Sufferers like Kate Figes say wi-fi leaves them feeling exhausted, nauseous and sleepless

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I have just recently found out how strong the emission of radiation is from my ipad with the wireless. Feels like my head is about to explode. More my issue is i feel extremely ill and bed bound if i am under fluorescent lights for a certain time and this includes energy bulbs. Give me any other lighting and i'm fine. I had to leave my career as a trainee solicitor because of this. I'm now trying to work out a way i can encase my wi fi box with the ipad in lead so that i can use it otherwise spent a lot of money on something i cannot use. I say i'm the canary down the mine when it comes to raditation. If it's there i'll know it. For years i had radiation light treatment at hospital for a skin condition and i think this has somehow led me to have a big sensitivity. So yes i believe some people may be fine and their bodies can cope and others more sensitive.

- Hannah, Canterbury UK, 28/10/2011 14:08
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Reading some of the post,im glad to no it's not just me, I thought i was going crazy. Some of the feeling that i get are very uncomfortable in fact it has made me go to the hospital a couple of times. Im fine when im out of the house as soon as i walk in, I instantly feel diferent,its not only radio waves ,i like to mess ariund with magnets and batteries and every time i create electric mith them i start to feel strange also.

- mike, -Mike, dunedin,florida, 29/06/2011 01:06
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I suffer massively and this technology is the only possible cause. The more exposure you get the more sensitive you become. The human body runs on electrical impulses and these microwaves probably upset just about every function in the brain. Epidemic coming!

- Doz, Thailand, 11/01/2011 11:03
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I have wifi on my computer, and it definately makes me feel ill. I was fine with wired internet, so it is not due to just overdoing it on the PC. As soon as I go on the wireless internet I can feel an unpleasant feeling all over my body. After 20 minutes or so I am aching all over, exhausted, my face is flushed, and my brain completely foggy. It takes hours to recover.
I wish I had a phoneline so I could go back to normal wired internet.

- Lucy, Wales, 26/04/2010 00:33
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I can relate exactly to the comments of the sufferers. I'm glad I came across this as now i know it's not only me that's affected. I would add some other comments too. I believe from experience that the effects build up over time - i.e. a 5 min session next to wifi might be tolerable but 2 hrs in and you're feeling really nauseous. This is the 'chronic' effect - i.e. the effect of time exposure. Note that the PC and the access point both radiate. It is possible to reduce the transmit power for at least the PC down to min and still get good access. Perhaps some modems allow their power to be reduced as well. But the effect is still there - just takes longer to show. I now only use wired connections. It's a big problem though for shared accomm and neighbours leaving on. Also, AC Mains power distribution all the way from power station to light bulb results in low frequency electric and magnetic field 'emissions'. The magnetic component is the most insidious as it is not attenuated. Studies show that this mag. field interferes with cell activity - behaviour of protective calcium ion sheath - high enough levels (say above 3milliGauss) cause problems and cell leakage. Of course cells have repair mechanisms but can only cope with so much. There is no reason why wifi shouldnt also have a biological effect. Many respondents above are trying to formulate arguments as to why there should be no adverse effect of wifi but the arguments are not logical or scientific. Sensitisation too?

- Neil, Newbridge, Wales, 12/04/2010 18:01
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I think that the experiment suggested by Nigel should be tried out by everyone. Typically it will tell you which devices are churning out higher levels of waves. The sounds it makes will tell you. I am very sure that proliferating radio waves affect humans - and their body electrical fields. We alll have a weak field - but we have one. These waves I am sure interfere with this. Disease is one of the fears - there could be behavioural changes - fiddling with the human brain is dangerous. I think it is better to turn on the Wi-Fi for as little a time as possible. Switch off as soon as it is not in use. In some areas in India - sparrows are beginning to disappear - this is noticeable in areas which have a higher concentration of mobile towers. There is something scary about what we are doing to our lives.

- Prabir Chatterjee, Kolkata - India, 11/03/2010 11:42
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I recently installed a wi-fi router into my house and after 5 minutes of turning it on, both my wife and myself felt sick (nauseous and sore down the side of the ear). I am no liberal, hippy, I can tell you. I work out 7 days a week, play soccer and golf and haven't been to a doctor in years as luckily I am very healthy. I find it interesting that a lot of people here are dismissing the fact that this sensitivity exits because they don't experience it. I wish wi-fi didn't make me feel sick but it does.

- Brian, dublin, ireland, 25/02/2010 14:56
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I was prompted to search for this topic when after turning on a newly acquired Samsung mobile phone I experienced tingling feelings on my skin and inside my body. Me and my brother have similar levels of sensitivity to electrical technology and identified culprit products almost immediately, wireless being amongst them.

