ES-UK flyer

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Aug 29, 2008 - WiFi wireless networks, domestic wiring,. DECT cordless ... political change re: exposures, appropriate h
www.es-uk.info

What does ES-UKES-UK do? What does do?

• ES-UK runs a helpline to support people with ES, their friends and family, to sympathetic ear topeople hear individuals’ experiences and to offer •ensure ES-UKthere runs is a ahelpline to support with ES, their friends and family, to ensure information and practical help, where possible. there is a sympathetic ear to hear individual’s experiences and to offer and practical help, where • information We have information on ES, what it is,possible. and what you can do about it, to enable you to improve your health and explain to others, including your medical contacts, real nature of your condition. •the We have information on ES, what it is, and what you can do about it, to enable you to yourahealth andof persuade including your medical contacts, of the reality • improve We support directory servicesothers, and products suitable for ES people. of your condition.

• We send out a quarterly newsletter keeping people informed about others’ experiences, with tips from sufferers about what helps them, information about ES • We maintain an up to date library of scientific research into ES. in the workplace and at home, and national and international news, including new research.

• We have an interactive forum on the website for those people who can use computers, • to Weshare maintain a website information experiences andwith what has helped.and news, for those who can use

computers.

We do ourout bestatobi-monthly educate thenewsletter medical profession ES.informed about people’s •• We send keeping about people experiences, tips from sufferers about what helps them; information about ES in the

• We do our best to educate Public Health England (PHE) and its Advisory Group and at home; national and newsgroups including new research. onworkplace Non-Ionising Radiation (AGNIR), theinternational two government responsible for the UK’s high levels of exposure which cause ES.

• We do our best to encourage changes in medical opinion about ES, and to lobby for • We do our best to educate officials involved with benefits, disability issues, political change re: exposures, appropriate housing, work adaptations and benefits.

employment, hospitals, housing, public services, schools, shopping and transport.

Contact Contact For more information about ES-UK, write to:

For about ES-UK, write to: BMmore Box information ES-UK, London, WC1N 3XX BM ES-UK, WC1N 3XX tel.Box 0845 643 London, 9748 web. www.es-uk.info

tel. 0845 643 9748 ES-UK Trustees: Michael Bevington, Sarah Dacre, Brian Stein, web. www.es-uk.info Dr Andrew Tresidder, Philip Watts Medical Advisers: Dr Stephen Brooke, Dr Deitrich Klinghardt, Dr Erica Mallery-Blythe Scientific Advisers: Dr Andrew Goldsworthy. Dr Magda Havas, ES-UK is an independent charity Registered No. 1103018 Professor Denis Henshaw, Professor Olle Johansson

ES-UK has the following trustees (T), scientific (S) and medical (M) advisers:ES-UK Bevington is an independent charity founded in 2003. Michael (T), Dr Stephen Brooke (M), Sarah Dacre (T), Dr David Dowson (M) It is financed by donations. No.Havas 1103018. ES-UK,(T)September 2013 Doctor Andrew Goldsworthy (S).Registered Doctor Magda (S), Professor Denis Henshaw Professor Olle Johansson (S), Jean Philips (T), Doctor Hugo Schooneveld (S), Brian Stein (T), Philip Watts (T)

Electrosensitivity? Electro-sensitivity What’s that? (ES) is a condition which can develop Electrosensitivity (ES) is a condition which when people are exposed to can develop when people are exposed to things like computers, things like mobile phones, mobile phone masts, powerlines, substations, computers, cordless phones, WiFi wireless networks, domestic wiring, low lighting, DECT energy cordless phones and other household appliances.phones, mobile mobile phone masts, powerlines, smart meters, substations and WiFi.

