Modern life is filled with all types of electrical conveniences. While all the tech can make our lives easier, there are some people who seem to be getting sick from exposure to EMFs.
What are EMFs, and how can they affect the human body? We’ll take a look at that in this article. Let’s get started!
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What are EMFs?
EMFs are electric and magnetic fields that swirl around our planet. They’re a natural part of the world and even a part of our bodies. The human body has its own naturally occurring electromagnetic fields. This is a type of radiation that’s not seen or smelled, and you can’t touch it. However, it’s all around us every day and comes from both natural and man-made sources.
The type of EMFs we’ll review in this article come from man-made sources. These are the type that seem to be making some people ill.
Sources of Man-Made EMFs
EMFs are put off by anything that runs by electricity. This includes kitchen appliances, computers, laptops, smartphones, TVs, and more. EMFs are also found around overhead electrical lines, high voltage underground cables, substations, and even our home’s wiring.
The important thing to understand about EMFs is that the farther away you are from the source, the fields become weaker. On the other hand, the closer you are to EMFs, the stronger the fields’ effect becomes.
Our exposure to electrical devices and power lines has been increasing over the last century. This is due to our growing dependency on electricity.
EMF Research
Most of the research into EMF exposure has come back with results saying that EMF exposure is safe. However, there are some scientists who say that EMFs can be dangerous. It’s obvious that more research needs to be done in this area in order to understand the effects of electromagnetic fields on our bodies.
With our exposure to EMFs continuing to grow, some people have had symptoms they say are caused by this type of radiation.
ES & EMF Symptoms
ES is the term used for electrosensitivity; with exposure to EMFs, some people have begun to show symptoms of ES. The EMFs can create mild or severe symptoms, which vary from person to person. Each person has their own level of sensitivity.
EMF symptoms are many and include:
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in heart rhythm
- Dizziness
- Muscle aches
- Changes in mood
- Depression
- Nausea
- Restless & anxiety
- Loss of appetite/weight loss
- Skin burning & tingling
- And more
Children seem to be more susceptible to EMF exposure. The thought is that this is due to their thinner skin and that they may have more water in their systems. This could possibly make kids more sensitive to EMFs. Some studies have also pointed out that there’s a higher incidence of some forms of childhood cancer in kids who live near high-voltage power lines.
Two Types of EMF Exposure
There are two types of EMFs, one is called ionising radiation, and the other is non-ionising radiation.
Ionising radiation examples include:
- Ultraviolet light (UV)
- X-rays
Ionising radiation is high-level radiation, which is known to cause damage to human tissues.
On the other hand, non-ionising radiation is a type of low-level radiation. This is thought to be harmless to humans. This type of radiation includes EMFs, which are produced by everything that runs on electricity, including:
- WiFi routers
- Cellphones
- Smart meters
- Bluetooth devices
- Power lines
- MRIs
- Microwave ovens
- Computers
- Kitchen appliances
- And more
Research on EMFs & Humans
Some researchers believe EMF exposure is completely harmless, while others believe there is a cause and effect between EMF exposure and certain illnesses.
One of the most common sources of EMFs that many of us use is cell phones. The use of cell phones has risen over the last two decades. In some cases, these are the only phones people may have in their homes. This is how common the devices have become. And some people carry more than one cellphone these days.
A study done in 2000 took a look at the possible relation between EMFs from cell phones and brain cancer. The study followed cellphone use and cancer rates in more than 5,000 people in 13 countries. They came to the conclusion that there may be a slight connection between the use of cellphones and glioma, a certain type of brain cancer.
Researchers determined that further studies were needed to determine the link between heavy use of cell phones and cancer.
Other studies have shown a link between EMFs and illnesses, but there’s still no definitive answer on whether or not this type of radiation is harmful to humans. At the same time, people continue to suffer from symptoms they believe are caused by EMFs.
Low-Level Radiation Dangers
There is an organisation called the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), which has guidelines for EMF exposure. They’ve done research to determine what they are safe levels of exposure.
EMFs are measured in units called volts per meter (V/m); the higher the V/m number, the stronger the EMF signal. The ICNIRP has determined that when exposures are low, there is no harm done. Here are some examples:
- Power mains (close to power lines): 10,000 V/m
- Power mains (not close to power lines): 100 V/m
- Electric trains & trams: 300 V/m
- TV and computer screens: 10 V/m
- Natural EMFs (such as created by the sun): 200 V/m
- TV & radio transmitters: 6 V/m
- Radars: 9 V/m
- Mobile phone base stations: 6 V/m
- Microwave ovens: 14 V/m
As these numbers show, our exposure to EMFs is pretty low. However, if you’d like to learn more about you and your family’s exposure levels, there is something you can do.
Contact an EMF Inspector
If you’re worried about your family’s exposure to EMFs, then you may want to consider getting in touch with an EMF inspector. They will come out to your home and do an EMF inspection, where they inspect the inside and the outside of your home.
The inspector will write up a report of their findings and then share these with you. The report points out sources of harmful EMFs and may include advice and guidance on how to deal with the problem.
It’s tempting to run out and buy an EMF detector online; however, these are usually poor and do not provide accurate results. Your money’s better spent on hiring an EMF inspector to do a survey for you.
With an accurate EMF survey, you’ll have the information you need to keep your family safe and healthy.