electrical earth currents, each person is capacitively coupled to the wires running around them through the walls, floor, and ceiling of the building where they live or work. Electrical engineers know about capacitive coupling, but they have also been taught that the result is insignificant. They have not read or choose to ignore publications like The Body Electric by Robert O. Becker, MD in which he discusses the extreme sensitivity of the human body to electromagnetic fields/radiation and Electromagnetic Fields and the Life Environment by Karel Marha, Jan Musil, and Hana Tuha in which they describe the symptoms humans experience with chronic exposure to high frequencies. The description of the symptoms of exposure to high frequencies in Electromagnetic Fields and the Life Environment touches on all of the most minor and puzzling symptoms of CFS and Fibromyalgia, as well as all of the widely accepted ones. The symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and Gulf War Syndrome are all virtually identical to those of radio frequency sickness. Exposure to high frequencies seems to be linked to a myriad of other health problems including depression, attention deficit disorder (ADD), cancer, infertility, miscarriages, birth defects, allergies, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Lou Gehrig's disease. The news has been full of speculation regarding why the rates of these ailments have increased over the last several years. Since there is evidence linking exposure to high frequencies to each of these ailments, it seems likely that the growth in non-linear, time-varying loads relates to the increase of the ailments listed above. Until recently only a few people were aware of the source of the exposure. People are becoming sick who do not seem to be at risk. Unbeknownst to them, they are being exposed to high frequencies through exposure to "dirty" power. Without an oscilloscope or a meter, it is impossible for the average person to detect. (See the News page for a more comprehensive article on the easy to use Microsurge Meter.) Electricity is the most widely accepted and most poorly understood of the modern conveniences.

A paper titled "Electromagnetic fields act via activation of voltage-gated calcium channels to produce beneficial or adverse effects" by Dr. Martin Pall, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry and Basic Medical Sciences, Washington State University, discusses mechanisms by which RF can have biological effects without tissue heating.

There are no treatments that can substitute for reducing or eliminating exposure to high frequencies. However, there are some nutritional approaches that may be helpful in rebuilding the body's damaged systems after exposure high frequencies is substantially reduced or eliminated. The literature indicate that the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and the immune system are impaired or damaged by over-exposure to radio frequencies. Many references cite oxidative damage as a problem. Increased inflammation is also frequently mentioned. Dehydration also seems to be a problem. Consult with your physician or a qualified health care professional to determine what might be appropriate to help with recovery from the damage done by radio frequency sickness.

It is important for physicians to be aware that exposure to radiation from wireless devices can increase membrane permeability for a substantial period of time. According to Disconnect by Devra Davis, one 5-minute phone call can increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier for 50 days. This can allow pollutants across the blood-brain barrier and cause leaky gut syndrome, allowing food components to enter the bloodstream that would not normally be there and also causing enough intestinal damage to impair nutrient uptake.

Radiofrequencies are well documented to interfere with normal melatonin secretion, as well as the activity of melatonin already present in the blood. The brain cannot properly process and recharge without melatonin. Lack of melatonin may result in an excess of serotonin in the brain which may be linked to various mental disorders see http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/pinealstory.htm for more information about serotonin and melatonin in the brain. This is important information for all doctors prescribing antidepressants, particularly SSRIs, to read. Sleep deprivation can have serious consequences for mental and physical health. Supplementation of melatonin may be helpful if good, restful sleep does not resume in spite minimizing RF exposures as much as possible using the steps found on the Solutions page.

Some cognitive difficulties related to radiofrequency sickness seem to be caused by irregularities in glucose metabolism caused by radiofrequency exposure. One way to get around this was discovered by a doctor trying to help her husband recover from Alzheimer's disease (http://www.tampabay.com/news/aging/article879333.ece#email). She found that one of the most effective treatments was an oil composed of medium chain triglycerides known as MCT oil. Medium chain triglycerides can be found in high concentration in coconut oil.

There are multiple metabolic processes that are upset by radiofrequency exposure. However, the methylation cycle has received individual attention. It can to be severely upset and seems to have trouble righting itself without a little help. According to a paper by Rich Van Konynenburg, Ph.D. and Neil Nathan, M.D. titled “Application of the Yasko Protocol to the Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”, chronic partial block of the methylation cycle leads to significant draining of folate from the cells, and a chronic depletion of glutathione which they hypothesize results in chronic fatigue type symptoms. Experience has shown us that many people with chronic fatigue syndrome are, in fact, suffering from radiofrequency sickness, thus it is likely that treatment of blocked methylation cycle either using their modified Yasko protocol or the original (vitamin protocols that have been developed to help get the methylation cycle going again) would be helpful to people with radiofrequency sickness. The methylation cycle is also involved in clearing some metals and toxins from the body. Anecdotally, the protocol has improved depression and cognitive function. It is very important to note that this research protocol recommends starting the vitamin regimen very, very, slowly - a quarter dose or less and slowly increasing. They have found that people can feel transiently worse if the cycle re-starts too quickly. They recommend only using the protocol under a doctor's supervision.

According to Anne Louise Gittleman's book Zapped, radiofrequency exposure depletes zinc, selenium, magnesium, vitamin D, CoQ10, and a few others so supplementation of these vitamins may be considered in addition to the above, also with a doctor's supervision.

Additionally, exposure to radiofrequencies has been documented to change hormone and neurotransmitter levels.

Regrettably, to date, articles in main-stream medical journals featuring the human health risks of exposure to electrical pollution or high frequencies have not received the notice they deserve. Each time an article appears, a carefully prepared highly publicized study that reportedly shows inconclusive or negative results is released. These studies have ties, generally funding, to an industry or organization that fears it would be negatively impacted by the new study. These highly publicized, "damage control studies" are probably the ones you and your doctor recall seeing.

Although the human health effects of exposure to high frequencies were well researched and documented in Eastern Europe over fifty years ago, this body of literature was largely disregarded because the government viewed it as communist propaganda designed to curtail the development of further military and/or technological advances. Still, today Eastern Europe has some of the strictest regulations regarding acceptable levels of radio-frequency exposure for civilian populations.

Do not be put off by some of the hostile responses you may receive from medical professionals. This information is new for your doctor. This is where physics meets human biology. The scarcity of people who are well enough versed in both physics and biology to fully understand the effects of high frequencies on biological organisms is what has allowed this problem to persist for so long. There are a number of papers and resources available today for them to review. A good place to start is The BioInitiative Report.