In my first office job as a teenager I was sometimes expected to photocopy documents, which gave me a strange feeling that passed through my whole body, I mentioned this to my workmates (employers) who were dismissive and laughed at me. I guess to them I had been alive less time than the photocopier, and therefore not an authority on the matter. I'm not sure of the inner-workings of a photocopier but I do know it made me feel nauseous, and therefore did not want to operate it.

It may be a personal thing, people are different after all. But if the general population can't even get their heads around the negative health implications of refined sugar, then what hope have they of making the link between health and invisible waves that travel through the air.

This is another example of what is occurring in this forum. A general skepticism originating, I would argue, from a fear that something convenient and perceptually integral to our lives is in some way detrimental to health. A common theme of our times.

People would rather take the assurances of companies and engineers than listen to their own body, and look around with their own eyes.

- Patrick, Nottingham, England, 12/02/2010 08:54
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Regarding Wi-fi exhaustion, couldn't it be a simple fact that some people are more sensitive too the waves than others?... I believe that the Wi-fi does expell radiation which can effect us, however I believe it can effect different people in different ways.

if you do a slight test and consciously walk into an environment with Wi-fi fully working from being in a natural environment, you do actually notice a slight change in the field, Science aside I certainly feel an oppressive presence within my workplace.

Has anybody thought that work exhaustion is simply the Wi-fi Waves and not the Job??

I feel that all electrical items can effect us, because if you really think about it, we as humans are made out of electrical atoms...so why wouldn't outside electrical forces effect us?

so simply I feel there most certainly is radiation that effects us from Wi-fi, Television, Radio Waves etc.... however my end belief is that some people feel really effected whilst some people don't feel anything at all.... it's just down to sensitivity I feel.

- Paul,, Sussex, 26/07/2009 08:06
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This isn't too surprising to me. Some models of consumer microwave ovens have given me instant headaches for years when in use, even at ranges of up to ten feet, and yes, I'm perfectly aware of the inverse square law. Some people are hypersensitive to even very low powered radio frequencies, and that's the way it is.

- Alex, Richmond, VA, USA, 21/01/2008 01:37
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Many thousands of scientists, consultants, and doctors believe that radiation from wireless devices (which use broadly the microwave fequencies as mobile phones) are associated with a range of adverse health effects, such as loss of concentration, headaches, fatigue, memory and behavioural problems, as well as more serious illnesses.

In September 2007 the EU's European Environment Agency (EEA) concluded that the UK's safety limits for radiation from wireless devices are 'thousands of times too lenient', and for 'health authorities to recommend actions to reduce exposures'. Our safety limits are only intended to protect against short term heat shock and burn exposures, and so do not protect against long term 'low' level exposure from wireless devices. Indeed, the German Government recently advised its citizens to reduce their exposure to wireless radiation, and to use cabled internet connections.

Yet despite this, no studies have been undertaken to assess the safety of wireless technology.

- Dr Andrew Orr, London, 23/12/2007 20:24
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As a person who is a trained Radio Frequency Engineer, one who works with Radio Frequency signals to accomplish communications, I have often heard this type of claim.

While certain types of RF radiation can be harmful in certain circumstances this non-ionized radiation, as opposed to nuclear radiation, has some very interesting properties.

Yes, it has been proven that certain radio frequencies, with certain power levels, can make people sick or their skin tingle. Unfortunately, the frequencies around consumer wi-fi equipment simply does not have this capability unless it is highly amplified. Under those conditions not only would it make you sick but it would kill you.

Cell phones, wi-fi, computers and a plethora of things continuiously emit signals in the same frequency band. So it would be a pretty good trick for someone to be able to detect and discriminate these signals without sophisticated test equipment.

I would put forth the loss of sleep is due to some insidcriminate web crusing late at night instead of sleeping.

The electromagnetic fields in your home, due to it's internal wiring, is much larger and more powerful than anything your consumer wi-fi electronics is capable of creating and the same is true for your computer monitor and or television set.

I will not say these persons are intentionally lying about their problem but am highly skeptical its being caused by the relatively low electromagnetic radiation caused by wi-fi.

- Dave Hardesty, Tracy, USA, 23/11/2006 16:52
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This certainly sounds like "Junk Science", but could make for a good "Myth Busters" episode.

- Scott Lytle, Canton, MI USA, 23/11/2006 16:48
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I suspect that she felt exhausted, nauseous and sleepless because she spent to much time online when she had her WiFi network set up.

Get away from your computer some time, get some sleep and you will feel much better.

