Did you know? It's possible to be allergic to Wi-Fi, kind of

[dkpope]

Most of us are allergic to something, even if it’s a minor affliction. Now imagine that whatever you’re allergic to invisibly criss-crosses every major city and small town. You can’t get away from it unless you sequester yourself in an isolated corner of the world. Pretty horrifying.

But for people who claim to have electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), that scenario is real because they’re, in essence, allergic to Wi-Fi.

One example is Marine Richard, a woman living in rural France, who recently became the first person to be officially recognized for the disorder, the Telegraph reports. A French court ordered authorities to pay her around $900 per month for at least three years for her discomfort.

This is a tricky subject because though electromagnetic hypersensitivity is acknowledged by the World Health Organization, other medical institutions and professionals question it. Not that people don’t have the symptoms, but that they may be psychological, not physical, or that it’s simply too nebulous to diagnose. Symptoms include nausea, heart palpitations, dizziness, and redness, tingling and burning sensations on the skin.

Fans of Better Call Saul, the Breaking Bad spin-off, might remember a character on the show having a condition where he would wrap himself in a space blanket to protect himself from wireless devices. That’s an example of EHS. The NYMag says that after the episode aired, news outlets quickly called out the show for over hyping the disorder and said the science behind it was bogus.

Richard, the woman living in a barn to avoid electromagnetic waves, would beg to differ from those who say EHS is bogus. She called her win in court a "breakthrough" and no matter your opinion on EHS, it does set a new precedent.

Image source: Shutterstock

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/61941-did-you-know-possible-allergic-wi-fi.html

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

I believe it. I have a friend who's allergic to infrared light. That means no going outside in daylight, no using the stove, no open flames in the room, and only CFL light bulbs. Even the sun reflecting off the moon at night is enough to burn him. So crazy you couldn't make it up.

 

[stewi0001]

Definitely would not be surprised if this is an issue. But I'd better not tell my mother or she will think she has it.

 

[misor]

Definitely would not be surprised if this is an issue. But I'd better not tell my mother or she will think she has it.

your mother is lois0002?

seriously, I could relate since I have a hypochondriac cousin...

 

[Satki]

>One example is Marine Richard, a woman living in rural France, who recently became the first person to be officially recognized for the disorder, the Telegraph reports.

The telegraph is **** - the court didn't recognise the disorder, it recognised that her belief in her having this condition (which in effect is a psychological issue - the nocebo effect) caused her distress and was in effect a disability. There is a difference between that and recognising it is a disease, which it is not.

 

[Mandark57]

No such thing as this. It is only the patient's belief that this is happening. HOGWASH., it's their mental problem.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Consider the odd case of "homing pigeons" - even though we do not know know how they do it, they do it.

Given the wide genetic diversity of the human species, why shouldn't we have a few black swans.

 

[stewi0001]

Well here is a good/evil idea for a test. Get a sniper or someone stealthy to take a long range emp cannon and shoot it at one of the unknowing people in that West Virginia and see if they react. If they do, send them an apology note and a pie.

 

[wiyosaya]

Have the woman submit to a "blind" test. She goes into 11 chambers, 6 of which are Faraday cages, the other 5 are not. If she routinely reports the symptoms in both the Faraday cages and the non-Faraday cages, then her symptoms are psychological. If she does not report the symptoms in the Faraday cages, then her symptoms are likely real. A test like this, as I see it, is the only way to tell for sure.

 

[wastedkill]

I have this thing where I'm allergic to stupid people, Government has been ordered to pay me $9.8Billion every year.

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

Have the woman submit to a "blind" test. She goes into 11 chambers, 6 of which are Faraday cages, the other 5 are not. If she routinely reports the symptoms in both the Faraday cages and the non-Faraday cages, then her symptoms are psychological. If she does not report the symptoms in the Faraday cages, then her symptoms are likely real. A test like this, as I see it, is the only way to tell for sure.

^ This. That would prove it...

 

[Camikazi]

Have the woman submit to a "blind" test. She goes into 11 chambers, 6 of which are Faraday cages, the other 5 are not. If she routinely reports the symptoms in both the Faraday cages and the non-Faraday cages, then her symptoms are psychological. If she does not report the symptoms in the Faraday cages, then her symptoms are likely real. A test like this, as I see it, is the only way to tell for sure.

I always liked this story http://mybroadband.co.za/news/wireless/11099-massive-revelation-in-iburst-tower-battle.html where the people of the town started reporting all types of rashes and headaches because of a tower even though the tower had been turned off for 6 weeks. It was all in their heads, they believed the tower would cause these problems so their mind made them real regardless of what was actually happening.

 

[Adhmuz]

"A French court ordered authorities to pay her around $900 per month for at least three years for her discomfort." What authorities? Why only for 3 years? This has got to be the worst story ever, no details, just a reason to make people realize how easy it is to screw over the government with a completely fake disease, or a belief that they are afflicted by something that can't harm them. I guess good for her, she successfully beat the system and gets to live in a barn...

I'd like to know how she can differentiate between radio waves, its a broad spectrum and WiFi only uses a specific range, so the suggestions is she's only affected by the small spectrum that WiFi uses? What about cell towers and FM/AM radio waves, over the air HDTV? It's kind of a giant crap shoot of an issue if you look at ALL wireless wave communications don't you think? And then single out WiFi... right

 

[Theinsanegamer]

"Richard, the woman living in a barn to avoid electromagnetic waves, would beg to differ from those who say EHS is bogus."
LOLWAT? I'm sorry, but living in a barn would not protect you from EM radiation. houses are also made of wood, so what is the difference? unless it is a metal barn, but I seriously doubt it. And im expected to believe that she lives with no electronic devices whatsoever? no fridge, microwave, ece?

 

[p51d007]

A French court ordered authorities to pay her around $900 per month for at least three years for her discomfort.

And THAT my people, is the crux of the issue. I'll bet if you were to do a control study, place two people in a controlled environment, tell them there is wifi in two different houses, put a wi-fi router in there, but tell them they have only access to the WIRED computer in the house(s). They are not allowed to use any other devices, just the computer, television, stereo. No cellphones. Rig the wifi router to have NO wifi signal, just an empty box with blinking lights. NO wireless in the house at all.
5 will get ya 10, they will show "symptoms" of being allergic to wi-fi.
99.9% of these people are just looking to freeload off the government!

 

[WangDangDoodle]

This is all hippie bullshit. EHS is a myth!

 

[Emexrulsier]

On a side point why did a French court order them authorities to pay her in dollars. Must be a pain in the arse to visit the bureau de change every month and be effected both by the weak Euro and Dollar