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agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:26
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Electrosensitivity - how to diagnose it and what advice to give your patients.

DR DAVID DOWSON, A GP AND EXPERT IN ELECTRO-SENSITIVITY (ALSO KNOWN AS ELECTRO-HYPERSENSITIVITY) GIVES ADVICE TO DOCTORS

Dr David Dowson is a GP and a specialist in environmental medicine in which he has conducted research and co-authored several books. He has lectured extensively and has advised the House of Commons and the House of Lords on complementary medicine. Dr Dowson has a specialist interest in Electrosensitivity.
Although it has been with us certainly for more than three decades, Electro Hyper Sensitivity (EHS) or Electrosensivity (ES) has finally been recognised by the UK Government as a 'Condition'.
Doctors may find themselves new to the subject and unsure of how to deal with patients who are potentially electro-sensitised.
As an expert in the field, I would like to offer you the benefit of my experience.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:27
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Advice for Doctors - Frequently Asked Questions
1. How common is electrosensitivity?
This is difficult to answer as it is a new condition. Also there are varying degrees of sensitivity, and those only mildly affected will not necessarily be aware of the cause and not have any disruption to daily life.
As sensitivity arises because of exposure, the incidence in a particular country will depend on the level of exposure allowed in that country. So the incidence in Switzerland, with very strict and low levels of allowed exposure, will have a very low incidence of electrosensitivity compared to the U.K.
In Sweden, where it is an accepted diagnosis by the authorities, it is thought to affect up to 5 % of the population. However, this probably includes those mildly affected. I suspect that the incidence in the U.K., sufficient to significantly affect health, is probably about 2%.
BUT it is rising due to increasing electropollution and exposure. I have seen more patients in the last 2 years than in the previous 10.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:28
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2. With what symptoms does electrosensitivity present?
The two almost universal symptoms are fatigue and mental impairment. The latter causes poor memory, reduced concentration and lowered clarity of thought. In addition some patients have severe headache on exposure, altered sleep pattern and skin rash (especially facial from computers).
Even though the patient may not have made the link with E.M. fields, commonly they have noticed a geographical variation in their symptoms.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:34
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3. What physiology is causing the symptoms?
At present this is unclear. Also unknown is why some patients are more susceptible

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:39
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4. How long from first symptoms and diagnosis?
This is impossible to answer as it will depend on the severity of the symptoms and the ability of the patient to recognise the cause. Also, because there are no diagnostic testing facilities for ES in the U.K., diagnosis rests entirely on the patients observation and symptoms.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:41
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5. How can ES be distinguished from other conditions?
The association of symptoms with exposure is the biggest clue. Often patients have taken measures to reduce exposure, such as moving to a remote location, stopping using electronic equipment, or switching off all electricity at night and found that they improve.
The problem is that due to the lack of diagnostic tests, ES is a useful diagnosis for a malingerer to adopt. Only experience with the condition can distinguish the difference.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:42
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6. Are there varying degrees of electrosensitivity?
Very much so. Some patients are forced to live in remote areas, possibly with no electricity in the property. Some just take measures within the house to avoid ‘hot spots’ where there is a high field, and there are some who just notice a mild symptom, such as a slight headache, after prolonged exposure to a mobile phone or a computer. It is likely that a proportion of patients with mild fatigue have ES, but they have not made the link to EM exposure.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:47
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7. Is there a known cure?
At present, not a cure as such. Treatment depends on detection, avoidance and protection. However, if exposure is reduced by avoidance and protection measures, the sensitivity appears to lessen.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:48
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8 What treatments are available?
1. Detection. Meters are available to measure EM fields in the patient’s environment. Action can then be taken to avoid being in areas of high EM fields for long periods of time, such as rearranging furniture etc.
2. Avoidance. Patients should be advised to avoid exposure by not using mobile phones or digital cordless phones (the latter are more of a risk. They should not use electrical items which are close to the body such as hairdryers, electric blankets etc., and to maintain a distance from such items as computers, TV’s and so on.
3. Protection. It is now possible to obtain materials which block EM fields. I have known patients make a mosquito net structure over their beds to provide an EM free zone when sleeping, or incorporate the material in clothing.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:51
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9. How can I stop my patient panicking at the diagnosis?
Reassurance that:
1. They are not alone and there are self help groups and organisations.
2. ES is not fatal, except insofar as it impairs judgement.
3. Provided the measures mentioned above under treatment are initiated, there is every chance that over time the sensitivity will lessen.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:56
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10. Who is most at risk of ES?
Patients who are occupationally, or at home, exposed to high levels of electromagnetic fields. So workers in the electronic industries, communication industries and on power distribution systems will be at risk. Those who live in homes near high voltage power lines or in line of microwave transmitters will be more susceptible to developing ES.
As mentioned before, there will be less risk in countries such as Switzerland where a more cautious approach to permitted levels of exposure has been adopted.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 03:57
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11. Does a predisposition to ES run in families?
Difficult to answer. If several members of one family are affected it is probably more likely that there has been excessive exposure to all of them, say in the home environment, rather than any genetic predisposition.

