Presentation
Although MCS cannot be medically cured given the present state of knowledge, it has been shown that the condition can be prevented from becoming disabling by means of early exposure. [europarl.europa.eu]
The first will be milder forms of symptoms which are present in ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia. [guptaprogram.com]
They are the participants of the present study. In the 2002 questionnaire Weinstein's Noise Sensitivity Scale [15] and QEESI's Chemical Intolerance Subscale [25] were used. [noiseandhealth.org]
And yet, the author fails to actually present any irrefutable evidence at all. [sciencebasedmedicine.org]
[…] illness – is that the following deciding criteria apply to Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: the patient exhibits problems – often an allergy-like reaction – to both large – often extremely low levels of irritants/toxicants/triggers : other individuals present [multiplechemicalsensitivity.org]
Entire Body System
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Nightmare
Housing And MCS Private Housing Finding the right housing as someone with MCS can be a nightmare. MCS can unfortunately lead to very uncertain housing situations and even homelessness. [emerge.org.au]
Respiratoric
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Hyperosmia
The underlying cause for the IEI symptom complex is unlikely to be a direct reaction to everyday chemicals, but rather a masked stress disorder with heightened olfactory awareness (hyperosmia) and associated behavioural conditioning. [aspergillosis.org]
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Respiratory Disorders
Bascom, R. “ Multiple chemical sensitivity: a respiratory disorder? ” Toxicol Ind Health, 1992, 8 (4): 221-228. Bell, I. [emerge.org.au]
Gastrointestinal
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Vomiting
Symptoms attributed to MCS/IEI are diffuse and include: recurrent headaches, sinus and nasal congestion, itchy eyes and throat, with abdominal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation and bloating. [aspergillosis.org]
Symptoms are multi-system, have many overlaps with ME/CFS and FM, can be very debilitating and can include: Fatigue (chronic), feeling of weakness, hyperactivity, restlessness ;nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, intestinal aches/pains [emerge.org.au]
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Abdominal Pain
pain Aching muscles or joints Skin disorders Unlike a cold or the flu, symptoms do not clear up within days. [ohsrep.org.au]
Typical symptoms include memory loss; migraines; nausea; abdominal pain; chronic fatigue; aching joints and muscles; difficulty in breathing, sleeping, or concentrating; and irritated eyes, nose, ears, throat, or skin ( 1 ). [cvi.asm.org]
Cardiovascular
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Hypotension
Additional symptoms and signs include non-specific rashes, breathing difficulties, muscle and joint aches, bladder problems, fatigue and flu-like symptoms, irritability, anxiety, depression, malaise, inability to concentrate, stupor (“brain fog”), hypotension [aspergillosis.org]
Musculoskeletal
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Joint Stiffness
The most common complaints include headache, dizziness, fatigue, problems concentrating, earache, sore throat, congestion, difficulty breathing, chest and back pain, joint stiffness, racing heart, and other symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. [uspharmacist.com]
Eyes
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Blurred Vision
vision; headaches, dizziness, insomnia, sleepiness; irregular, skipped, rapid, or slow heart beats, chest pain, high/low blood pressure; asthma; poor memory, comprehension, concentration or physical coordination, confusion; arthritic pain in joint/s, [emerge.org.au]
Skin
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Sweating
[…] comprehension, concentration or physical coordination, confusion; arthritic pain in joint/s, stiffness, muscle pain, muscular exercise intolerance; sinus problems, hay fever; acne, hives, rash, bruising easily, hair loss, flushing, hot flashes, excessive sweating [emerge.org.au]
Psychiatrical
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Antisocial Personality Disorder
Results of clinical research 40, 41 suggest that although many persons diagnosed with MCS/IEI have abnormal personality traits, they are not at risk for antisocial personality disorder. [jamanetwork.com]
Face, Head & Neck
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Sinus Pain
These include fatigue, asthma, shortness of breath, rhinitis, blocked nose, sinus pain, sore throat, earaches, dry or sore eyes, nausea, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, confusion, memory problems, depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, sleep [qldallergy.com]
pain Headache Migraines Fatigue Difficulty concentrating Difficulty sleeping Memory loss Nausea Abdominal pain Aching muscles or joints Skin disorders Unlike a cold or the flu, symptoms do not clear up within days. [ohsrep.org.au]
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Episodic Headache
headache, dizziness, and muscle discomfort beginning in adolescence. [sciencebasedmedicine.org]
Urogenital
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Incontinence
I am left with stress incontinence and as I am sick with the cough I cant take cetain diabetic tablets so my control is not good I believe this cough is also down to chemicals but I feel I have to wait for a diagnosis rather than say what I think. [bbc.co.uk]
Neurologic
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Lethargy
Occasional exposure to these chemicals is unlikely to cause major symptoms of toxicity e.g. breathing problems, lethargy, generalised muscle aching, confusion or collapse but could do if the exposure is heavy and prolonged. [burghwoodclinic.co.uk]
MCS can cause lethargy and fatigue and a whole host of vague symptoms. [actionagainstallergy.org]
They vary from person to person, but many of the common symptoms are: Headache/migraine Dizziness Nausea Extreme fatigue Lethargy Stinging eyes Wheezing or breathlessness Runny nose and other sinus problems Sore throat and cough Impaired concentration [verywellhealth.com]
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Burning Sensation
This caused a burning sensation on the tongue, dizziness, vertigo, lack of concentration, impaired speech and sudden tiredness. I was like a poison barometer. If we didn’t withdraw from the poison in time, we were really sick the next day. [bruno-groening.org]
General malaise and weakness, fatigue, headaches, irritability, depression, memory problems, itching, numbness, "creepy and crawly" sensations, burning sensations in the nose, sore throat, hoarseness, shortness of breath, cough, abdominal distress, are [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
