In 1970, a report from the former Soviet Union described the “microwave syndrome” among military personnel, working with radio and radar equipment, who showed symptoms that included fatigue, dizziness, headaches, problems with concentration and memory, and sleep disturbances. Similar symptoms were found in the 1980s among Swedes working in front of cathode ray tube monitors, with symptoms such as flushing, burning, and tingling of the skin, especially on the face, but also headaches, dizziness, tiredness, and photosensitivity. The same symptoms are reported in Finns, with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) being attributed to exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). Of special concern is involuntary exposure to radiofrequency (RF)-EMF from different sources. Most people are unaware of this type of exposure, which has no smell, color, or visibility. There is an increasing concern that wireless use of laptops and iPads in Swedish schools, where some have even abandoned textbooks, will exacerbate the exposure to EMF.
We have surveyed the literature on different aspects of EHS and potential adverse health effects of RF-EMF. This is exemplified by case reports from two students and one teacher who developed symptoms of EHS in schools using Wi-Fi.
In population-based surveys, the prevalence of EHS has ranged from 1.5% in Sweden to 13.3% in Taiwan. Provocation studies on EMF have yielded different results, ranging from where people with EHS cannot discriminate between an active RF signal and placebo, to objectively observed changes following exposure in reactions of the pupil, changes in heart rhythm, damage to erythrocytes, and disturbed glucose metabolism in the brain. The two students and the teacher from the case reports showed similar symptoms, while in school environments, as those mentioned above.
Austria is the only country with a written suggestion to guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of EMF-related health problems. Apart from this, EHS is not recognized as a specific diagnosis in the rest of the world, and no established treatment exists.
It seems necessary to give an International Classification of Diseases to EHS to get it accepted as EMF-related health problems. The increasing exposure to RF-EMF in schools is of great concern and needs better attention. Longer-term health effects are unknown. Parents, teachers, and school boards have the responsibility to protect children from unnecessary exposure.
Markov M, Grigoriev YG. Wi-Fi technology – an uncontrolled global experiment on the health of mankind. Electromagn Biol Med 2013;32:200–8.
Redmayne M. International policy and advisory response regarding children’s exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). Electromagn Biol Med. DOI: 10.3109/15368378.2015.1038832.
Hagström M, Auranen J, Ekman R. Electromagnetic hypersensitive Finns: symptoms, perceived sources and treatments, a questionnaire study. Pathophysiology 2013;20:117–22.
Petrov IR, editor. Influence of microwave radiation on the organism of man and animals. Report from Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR. Translated to English “Vliyaniye SVCh-Izlucheniya na Organizm Cheloveka I Zhivotnykh”. Meditsina Press, Leningrad, 1970. Report from NASA TT F-708, Springfield, Virginia.
Nordström G. The invisible disease: the dangers of environmental illnesses caused by electromagnetic fields and chemical emissions. Alresford (UK): O Books, 2004.
Hardell L, Carlberg M, Söderqvist F, Hardell K, Björnfoth H, et al. Increased concentrations of certain persistent organic pollutants in subjects with self-reported electromagnetic hypersensitivity – a pilot study. Electromagn Biol Med 2008;27:197–203.
International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Guidelines for limiting exposure to time-varying electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic fields (up to 300 GHz). Health Phys 1998;74:494–522.
BioInitiative Working Group. Bioinitiative 2012: a rationale for biologically-based public exposure standard for low-intensity electromagnetic radiation. Available at: http://www.bioinitiative.org. Accessed on August 12, 2015.
Estenberg J, Augustsson T. Extensive frequency selective measurements of radiofrequency fields in outdoor environments performed with a novel mobile monitoring system. Bio Electro Magnetic Sci 2014;35:227–30.
Mårtensson F. Utdraget kring elöverkänslighet. Skolvärlden 2012 Dec. 10: p. 6–7. In: Swedish. Available at: http://www. skolvarlden.se/artiklar/utdraget-kring-eloverkanslighet. Accessed on August 12, 2015.
Havas M. Independent view: Wi-Fi in schools: dumb and dangerous. IndenpendetRI. com, Independent Newspapers, Wakefield Jan 30, 2014. Available at: http://www.independentri.com/ independents/north_east/opinion/letters/article_34f5e34a-ac83-5fed-bc3c-617d357a67e4.html. Accessed on Aug 12, 2015.
Hillert L, Hedman BK, Söderman E, Arnetz BB. Hypersensitivity to electricity: working definition and additional characterization of the syndrome. J Psychosom Res 1999;47:429–38.
Bogers RP, Bolte FJ, Houtveen JH, Lebret E, van Strien RT, et al. Design of an ecological momentary assessment study of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields and non-specific physical symptoms. Br Med J Open 2013;3:e002933.
Rea WJ, Pan Y, Yenyves EJ, Sujisawa I, Samadi N, et al. Electromagnetic field sensitivity. J Bioelectricity 1991;10:241–56.
McCarty DE, Carrubba S, Chesson AL, Frilot C, Gonzales-Toledo E, et al. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: evidence for a novel neurological syndrome. Int J Neurosc 2011;121:670–6.