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 04:00
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12. Where are there other sources of information ?
1. Electrosensitivity.org.uk - a charity to support sufferers.
2. Powerwatch.org.uk - contact for meters and protective material
3. Lessemf.com - an american site for meters and information
© Dr David Dowson MMV

agnes
# Posted: 6 Sep 2006 04:01
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Biography of Dr. David Dowson

Starting out as a general practitioner near Bournemouth, Dr Dowson spent 12 years incorporating complementary methods within his own practice. His increasing interest in complementary methods of treatment led to him found the British Medical Acupuncture Society in 1980, which now has over 1000 members.From 1984 to 1993 he was a partner at the Centre for the Study of Complementary Medicine, Southampton. He has written extensively on complementary medicine, including co-authoring two books and contributing to others, including the Readers Digest Family Guide to Alternative Medicine.

In addition he has done research, subsequently published, mainly in environmental medicine. He has a particular interest in the treatment of M.E. and conducted research which demonstrated the most effective treatment for this condition so far discovered.As well as his clinical commitment, Dr Dowson teaches acupuncture, homoeopathy, and allergy to fellow doctors, physiotherapists and to veterinary practitioners. He is a trustee of the ES charity, Electrosensitivity UK.

He lectures extensively, particularly on M.E., and has advised the House of Commons and the Select Committee of the House of Lords on Complementary Medicine.Dr Dowson considers that his treatment is primary through "Biological Therapy". This is treatment designed to encourage the body's natural healing and defensive mechanisms.

Dr Dowson is recognised by the major medical insurance companies (BUPA, PPP, Health First and WPA) as a specialist in acupuncture, homoeopathy and environmental medicine.
http://www.detect-protect.com/k/evidence/drbio.htm

charles
Member
# Posted: 2 Mar 2013 11:47
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I have developed a treatment in order to decrease the sensitivity for elektrosmog.

Henrik
Admin
# Posted: 2 Mar 2013 19:48
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charles,

Can you provide a link to info about your treatment?

ericgeneric
Member
# Posted: 2 Mar 2013 20:27
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Dr Dowson is a decent man, with a wealth of experience. I was under the impression he'd retired about a year or two back, but I could be wrong. Perhaps he just closed some of his practices.

I tried going to him a few times over the last 30 years, but without much luck. The strangest thing was that the last visit I (unknowingly) described all the classic ES symptoms when telling him how much worse I'd become (this was before I linked what was happening to me with microwave exposure), yet he failed to pick up on them at all.

Given what I subsequently learned about his familiarity with the problem, that surprised and concerned me. He was obviously blinded by my existing condition, and couldn't spot the obvious ES that had developed due to the mast.

EG.

agnes
# Posted: 10 Mar 2013 00:45
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Eric
As far as I have been able to find out now, by searching, David Dowson is indeed retired.
A big loss for us all.
I have never seen him, but I have talked to him on the phone, and then he complained that he Did Not have Proper facilities to test if people were EHS.
Best regards.
Agnes

ericgeneric
Member
# Posted: 10 Mar 2013 03:33
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Agnes, thanks for the info. It's always bugged me a little (okay a lot) that Dr Dowson didn't spot the onset of my EHS before I did a few months later.

EG.

Anonymous
# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 07:52
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My name is Sierra.I only write anonymously because i know little about this method of communication & didn't know if i would have to join Facebook, Yelp, or some other horrible recent non-invention (my,already, strong dislike of computers has just increased with what I've learned in the last couple days.) I only learned of ES yesterday but have suffered for about 2 years w/something i know is related to energy, magnetism, electricity, static, etc.I was born and live in Northern California where my boyfriend moved 2years ago from a small, old apartment on the outskirts of our town to the north about 2 miles in the same town to a 4 bedroom house his parents bought us. Soon after we were settled, our home was outfitted w/a dozen solar panels and our meter that was previously read and recorded each month by a worker from the utility company was swapped out w/a digital device that is read from off-site. It is called, a "smart meter." What i have, now, learned is that this device should not be discussed with the word "smart" anywhere nearby. Have you heard of this madness? Is it silly for me to even ask if my health issues are related?