www.es-uk.info

What are the symptoms of ES? What are the fields symptoms ofare ES?produced by electrical and wireless appliances in homes Electromagnetic (EMFs) Electromagnetic (EM) fields and radiation from electrical and wireless appliances, at home, at work and workplaces and outside in our everyday environment. These EMFs are what can and outside, can provoke ES. The most common symptoms are head/ear pain when using a mobile provoke The most symptoms head/ear pain when using mobile phone, phone,ES. headaches andcommon sleep disruption whenare living near a phone mast or WiFi,asleeplessness, redness and burning on the face or arms when using a computer or headaches and lethargy, miscarriages and depression living near powerlines, or redness and burning on thesleep disruption when living near a mobile phone mast, sleeplessness, lethargy, even miscarriages face or arms when using a computer. Other symptoms include skin tingling, burning sensations, and depressionand living nearproblems, powerlines. Other includepalpitations, skin tingling, burning concentration memory muscle and symptoms joint pains, cardiac fatigue, irritability and erratic high blood sensations, concentration and pressure. memory problems, muscle and joint pains, cardiac palpitations, fatigue, irritability and erratic high blood pressure. Unfortunately, ES is often progressive. The sufferer may become sensitive to a wider range of frequencies, orEStheir symptoms may become They may react chemicals or develop Unfortunately, is usually progressive and more over severe. time the sufferer maytobecome sensitive to other allergies. a wider range of frequencies and/or their reactions may become more severe, or they may begin to react to chemicals or develop food allergies. Who develops ES?

Anyone can develop electrical sensitivity, at any age, including children. Studies show that a small When, because EMFs around you can no3-8% longer go to work, use aand computer, watch number (underof 1%) of people areyou, badly affected, moderately sensitive, up to 30% are television, go to the shops, go out in a car, or even use a telephone, your lifestyle becomes slightly sensitive. very restricted. Often family, friends, GPs do not believe your symptoms can be caused by theWhat modern we all for granted. They suggest it is ‘all in the mind’ and your cantechnology you do about EStake at work? caneven makerefer work you difficult. countries, Canada, Sweden and the recognise thisare GPES may to aSome psychiatrist. It like is hard for the sufferer notUSA, to believe they functional indeed goingdisability. mad. Inform your employer if EM exposure makes work difficult, since it is your employer’s duty of care to provide a safe and healthy working environment.

What can you do about ES at home?

Who develops What happens to them? Your lifestyle can becomeES? very restricted if you cannot use a computer, watch TV, go to the shops, go out in a car, or use a telephone. All expert doctors advise reducing exposure to EM fields and Anyone can develop electrical sensitivity, at bedroom. any age, it is impossible to predict. We estimate radio frequency radiation, especially in your Avoid WiFi, mobiles and cordless phones that 5%can, of the population suffer quiteKeep badly from sensitivity. That is as about far as you and UK refuse wireless smart meters. away fromelectrical low energy bulbs, especially CFLs, which emit radiation directly and affect Thewho ES-UK lists suppliers more than 2,000,000 people. Increasingly, it house is our wiring. children areDirectory being made to suffer.of shielding materials to block EM radiation, some of which were developed by the military for use against electronic warfare. transmitter devices withwork wiredenvironments. ones if asked. Many adults lose their jobs Neighbours when they may can replace no longer tolerate modern The Council of Europe recommends that all states should establish “white zones” free of Some have to move home, though getting away from substations and mobile phone masts man-made EM radiation, but the UK has not yet done so. is not an easy task. A few become so sensitive that they have to live without electricity altogether. Social isolation and lack of access to basic services can become a major problem. What about people who do not understand ES? GPsFamily, and other medical professionals nounderstand training inthat recognising or treating ES. So friends, and uninformed GPs have may not your symptoms are caused bymany EM schools haveBecause installed WiFi manyamong of ourthe children developing behavioural and exposure. of lack of that knowledge medicalare profession, your GP may refer you to learning problems that are robbing them of studies their education, and may be disrupting the a psychiatrist or neurologist. Some provocation confuse Electro-sensitivity with EM Phobia education ofexposure). others. Internet can easily studies, be achieved with wired networks. Our (fear of EM There are access plenty of scientific however, showing that some people react tocan EMhave exposure both technology consciously and at the the molecular as do animals and plants. children modern without healthlevel, side effects of WiFi. A letter for GPs about ES is available from ES-UK, written by Dr Tresidder, a GP and ES-UK Trustee.

