MCS

SEVERE REACTIONS AT LOW EXPOSURE LEVELS

People with MCS can have severe and sometimes life-threatening reactions to chemicals found in many common products. Everyday products (including perfumes and colognes, pesticides, tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust, air freshener, and fabric softener) can trigger immediate or delayed symptoms. Symptoms can last for a few minutes or days.

Headache, trouble breathing, trouble concentrating, dizziness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, irregular heartbeat, and seizures are just some of the symptoms that can result from even minute exposures. Many chemically sensitive people have other sensitivities as well, for example to light, temperature, pathogens, and food, or electrical devices and sound.

What is MCS

The word “Multiple” in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity implies that you react to many or all substances that are inhaled, ingested, or get on your skin.  The person with MCS does not have sufficient enzymes to process foreign substances.  MCS is also called Environmental Illness, and those with EI are called EIs.

Levels of MCS, and Normal Reactions, and What is Not MCS

It is normal to become sick from a toxic amount of a chemical. The high exposure may make you extremely sensitive to that particular substance thereafter. That is not necessarily MCS.

Food allergies and hay fever are not MCS (although most people with MCS do have those).

A belief or understanding that chemicals, toxins, pesticides, or smelly things are bad and need to be avoided is not MCS.  MCS is not a belief system, it is a physical condition.

What Causes MCS

It is not known, but a combination of genetic disposition, certain deficiencies and a continued overload of toxins seems to be the culprit in many cases.  People with a chronic immune illness, such as Lupus, ME, MS, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and Lyme disease sometimes become acutely sensitive to chemicals.

What Does it Look Like

MCS is an invisible disability: sufferers may appear healthy even when very ill.

Please see: But You Look Fine

Three Definitions of MCS…

Dr. Ann Campbell of The Chemical Sensitivity Foundation

MCS as defined by Ecology House An apartment complex built for the chemically sensitive.

MCS - A Medical Perspective by Dr. Mark Donohoe of Australia

Coexisting Conditions

People with MCS often also have EMF intolerance, sensitivity to temperature, barometric pressure, noise and light.  Many have coexisting conditions of ME, MCS and Lupus.

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