Henrik
Admin
# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 13:12
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Sierra,

No its not a silly question at all.

Re solar panels:
We've had reports from people who have installed solar panels on their homes and subsequently developed health problems. So far the health issues have been traced to the so-called "inverter" component of the solar panel system. The inverter is the part that converts the direct (non-oscillating) current from the solar panels into a regular 60Hz (oscillating) current, like you get from any power plug outlet in a house. We suspect that the inverter creates some high-frequency electromagnetic noise as a by-product of its current conversion. Usually the symptoms disappear/dissipate when the inverter box is shut down.

Re "smart"-meters:
So-called smart-meters transmit cellphone-like signals at intervals 24/7 so that the power company can remotely track your energy consumption. This radiation has given a lot of people health problems. Most likely you can get the power company to replace it with an analog, non-transmitting, meter because many power companies have been legally forced to offer an opt-out from smart-meters. If you opt-out then expect the power company to punish you by placing an extra charge on getting the meter read. There is a lot of info already available on the problems with smart-meters so I'll point you to some of the good sources instead of repeating it.

For really thorough information on smart-meters, I recommend watching the documentary "Take Back Your Power" by Josh del Sol. Get it here: http://www.takebackyourpower.net

Check the Stop Smart Meters alliance: http://stopsmartmeters.org
There's a "find a local group" menu item.

Best regards,
Henrik

ME
# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 17:44
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Stop Smart Meters UK link is:

http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/

ME
# Posted: 28 Sep 2014 19:45
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http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/ofgem-confirms-british-gas-is-misleading-customers-on-s mart-meters/

OFGEM confirms: British Gas is MISLEADING customers on Smart Meters - See more at: http://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/ofgem-confirms-british-gas-is-misleading-customers-on-s mart-meters/#sthash.JnyeHjKm.dpuf

hocking Smart Meter Effects on Human Blood
look at this also on the webpage

agnes
# Posted: 1 Oct 2014 02:39
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Hi Sierra.
Here is some US and Canadian sites and e-mail address that I suggest you look at, and contact:
Stop Smart Meters, take back your power (US action group directory)
http://www.takebackyourpower.net/directory/us/
There are loads of local groups in California, bound to be some in your area.
So pls. dont hold back, contact them and get help and advice.

Then I have added some websites that can give you scientific information.
(And, pls. remember, EMR/EMF is not just "Smart meters" but cell phones, cell phone towers, WiFi, Wimax, Dect phones, even baby monitors, so in short "All digital things wireless"
If you need more info please let me know, as we either have, or can get most info, so here goes:

First 2 are science:

Magda Havas, an independent scientist who really does huge work within the subject, she also travels and lectures, and posts scientific findings on her site.
http://www.magdahavas.com/about-this-site/

Bioinitiative group: Cindy Sage and David Kennedy.
http://www.bioinitiative.org/
You can contact them here:
http://www.bioinitiative.org/contact/

I have included a sortie of links to their publications.
http://www.bioinitiative.org/report/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/sec01_2012_summary_for_pu blic.pdf
http://www.bioinitiative.org/media/press-releases/
http://www.bioinitiative.org/potential-health-effects-emf/
It would be worth your while to read through what is at the links.

2 years ago EMR/EMF was classified as a possible carcinogen by a IARC, (a dept. of the WHO) and I include the link to the doc about it.
IARC CLASSIFIES RADIOFREQUENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS AS POSSIBLY CARCINOGE NIC TO HUMANS
IARC/WHO classification of Electromagnetic Microwave Radiation (EMF) as a possible (2b) CARCINOGE
http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf

And at last, but not least the US websites and blogs that can help you and keep you informed:
EMF expert Louis Slesin's PhD website
http://microwavenews.com/
There is a facility to ask for newsletters

Martin Weatherall´s website, contact, ask to be added to newsletter
http://www.weepinitiative.org/

Robert Riedlinger in Canada sends out news, mail and ask him to be on his list: robe.ried@shaw.ca
This is for starters, what I can remember that I have info on in the US right now, but when I remember more, and there are more I will post it here.
You are also welcome to write to me directly: agnes@mast-victims.org

Best regards.
Agnes

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