What about ES children and schools with WiFi? A few children are so sensitive that they cannot attend a school with WiFi and thus require special arrangements. Cables can easily replace unhealthy wireless WiFi for internet access.

Are powerlines, substations, mobile and cordless What about diagnosing phones, phoneES? masts and WiFi networks safe?

Diagnostic tests, such as cerebral blood perfusion scans, heart rate variability and molecular markers, show that ES is a physical reaction to EM exposure, not psychological. The international Nordic Hundreds of scientific studies show increased risk of cancer, depression, disease, Council of Ministers in 2000 classified ES in the International Classification of Alzheimer’s Diseases (ICD-10. leukaemia, brain tumours, fertility problems, miscarriages and damage to DNA as a result R68.8), based on the environmental toxin test, where the removal of EM exposure also removes the symptoms. Increasing numbers of centres abroad diagnose and treat ES, but no NHS hospital in the of exposure to EMFs from powerlines, masts, mobile and DECT phones. UK specialises in ES yet (2013).

Are cordless and mobile phones, phone masts, powerlines, Why doesn’t the government do something? smart meters, low energy lighting and WiFi safe? No. World Health Organisation’s for Research on Cancer classifies The The government follows outdatedInternational advice thatAgency only protects the general public from acute powerline and radio frequency radiation as class 2B possible cancer agents. Some scientists say effects such as electric shocks and being cooked. The exposure guidelines are not meant to they should now be class 2A probable or class 1 certain. Hundreds of scientific studies show protect us from the chronic effects such as those listed above. The government advised by increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, brain tumours, cancer, cardiovascular effects, damage to DNA, the HPA, seems be influenced more bymiscarriages. commercial interests and tax revenues than the depression, fertilitytoproblems, leukaemia and wellbeing of those who are sensitive to environmental pollutants.

Why doesn’t the UK government do something about ES? The UK government still follows poor and outdated advice from Public Health England (PHE) and its Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation (AGNIR). This protects the public only from acute heating What is being done about ES? effects, although these high limits are obsolete according to the European Parliament. The current scientific consensus accepts that long-term, low-level EM exposure is harmful and that some people In ES is treated a disability. People with ES can getinfluenced grants tobyadapt and shield areSweden, more sensitive to it thanas others. The UK government seems more the wireless their homes. Employers make changes to the work environment for employees with ES. industry and tax revenues than people’s health. Some other countries and their courts now recognise Mobile phone-free zones have been introduced on the Stockholm and Salzburg that ES exists, that mobile phone masts and WiFi cause ES symptoms, and that mobile phonespublic can transport cause brainsystems. tumours.In America houses cannot be built close to powerlines.

How treated outside the UK? Thereisis ES unfortunately widespread ignorance of ES among GPs and public bodies in the UK,

In Sweden is treated as a functional People with ES can get grants toand shield homes. despite theESevidence, because of thedisability. reluctance to question official policy thetheir influence Employers make interests. changes for ES workers. There are mobile phone-free zones on the Stockholm and of commercial Salzburg public transport systems. In America houses cannot be built close to powerlines. Countries like Australia, France, Germany and Spain have recognised individual ES cases through disability awards, whiledoes Canada and Russia havecome medical centres Where ES-UK in?specialising in ES. Some health authorities in other European countries discuss with ES groups how to provide practical help. The aims of the ES-UK charity are: Where does ES-UK come in? • To promote and protect the physical and mental health of sufferers of electrosensitivity The aims of ES-UK are: inpromote the United provision ofwith support, education and practical advice. • To and Kingdom protect thethrough physical the health of people electro-sensitivity in the UK through support, education practicalof advice. • To advance theand education the general public in all areas relating to electrosensitivity. • To advance the education of the general public in all areas relating to electro-sensitivity. ES-UK is independent of Government and commercial interests. Our Trustees are people who have had experienced problems and of living with electrical hypersensitivity ES-UK is a charity independent the of government commercial interests. Our trustees have or who have supported people suffering from this disability for many years. experienced the problems of living with ES or have supported ES people for many years.