Boyd I, Rubin GJ, Wessely S. Taking refuge from modernity: 21st century hermits. J R Soc Med 2012;105:523–9.
Hillert L, Berglind N, Arnetz BB, Bellander T. Prevalence of self-reported hypersensitivity to electric or magnetic fields in a population-based questionnaire survey, Scand J Work Environ Health 2002;28:33–41.
Levallois P, Neutra R, Lee G, Hristova L. Study of self-reported hypersensitivity to electromagnetic fields in California. Environ Health Perspect 2002;110(Suppl 4):619–23.
Schreier N, Huss A, Röösli M. The prevalence of symptoms attributed to electromagnetic field exposure: a cross-sectional representative survey in Switzerland. Soz Preventivmed 2006;51:202–9.
Meg Tseng MC, Lin YP, Cheng TJ. Prevalence and psychiatric comorbidity of self-reported electromagnetic field sensitivity in Taiwan: a population-based study. J Formos Med Assoc 2011;110:634–41.
Rubin GJ, Hahn G, Everitt BS, Cleare AJ, Wessely S. Are some people sensitive to mobile phone signals? Within participants double blind randomised provocation study. Br Med J 2006;332:886–91.
Nieto-Hernandez R, Williams J, Cleare AJ, Landau S, Wessely S, et al. Can exposure to a terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA)-like signal cause symptoms? A randomized double-blind provocation study. Occup Environ Med 2011;68:339–44.
Wallace D, Eltiti S, Ridgewall A, Garner K, Russo R, et al. Do TETRA (airway) base station signals have a short impact on health and well-being? A randomized double-blind provocation study. Environ Health Perspect 2010;118:735–41.
Rezk AY, Abdulqawi K, Mustafa RM, Abo El-Azm TM, Al-Inany H. Fetal and neonatal responses following maternal exposure to mobile phones. Saudi Med J 2008;29:218–23.
Tuengler A, von Klitzing L. Hypothesis on how to measure electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Electromagn Biol Med 2013;32:281–90.
Öckerman PA. Free radicals in electromagnetic hypersensitivity. A simple and sensitive method for assay of damage to erythrocytes caused by free radicals. Clin Pract Altern Med 2000;1:81–7.
Volkow ND, Tomasi D, Wang GJ, Vaska P, Fowler JS, et al. Effects of cell phone radiofrequency signal exposure on brain glucose metabolism. J Am Med Assoc 2011;305:808–13.
Lowden A, Åkerstedt T, Ingre M, Wiholm C, Hillert L, et al. Sleep after mobile phone exposure in subjects with mobile phone-related symptoms. Bioelectromagnetics 2011;32:4–14.
Krause CM, Björnberg CH, Pesonen M, Hulten A, Liesivuori T, et al. Mobile phone effects on children’s event-related oscillatory EEG during an auditory memory task. Int J Radiat Biol 2006;82:443–50.
Lyskov E, Sandström M, Hansson Mild K. Neurophysiological study of patients with perceived ‘electrical hypersensitivity’. Int J Psychophysiol 2001;42:233–41.
Rubin GJ, Munshi JD, Wessely S. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: a systematic review of provocation studies. Psychosom Med 2005;67:224–32.
Rubin GJ, Hillert L, Nieto-Hernandez R, van Rongen E, Oftedal G. Do people with idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields display physiological effects when exposed to elctromagnetic fileds? A systematic review of provocation studies. Bioelectromagnetics 2011;32:593–609.
Genuis SJ, Lipp CT. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity: fact or fiction? Sci Total Environ 2012;414:103–12.
Austrian Medical Association. Guideline of Austrian Medical Association for the diagnoses and treatment of EMF-related health problems and illnesses (EMF syndrome). Consensus paper of the Austrian Medical Association’s EMF working group 2012. Available at: http://www.magdahavas.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Austrian-EMF-Guidelines-2012.pdf. Accessed on August 12, 2015.
Hillert L, Kolmodin Hedman B, Dölling BF, Arnetz BB. Cognitive behavioural therapy for patients with electric sensitivity – a multidisciplinary approach in a controlled study. Psychother Psychosom 1998;676:302–10.
Rubin GJ, Munshi JD, Wessely S. A systematic review of treatments for electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Psychother Psychosom 2006;75:12–8.
Hamzany Y, Feinmesser R, Shpitzer T, Mizrachi A, Hilly O, et al. Is human saliva an indicator of the adverse health effects of using mobile phones? Antioxid Redox Signal 2013;18:622–7.
World Health Organization. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Non-ionizing radiation, part 1: static and extremely low-frequency (ELF) electric and magnetic fields. IARC Monographs Volume 80. Lyon: IARC Press, 2002. Available at: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol80/mono80.pdf. Accessed on August 12, 2015.
World Health Organization. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Non-ionizing radiation, part 2: radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. IARC Monographs Volume 102. Lyon: IARC Press, 2013. Available at: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol102/mono102.pdf. Accessed on August 12, 2015.
©2015 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.
