Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is an on-going health condition where one is negatively affected by the presence of chemicals in his environment.
Some, including the American Medical Association, don’t recognize MCS as a diagnosis because some blinded studies have shown that MCS sufferers are not reactive to chemicals. Therefore, some physicians consider MCS to have psychological underpinnings, like a fear of being in public or extreme, short-term anxiety. Others believe it to be an allergic reaction.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (a division of the NIH); however, does have a definition for MCS. “Chronic, recurring disease caused by a person’s inability to tolerate an environmental chemical or class of foreign chemicals.” It has also been defined as “sensitivities to extraordinary low levels of environmental chemicals” which appear “to develop de novo in some individuals following acute or chronic exposure to a wide variety of environmental agents including various pesticides, solvents, drugs, and air contaminants”.
Some people start having problems after one exposure to a high level of a toxic chemical and others have symptoms after being exposed to various chemicals over time.
Symptoms can affect both ones psychological and psychical states. Symptoms include fatigue, seizure, respiratory and cognitive problems like short-term memory difficulties, trembling, dizziness, focusing issues like forgetting where you’ve put your photo albums, nausea, heart arrhythmia and muscle pain.
In 1993 one of the first MCS studies was performed. Later a study showed that symptoms of MCS correlate to inflammation in the brain.
Those with MCS may have a problem with the areas of the brain that process odor, and odor is related to emotion. Since the places in the brain that process emotion are not able to distinguish between different smells very well, then when the brain “smells” something benign it may think the scent is dangerous and set the body into fight-or-flight. Those who are more emotional have stronger reactions to smell.
40% of those with chronic fatigue syndrome have MCS symptoms plus 16% of those with fibromyalgia have it as well.
The following items have chemicals in them that can trigger a reaction in those affected with MCS. Fresh ink, perfumes, glues, skin care products, scented candles, dish washing liquid, marking pens, dry cleaning fluid, bleach, new carpeting, new furniture, body care products used in salons, dishwashing liquid and dishwashing detergent. Food triggers include caffeine, monosodium glutamate and dyes.
There are many scientific ways to identify MCS including carbohydrate metabolism, mineral deficiencies, chemical encephalopathy, SPECT scans, vitamin deficiencies, excess amino acid deficiency, and disturbed lipid.
There are a variety of ways to address the disorder, lessen its effects and help in increasing productivity.