- Lee Yarbrough, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A., 23/11/2006 16:29
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To address the comment of Marcus from London: While fine to be skeptical of claims, I think it's important to realize that as skeptics and observers, we don't know what's happening any more than do the people who say they experience things like this. While the other electrical items in this woman's house may seem likelier to cause an effect, there's no guarantee that an effect is linked to a plain-vanilla high power level. Many other things could be behind it.

- Anonymous, Los Angeles, CA, 23/11/2006 16:24
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I'd like to see these people put in a screened room, blindfolded, with a wi-fi box that can be turned on or off from the outside, then asked if it's on or not. My expectation is that they would be unable to tell, but it would be an experiment worth doing. A slightly crueller experiment would be a room containing a wi-fi box with all its innards removed except for a couple of green lights, and asking them "can you feel it at this distance"!

Ill people can be made to feel better, and sometimes even cured, by placebos - harmless but useless tablets backed by a belief that they'll work. It's just as likely that well people can be made to feel ill by suggestion.

One thing is certain, you get 10,000 times more radiation from a mobile 5cm from your head, than from a base-station five meters away. That's basic physics.

- Nigel, London, 23/11/2006 16:12
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I offer a simple test for those who would like to determine how
much of an electromagnetic field is being produced by their equipment.
If you do not have a cheap, unshielded, compact "amplified" set of speakers, buy a set. They are available in almost all discount stores.
Plug it into the main power, without plugging in a sound source.
Touch the audio plug once with your finger and confirm an irritating humm. That will mean it is on and working properly.
Then turn on whatever other device you are concerned about.
You will hear whatever field effect that is transmitted, in your speakers.
It is a simple test, but very effective in getting a grasp on what in your
environment is eminating unseen fields. You will be surprised.

- Gary Jones, Olympia, WA USA, 23/11/2006 16:10
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I find this claim highly unlikely. If this woman were as sensitive as she claims, the very wiring in her house would have been making her sick as it puts out about 100X the field strength of her WiFi. And a car would be impossible as well as its alternator puts out about 1000X the field strength. And it is difficult to argue that it is frequency dependent because microwave ovens, cellphones, and cordless home phones all work on the same bands. I would like to see this put to a scientific test, put them in a room with a little red light that comes on and off. Randomly turn a wifi set on and off with that light. Have them indicate when wifi is on and when it is off. I expect they will do no better than chance. If you believe something is harming you, that belief will often manifest itself in the expected physical, non-specific, symptoms. But let's give her the benefit of the doubt and put it to a simple test.

- Joe, USA, 23/11/2006 16:09
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"She can instantly tell whether it is installed in a particular room." I guess she doesn't realize that wi-fi can go through walls. I cannot believe these people are blaming their health problems on wi-fi. They could have some serious problems in their homes like carbon monoxide or radon. Instead of being rational they are just blaming it on wifi.

- Jimmy, Birmingham, 23/11/2006 16:07
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Perhaps she is feeling the electromagnetic waves from alpha-centauri. I find my tinfoil hat blocks them quite well.

- Michael Gehman, Sayre, USA, 23/11/2006 16:06
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Typical liberal crybaby.

- Brian, Birmingham, USA, 23/11/2006 15:59
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Soon after installing wi-fi in my home office 18 months ago I started getting a ringing in my ears. I put it down to some form of tinitus that was merely coincidental.
But whenever I went away for a few days, particularly on holiday, the high-pitched ringing disappeared almost to nothing, then came back when I returned to my computer.
I too have been told there is no evidence of any wi-fi linkage but I have to wonder. I am considering a return to old fashioned wires.

- Pete, London, 23/11/2006 14:23
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There is no question, in my experience, that is is possible to feel electromagnetic radiation. I can feel it as a tingling/burning on my skin and can easily pinpoint nearby DECT phone, WiFi and lighting installations with my eyes shut. I have no choice about the radiation being present, for example my neighbours all use wireless networks in their flats, but at least it's not making me ill (as far as I can tell).

Not everyone is sensitive, but some are and the effects can in rare cases be quite debilitating. Thankfully only a minority of people are made noticeably unwell by this phenomenon, but some are adversely affected and we should not dismiss their sensitivities out of hand. Street-wide and city-wide WiFi schemes worry me because they blanket an area without regard to its inhabitants.

- Paul, London, 23/11/2006 13:33
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Does this woman not realise that the computer itself is pumping out higher levels of power than any wi-fi network? As does her television, hair dryer and just about any other electrical device she may have lying around.

- Marcus, London, UK, 23/11/2006 13:30
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