What is MCS? MCS is an abbreviation for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, also known as Toxic Injury (T I), Chemical Injury Syndrome (C I), Environmental Illness (EI) and other names. MCS refers to an ongoing or chronic medical condition in which a person develops symptoms as a result of exposure to chemicals/ strong odors. In this article I want to discuss what MCS is, some possible causes and triggers, and some simple things that can be done to make life easier for those that have MCS or similar sensitivities.
MCS symptoms can range from headaches, nausea, fatigue, burning /stinging eyes, nose, throat all the way to life-threatening reactions such as seizures and anaphylaxis (shock). Other symptoms include feeling tired, a kind of fuzzy mental state or ?brain fog?, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, memory loss, mood changes, even an overactive bladder.
DO I HAVE IT?
A doctor will have to diagnose to know for sure. But in general, if you repeatedly find that you experience symptoms similar to the list above shortly after encountering chemical vapors or strong odors, you may have MCS or something similar. Or if you find that you leave your house for a week to go on vacation and soon find that you?aren?t?experiencing chronic symptoms as you do at home, this may be a sign that have it, also. Clearly there could be something in or around your house that is causing you problems, and it?s worth checking out.
TRIGGERS
The most common source of these airborne chemicals / odors is the indoor air in most homes and offices. Cleaning supplies, varnishes, fuels, lawn care products, strong ?fragrances?, bleach, marking pens, pesticides, vapors from plastics, synthetic fabrics, dry cleaning, scented products, petroleum products, paints, even laundry products (especially dryer sheets) all leach potentially irritating chemical vapors into the air. Even smoke from a fireplace, tobacco (pipes and cigarettes), barbecue grills, or something that burns on / in a stove can leave irritants floating in the air, as well. Many times, even a tiny amount of an irritant is enough cause a reaction for these hyper-sensitive individuals.
Remember that dust and other particles can have small amounts of chemicals attached to them, which is often enough to cause a reaction, which is another reason to take steps to eliminate dust as much as possible via weekly vacuuming / a quality air purifier. Some MCS sufferers maintain that there are food triggers, too?FD&C Yellow #5, caffeine, monosodium glutamate (present in most salad dressings, some spice mixes).
WHAT YOU CAN DO-RIGHT NOW!
The good news is that much of the exposure to triggers is avoidable. Knowing what the triggers are, and how to avoid them is the first step. Here are some things you can do today to make life easier:
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- Store chemicals, fuels, cleaning supplies, etc.outside in a garage or shed, not under the sink.
- Make sure smoke from fireplaces, grills, etc. isn?t getting into your house. Move the grill away from the house some, and certainly away from any windows. Make sure the seals around your doors / windows are in good shape / installed properly.
- Get a true HEPA air purifier with activated carbon (the more carbon the better)-to remove particles and chemicals / odors.
- Switch to as many fragrance-free products as possible, or eliminate them if you can do without them.
- If you?re encountering chemicals / odors in the workplace, see if they will allow you to keep a small air purifier in your office or where you work. Again, make sure it has an activated carbon filter that is designed to remove VOC?s, chemicals, odors. Consider putting a tub of carbon under your desk, as well (see author box)
- Tobacco smoke contains ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde and 43 chemicals known to cause cancer. The smoke and the airborne chemicals can definitely cause a reaction for some. Stay away from it and / or use a purifier to get it out of your air.
- That fresh paint smell comes from the volatile organic compounds being released into the air, mainly from solvents in the paint. Make sure you ventilate well after painting, even stay out of the house for a day or two with the A/C and air purifiers running full blast.
- Get rid of air fresheners. They are doing nothing but loading up the air with chemicals. Open a window?it?s free, and the natural ozone from fresh air will get rid of the odor pretty fast.
- If you haven?t already, use fragrance, dye, chemical-free everything, especially dryer sheets. Dryer sheets are loaded with chemicals proven to cause a reaction. If you have to dry clean your clothes, let them air out with fresh air and put a tub of carbon (see author box below) in the closet to absorb the chemicals.
- Talk to your doctor. Even if he/she doesn?t formally diagnose you with MCS, he/she may be able to treat the symptoms with antidepressants. Some antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (Celexa, Luvox, Paxil, and Prozac) have been found to help some cases of MCS and even help with anxiety and sleep.
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Hopefully by now you have an idea of what MCS is, and some cost-effective methods to make life easier by reducing exposure to irritants. For more information on MCS, see the author box below.
About The Author: Rex Murphy is an avid health enthusiast, musician, former martial arts instructor, and owner of The HEPA Air Purifier Store?http://www.hepaairpuriferstore.com?Rex also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Pre-Med Studies/Psychology, and many years of study in natural healing methods.
For more information about MCS, the ?tub of carbon? mentioned in the article, click here:?http://www.hepaairpuriferstore.com/page/what-is-mcs.html
Source: http://medicaltips.biz/2011/09/01/what-is-mcs-if-odors-give-you-headaches-you-may-have-it/
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