The nervous, immune, and endocrine systems are all impacted by electric and magnetic fields (EMFs), such as from wiring, appliances, cars, LED/CFL lighting, computers and handheld devices; and radio frequency electromagnetic radiation (RF EMR), such as from WiFi, bluetooth, cellular data, GPS, location services, and two-way pagers.

This page provides a list of some of the most reported symptoms of EMFs and RF EMR overexposure. 

It is helpful to think of symptoms in two ways. 1) A person may experience symptoms and not be debilitated. 2) A person may become debilitated. EMF/EMR has also been shown to slow or prevent recovery, such as from cancer and Lyme disease.

While some people do not notice the interaction between their body and EMF/EMR, others do. We are all impacted by electromagnetic fields and radio frequency radiation because we are bio-electrical beings. Studies show that eventually, with enough exposure, people are more likely to notice the effects of exposure. Whether or not a person realizes that EMF/EMR is the cause is another matter. 
Checklist of EMF/EMR Symptoms
This list is based on over 2,000 evidence-based studies completed internationally.

​This is not a complete list of symptoms, and some symptoms may be associated with a type of EMF or EMR other than how it is listed below. This checklist is being developed as more research is reviewed. 
Electric fields that are constant or high take a toll on the body. Two of the reasons electrical field overexposure can impact health is the loss of melatonin production due to disruption of the pineal gland, and the role of electrical fields in opening voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) causing cells to be flooded with calcium. This excess calcium disrupts multiple pathways, leading to various negative effects.
  • Unable to experience deep sleep
  • Constant fatigue
  • Increase in allergies
  • Insomnia
  • Depression
  • Other symptoms

Magnetic fields, among other mechanisms, open voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) causing cells to be flooded with calcium. This excess calcium disrupts multiple pathways, leading to various negative effects.
  • Altered brain function over time
  • DNA damage
  • Immune system dysfunction
  • Miscarriage
  • Initiated and prolonged cancers
  • Loss of bone density
  • Childhood leukemia
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Prolonged depression 
  • Other symptoms

Radio frequency radiation harms the body via several mechanisms, such as: Opening voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) causing cells to be flooded with calcium. This excess calcium disrupts multiple pathways, leading to various negative effects; and causes “stress” proteins to develop in our cells. These stress proteins are released to protect the body, which indicates that the human body views radio frequency as harmful. Symptoms include:
  • Tinnitus
  • Disease, such as cancer
  • Infertility
  • Sleep difficulties
  • Memory problems
  • Dizziness
  • Damage to our central nervous system
  • Loss of bone density
  • Diabetes
  • Increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB; Leaky Brain)
  • Other symptoms - 100 effects have been documented

Dirty electricity is when radio frequencies get on to electrical wiring and the mix radiates from the wires. This interference with the body's bioelectrical balance has negative effects. 
  • Diabetes
  • Migraines
  • Anxiety
  • ADD/ADHD
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Muscle and joint problems
  • Suicide 
  • Other symptoms
Electrohypersensitivity (EHS) is characterized by neurological and immunological symptoms that noticeably flare or intensify upon or after exposure to EMFs or EMR.

​There are 4 stages of becoming electrohypersensitive.
  1. Mild combinations of some of the common symptoms - typically headaches, concentration & memory problems - while working with electronic equipment.
  2. Longer lasting symptoms after working with electronic equipment. Similar reactions in the vicinity of transmission towers and relay antennae. Symptoms often require medical care.
  3. Inability to work full-time; frequent sick leaves taken to cope with symptoms.
  4. Acute adverse reactions from electromagnetic pollution, both in outdoor and indoor environments. Results in unemployment and severe curtailment of freedom. Requires expensive reengineering of home environment or relocation to spartan, EMF/EMR-free rural or wilderness areas.​
Dr. Erica Mallery-Blythe of the United Kingdom gives a comprehensive presentation on EHS to other doctors. She also gives helpful information for healing EHS.
Primary symptoms for someone who has become electrohypersensitive.
These effects typically go away within hours, days or weeks of being away from EMF/EMR or in a low EMF/EMR environment. 
​
  • Headaches (particularly tension headaches along the sides of the head and temple area).
  • Heart palpitations and a pressure in the chest (a feeling that the heart wants to jump out of the chest while at the same time the chest is being stepped upon)
  • Skin burning, redness, rashes and tingling (particularly on the face and arms).
  • Difficulties sleeping (sleep is interrupted, light, dreamless and leaves the person feeling tired in the morning).
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
  • Fatigue and tiredness during the day (even after many hours of sleep, tiredness pervades the day)
  • Cognitive decline (memory and concentration difficulties – a “brain fog” and feeling that one’s brain has aged 30 years in a short period of time.)

