ORIGINAL COMMENT · UNEDITED TEXT
My experience with EHS: A life changed in 2025
In 2025, I became severely ill with what I identify as electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), following exposure to high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and new electronic equipment. Before this, I already had asthma, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). When EHS developed, I realised that my life might never be the same again.
In Finland, patients have reported developing EHS after MCS. Professor Ville Valtonen, who has treated many patients with CIRS, has reportedly observed this progression in some of his patients. Having lived with MCS for many years, I had assumed that I would not develop EHS.
I think my pre-existing conditions, including MCAS and CIRS, contributed to my vulnerability. Blood tests through a functional medicine doctor showed elevated arsenic levels. I initially developed nausea following heavy VOC exposure outside my home, but my symptoms also improved immediately after moving to a home with better indoor air quality.
My deterioration was devastating. I became so nauseated that I could barely eat. I had to switch off the Wi-Fi, stop using electrical heating, and avoid electronic devices. For approximately a year, I could not tolerate even electric lighting. In fall 2025, I couldn’t look at a video without becoming nauseated, and phone use was limited to flight mode for one hour a day. Even my neighbours’ lights were disturbing, and at one point I could feel when they switched their lights on without looking.
In spring 2026, I also began experiencing allergic reactions to candlelight. The prospect of spending the winter in darkness made me realise how urgently I needed to get better. Fortunately, there are ways to get better from EHS, and I can now use electric lighting.
I was unable to work for a year, and obtaining financial support was extremely difficult. Despite being a highly qualified engineer who had paid substantial taxes throughout my career, I struggled to have my inability to work recognised. The lack of an accepted diagnosis, together with the way EHS is often perceived, made it difficult to explain my condition within the healthcare and social security systems. I feared that mentioning EHS would undermine my credibility because it is often regarded as a functional disorder rather than a disabling condition requiring appropriate assessment and support.
Throughout this illness, I have continued to be a mother to two children. Yet the contrast with my previous life is enormous. Before becoming ill, I was a high-achieving engineer with ambitious career goals, an active social life, and numerous hobbies.
The social consequences of EHS are also profound. It is difficult to navigate a society in which the condition is frequently ridiculed or dismissed. Beyond the physical limitations, patients face disbelief, inadequate support, and the risk of losing their careers and independence. These consequences deserve serious attention, regardless of the ongoing debate about the mechanisms underlying the condition.
I urge HHS to take seriously the reported suffering and functional impairment of people who identify as having EHS.
My experience raises several questions that deserve further investigation:
Pre-existing conditions: Are people with MCS, MCAS, or a history of significant mould exposure more likely to report symptoms associated with electromagnetic fields or radiofrequency exposure? If so, what factors might explain this?
Multiple environmental exposures: Could chemical exposures, indoor air quality, or other environmental stressors contribute to the onset or severity of symptoms that patients associate with EMF or RF exposure? How can these potential interactions be investigated?
Individual differences: Why do some people report severe symptoms associated with wireless devices, electrical equipment, or lighting while others do not? What biological, environmental, or other factors might contribute to these differences?