The Cause and Effect of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome

By Nancy C. Morris

Often referred to as a controversial disorder with no definitive diagnostic test, MCS describes states of ill health that are caused by low levels of exposure to many common cleaners and chemical products normally found in homes, schools, work places, hospitals and other environments. It is a syndrome that has very real consequences for residents of Seattle.

Sufferers of MCS can experience a variety of symptoms such as chronic fatigue, burning lungs, migraine headaches, asthma, loss of the ability to concentrate, dizziness, joint pain and gastro-intestinal disturbances, rashes and chronic sinusitis. For some the syndrome causes only minor restrictions in their everyday life while for others, it can be life-threatening. Recent epidemiological research on MCS indicates that as many as 16 percent of the general population report sensitivity to some level of chemical exposure.

Researchers have linked MCS with other disorders such as Gulf War Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. No one knows for sure why someone experiencing a toxic exposure may get MCS while another will not. Victims of the disorder feel that a single large exposure to chemicals such as solvents or pesticides, or long term repeated exposures may trigger MCS. It is clear that the people who now have MCS did not always have the syndrome. They led normal active lives and then something happened.

How did these people get exposed to chemicals that may have caused the syndrome? Inside our homes we find household cleaners and detergents that contain toxic surfactants and fragrances made of synthetic chemicals. We also use air fresheners, perfumes and colognes that can contain up to 2,983 different chemicals-some neurotoxic, as well as pesticides, fresh paint, and carpets, which can contain between 50 to 120 chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic and cause severe respiratory irritation. Other common chemical exposure comes from formaldehyde from particle board used in cabinets and flooring, and even freshly dry-cleaned clothes. Outdoors we find our lawns and landscaping treated with chemical pesticides. Recently a group of scientists demanded a ban on chlorpyrifos (Dursban), one of the most widely used insecticides, because of the damage it can cause to nervous and immune systems. We also find industrial wastes along with car exhaust in the air we breathe. At work or school we again find pesticides used in rooms or on landscaping, new carpets, formaldehyde and adhesives found in remodeled buildings and rooms. We would all like to think that our governmental agencies protect us from harmful exposures to chemicals in consumer products and building materials. Unfortunately, these ingredients are largely unregulated. Only after numerous individuals become seriously ill are these products scrutinized. As the rates of asthma and some cancers grow, researchers are looking at the increase of toxic chemicals in our environment as possible causes.

The victims are the thousands of children and adults who develop asthma along with other MCS symptoms. Babies who crawl on new carpet and breathe in a carpet's chemical vapors are at tremendous risk for respiratory problems and MCS. Thousands are victims of pesticide exposures at school, the workplace, at home and from driving along highways where the roadsides have been sprayed with herbicides that come into the ventilation system of the car.

You can't always escape environmental chemicals, but you can take steps to mitigate their effects by choosing non-toxic alternatives that readily exist and by knowing that many chemical exposures could be avoided by being more informed. Take time to become more aware of your personal environment, and to understand how we are all impacted by toxic chemicals, which have become ubiquitous in our lives.

Nancy Morris is a writer who has MCS and lives in the Seattle area. As a baby and young child, she was exposed to herbicide 2,4-D on her family farm in eastern Washington. She became ill with MCS in the early 1990s.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT MCS

The American Lung Association at 1 (800) 732-9339 The Washington Toxics Coalition at (206) 632-1545 MCS Referral and Resources at (410) 362-6401; email adonnay@mcsrr.org

The Environmental Protection Agency at 1 (800) 438-4318; request their free booklet, "Inside Story, Guide to Indoor Air Quality."

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