Secondary symptoms for someone who has become electrohypersensitive
These symptoms can be intense for EHS individuals, but are not as common as the primary symptoms.

  • Anxiety or tension within the body (often experienced as inner agitation that seemingly comes from nowhere. In retrospect, the person is near a cell phone tower, cordless phone or Wi-Fi router).
  • Inability to heal quickly from virus, bacterial and parasitic infections (because the immune system is already over-taxed).
  • Lightheadedness or vertigo.
  • Temporary inability to speak coherently
  • Nausea
  • Mood-swings (the endocrine system, which governs our hormones, is highly affected by EMF pollution).
  • Arm, finger and leg twitching (blinded tests have shown that EHS individuals experience involuntary finger movements when exposed to microwave radiation from radio towers)
  • Depression (Serotonin levels have been found to be affected by EMF Pollution)
  • Loss of Productiveness (EHS individuals often become tired, ill and unable to participate in normal societal activities. This includes being unable to use a computer, the internet or a “smart” phone. They often lose their ability to work and do not receive disability compensation.)
Dr. Martin Pall describes how it is that EMF/EMR impacts the body.
EVIDENCED EFFECTS of EMFs
  1. Lowered fertility
  2. Neurological / Neuropsychiatric effects
  3. Cellular DNA damage
  4. Apoptosis - programmed cell death
  5. Oxidative stress - free radical damage
  6. Endocrine effects - hormonal effects
  7. Excessive intracellular calcium
  8. Cancer

HIGHLY PROBABLE EFFECTS of EMFs
  1. Cardiac effects
  2. Very early onset Alzheimers and other dementia
  3. ADHD and autism
How Unmoderated Exposure Harms the Mind & Body
  1. DNA Damage - Radiofrequency (RF) radiation induces both single- and double-stranded DNA breaks in human and animal cells. When DNA breaks are not properly repaired, the long-term damage results in adverse health effects
  2. Voltage Gated Calcium Channels (VGCC) - EMFs open VGCCs causing cells to be flooded with calcium. This excess calcium disrupts multiple pathways, leading to various negative effects, including increased oxidative stress, disrupted nerve cell communication, and heart-related problems. These include microwave frequency EMFs, nanosecond pulse EMFs, intermediate frequency EMFs, extremely low frequency EMFs and even static electrical fields and static magnetic fields (p. 17, https://www.radiationresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/EU-EMF2018-6-11US3.pdf)
  3. Blood Brain Barrier - EMF can open the blood-brain barrier causing toxins or other harmful substances to enter the brain, and for the brain to leak" substances it requires, such as nutrients or neurotransmitters.
  4. Melatonin Hormone Reduction - EMF suppresses the production of melatonin, which is the antioxidant hormone responsible for repairing the body during sleep. When the body does not properly repair itself at night, problems can arise from immune-related conditions to premature aging.
  5. Microbiome Disruption - Just as all cells—including those in our body, are electrical, the organisms in our microbiome are electrical, too. There is evidence to show that our microbiome is harmed by EMF.
Some studies estimate that 30% of the general population is experiencing one or more symptoms when exposed to EMF or EMR. Some people react so severely they become what is now known as EMF Refugees. Although 100% of the population is affected biologically by EMF/EMR pollution, as with smoking or asbestos, most will not notice the effects right away.
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or medical advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.  Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal, medical, or other information. 
This website contains links to other third-party websites.  Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser.

​copyright, 2019 EMF Sweep, iishana Artra, PhD. Reproduction by permission only.