Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Debate: We know the answer to this

[Guest guest]

The article below is what we all know to be true. When it states that the body

is overwhelmed and not able to rid itself of chemicals.......sounds eerily like

Dr. Shoemaker's Biotoxin Pathway where the body can't get rid of the toxins.

http://powershowz.medicalillustration.com/healthtopics.php? & A=63136 & I=1102 & artic\

le=13512

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: a Controversial Condition by Debra Wood

Exposure to small amounts of common chemicals can ruin the lives of

chemically-sensitive people, but many doctors deny multiple chemical sensitivity

syndrome exists. While debate rages on, environmental medicine specialists are

diagnosing and treating the problem.

For sufferers of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) syndrome, even fleeting

contact with cleaning products, pesticides, car exhaust and other inescapable

substances in the modern world sets off a series of symptoms that mystify most

medical experts.

" It's a controversial medical disease, " says victim , executive

director of the Chemical Injury Information Network, an MCS support organization

based in White Sulphur Springs, Montana. She estimates more than 10 million

chemically-sensitive people live in the United States.

" Our patients come to us very, very ill, " says Dr. , an

environmental medicine specialist at New York's Healthcare for the 21st Century,

one of only six regional treatment centers in the United States. " Many of their

physiological systems are being affected by chemicals. "

Body Burden

When chemical exposures exceed a person's ability to eliminate these

substances, chemical body burden increases, says , who uses a glass of

water as an example. If the glass is half full and you add a couple of extra

drops, nothing noticeable happens. But if the water level is already at the brim

and you add a few drops, the water starts to spill over.

" Once the body is chemically saturated [with chemicals], anything you take in

becomes problematic, " explains. " All systems are affected. "

MCS can occur after a massive exposure, such as a chemical spill, or a

continuous low-level exposure to something as common as a gas stove. Products

used every day in most homes contain ingredients that can trigger reactions in

chemically-sensitive people.

" I'm going to get a headache at exposures that would be deemed safe for you, "

explains. " Our symptoms are occurring at what toxicologists had deemed as

safe levels. "

Symptoms Switch and Spread

" It feels like you're getting a cold that never comes or a flu that never goes

away, " explains.

Symptoms can include any of the following:

aching bones and joints

difficulty concentrating or not being able to think straight

headaches and nausea

intolerance to heat or cold

tremors

weight gain

" Because of the circulation of chemicals in the body, it may affect one

biological system then switch to another biological system, " explains.

" One time it may be the skin, the next the lungs. Or it may start with

respiratory problems and then spread to neurological and vascular disease. "

According to , this symptom pattern of " switching " and " spreading " is one

reason doctors don't recognize the ailment.

recommends keeping a diary to determine if vague sensations of not

feeling well correlate with activities or exposures to a specific substance.

" Once you have that kind of a diary, you can take it to a doctor, " says.

And maybe together you can correlate the symptoms to some kind of an exposure.

Traditional Approach

The traditional medical community does not recognize MCS as a bona fide

condition. Many doctors who see patients reporting symptoms of MCS are unable to

discern any biological markers or tangible proof that chemicals are the

causative agent. Because routine diagnostic testing and physical exams are often

normal, specialized tests to determine abnormalities in chemical load are

usually not ordered.

" It's best described as a symptom complex, " said Dr. Emil J. Bardana Jr., a

spokesperson for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

" As of yet, there is no defined biological methodology by which we can assure

ourselves that there is a condition amongst all these people who complain. It

can't really be accepted as a disease, because there's no way to do an

epidemiologic study. There's no way to really define it. "

In its position paper on MCS, the AAAAI concludes that:

More research is needed.

Most studies have found that patients whose symptoms have been diagnosed as

MCS have a high incidence of current or past psychopathology.

The relationship between mental conditions and symptoms has not been

determined.

A Difficult Diagnosis

Sufferers sometimes seek care from a half-dozen doctors before they receive a

diagnosis of MCS from an environmental medicine specialist or toxicologist.

" It's very difficult for doctors to make a diagnosis, " says of his

colleagues. " They can't put a finger on the exact etiology (cause). And if you

can't find the etiology, how do you treat the illness? "

and other MCS specialists obtain a detailed history, run sophisticated

analytical toxicology tests to determine specifically what chemicals are

involved and perform brain SPECT scans, which show blood supply and brain

function. " We find decreased blood flow to parts of the brain that affect the

areas that the patient is talking about, " says. " Patients call it 'brain

fog' and tell me, 'My cognitive function is gone.' "

Detoxification Treatments

Detoxification treatments are used to rid the body of toxic chemical

substances. " We can eliminate 100% of the toxins, " says Adrienne Buffaloe, M.D.,

founder of HealthCare for the 21st Century. " The body has mechanisms for ridding

itself of chemicals, but once overwhelmed, these mechanisms can no longer handle

the process. "

Detoxification typically includes intravenous (IV) therapy, 60 rounds of

exercise, and the patient's sitting in a chamber heated to between 140 and 180

degrees. Before and after each session, patients receive co-factors and

supplements, which include amino acids, high-dose vitamin C, magnesium, and

vitamins and trace minerals. According to Dr. , co-factors force toxic

chemicals to move in one direction—out of the cell and into the bloodstream—so

they can be excreted. He adds that heat helps flush out poisons stored in fatty

tissues, so they can exit the body through the skin, urine and stool.

Avoiding Exposure to Chemicals

In addition to detoxification treatments, patients must avoid all future

chemical exposures, since their ability to eliminate toxins seems to remain

limited.

" You can't just ignore toxic household chemicals, " says. " You don't go

into houses where they are used, and you don't hang around people that use them.

Avoidance takes people out of the normal mainstream. " Victims stop working and

socializing. does not leave her home. She's not willing to take the

chance of getting sick. refers clients to an environmental engineer who

tests homes for myriad substances. Patients must eliminate any sources of

exposure, or move.

Consumer advocate Debra Dadd has written several books suggesting natural,

homemade alternatives to commercial products, such as brushing one's teeth with

baking soda and cleaning with vinegar and water.

The Controversy Continues

Are chemicals really the cause of distress? The controversy persists, with

both camps citing studies that support their positions. Only with more research

will sufferers and the medical community know for certain. Until then, the

struggle to survive in a world overrun with chemicals continues.

Last reviewed: October 1999 by HealthGate Medical Review Board.

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