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Recurrent Headache
Symptoms attributed to MCS/IEI are diffuse and include: recurrent headaches, sinus and nasal congestion, itchy eyes and throat, with abdominal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation and bloating. [aspergillosis.org]
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Stupor
Additional symptoms and signs include non-specific rashes, breathing difficulties, muscle and joint aches, bladder problems, fatigue and flu-like symptoms, irritability, anxiety, depression, malaise, inability to concentrate, stupor (“brain fog”), hypotension [aspergillosis.org]
Workup
[…] this condition. efinition of the phenomenon is elusive and its pathogenesis as a distinct entity is not confirmed....The current consensus is that in cases of claimed or suspected MCS, complaints should not be dismissed as psychogenic, and a thorough workup [en.wikipedia.org]
If a comprehensive workup on an ill patient reveals nothing conclusive, patients and their health care providers are equally puzzled and frustrated. [sciencebasedmedicine.org]
Treatment
Science-based treatments are limited. [sciencebasedmedicine.org]
Diagnosis and Treatment There are no reliable tests to diagnose multiple chemical sensitivity, and there are no effective or proven treatments. [webmd.com]
Treatment should include cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT), with training in relaxation techniques. [uspharmacist.com]
Often patients seek help from multiple health care providers who suggest psychiatric etiologies or treatment, obtain toxicologic or immunologic test batteries, or initiate a variety of empirical treatments. [accessmedicine.mhmedical.com]
This uncertainty has hampered the development of a clinical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with MCS. [health.nsw.gov.au]
Prognosis
What is the prognosis? Many people can become free of symptoms by avoiding chemicals they are sensitive to. A few people make a full recovery and are no longer affected by low levels of chemicals. [qldallergy.com]
What is the prognosis in Multiple Chemical Sensitivity? top of page Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is generally regarded as a chronic illness. [allergycosmos.co.uk]
Etiology
Some controversy continues to surround the etiology, case definition, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). [accessmedicine.mhmedical.com]
Likewise, the term “Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance” (IEI), coined during a 1993 Berlin workshop, has been used in media, courtrooms, and scientific papers to mean “self-originated,” rather than “being of unknown etiology”— the usual definition of [tiltresearch.org]
Etiology is also hotly debated. No standard of care exists for diagnosis and management. Unconventional, costly treatments exist with unproven efficacy. Average patient with MCS has seen 8-12 clinicians and reports only 1in 4 to be helpful. [fammed.wisc.edu]
The etiology, diagnosis and treatment of MCS are controversial and still debated among researchers, but a 2018 systematic review concluded that the evidence suggests that organic abnormalities in sensory processing pathways and the limbic system combined [en.wikipedia.org]
MCS, in particular, has been the subject of heated debate regarding etiology, with some exploring psychogenic pathways. [dovepress.com]
Epidemiology
Review of the State of the Art in Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Future Perspectives. ( 29851737 ) Rossi S 2018 11 Survey on changes in subjective symptoms, onset/trigger factors, allergic diseases, and chemical exposures in the past decade of Japanese [malacards.org]
To guide the clinical evaluation of individuals with this disorder or to respond to requests for epidemiologic investigation, the health care practitioner should be aware of current controversies, including knowledge gaps and the need for further research [accessmedicine.mhmedical.com]
"Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Review of the State of the Art in Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Future Perspectives". Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 60 (2): 138–146. doi : 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001215. PMC 5794238. PMID 29111991. [en.wikipedia.org]
Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health. [qldallergy.com]
Rossi S, Petridis A (2018) Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Review of the State of the Art in Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Future Perspectives. J Occup Environ Med 60: 138-146. [headache.imedpub.com]
Pathophysiology
Despite extensive research over the past 50 years, there is little understanding of the causes and pathophysiological mechanisms of MCS/IEI. Several toxicological mechanisms have been proposed, but the scientific evidence is lacking. [sahealth.sa.gov.au]
Neurogenic inflammation is a well-defined pathophysiological process in which chemical irritants trigger nerve fibers to release inflammatory mediators that lead to disease. [liebertpub.com]
Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, Denmark 7 Department of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden Correspondence to Dr Thomas M Dantoft; thomas.meinertz.dantoft{at}regionh.dk Abstract Objectives To investigate the pathophysiological [bmjopen.bmj.com]
The pathophysiology is unknown, and affected individuals generally favor avoidance of the symptom triggering substances as a coping strategy. The impact of MCS on daily life may thus be severe. [trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com]
Topics that have been debated include: whether MCS is a distinct disease entity, its etiology (or etiologies), its pathophysiology, how to define the condition, how it should be treated, and how it should be approached in the legal and legislative arenas [health.gov]
Prevention
Although MCS cannot be medically cured given the present state of knowledge, it has been shown that the condition can be prevented from becoming disabling by means of early exposure. [europarl.europa.eu]
For example, certain chemicals found in the paint that was used to paint an office may set off a reaction that prevents the individual from being able to work. [disabilitysecrets.com]
What are the measures to prevent MCS? Measures to prevent, or minimise, the problems of multiple chemical sensitivity include: Better general ventilation. [ohsrep.org.au]
I didn’t suspect that the toxic substances the preservative contained to prevent and kill insects and fungi could also mean a death sentence for us. [bruno-groening.org]
This evaluation should be made on an individual case-by-case basis to determine if the impairment prevents substantial gainful activity. Frank v. New York, 972 F. Supp. 130 (N.D.N.Y. 1997) Andrew K. [en.wikipedia.org]