More WiFi Freakouts In The UK

from the get-me-my-tin-foil dept

Mon, Nov 27th 2006 8:58am — Carlo Longino

We're not sure what's going on over the in UK with WiFi, but following the story last week about parents freaking out about WiFi in schools comes a story about a woman who says that her home WiFi router made her sick -- and that she's sensitive enough to tell if there's WiFi in a room as soon as she enters it. It's a claim that plenty of people are dubious of, and one that could be pretty easily tested. Given the proliferation of WiFi access points in towns and cities, you'd imagine this woman would run into problems plenty of places other than her house, too. As in previous stories, there's the claim that WiFi hasn't yet been proven safe. Of course, it hasn't yet been proven unsafe beyond this type of anecdotal evidence, either. And waiting tens of years for long-term studies to vet any new technology before allowing its use would do little more than stifle the benefits it could offer. In the meantime, though, there's always foil beanies. Update: Forget the foil beanies, these hypersensitive people could just slather themselves in anti-electromagnetic radiation cream from a cosmetics company, that's made of "molecules derived from microorganisms living near undersea volcanoes and from plants which survive in extreme conditions such as alongside motorways and in Siberia". There's not much WiFi in those places, so the stuff must work.

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64 Comments

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Not So Fast, 27 Nov 2006 @ 9:06am

I work with a guy who says he can tell when he goes into an area covered with WiFi. He used to work for SBC, and is a pretty stand up guy.

I don't doubt him. Don't be so quick to assume that some people are affected.
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Sanguine Dream, 27 Nov 2006 @ 9:21am

Not too far off...
I can sometimes tell when I'm in an area full of electronics. When I was a kid (I mean less than 10) and walked into a wal-mart for the first time I walked straight to the electronic section without any help or directions. Even now I get an almost sick feeling when I go into stores with big electronics sections like Best Buy and Circuit City. I wouldn't be so fast to call this woman a liar.
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Reed, 27 Nov 2006 @ 9:21am

Feel those Wifi waves
Ohh yeah I feel those WiFi waves too! They are way groovy and you only need some E or magic mushrooms to see them.

Lets get serious, no one can detect radio waves with their mind. This sounds like some cheesy movie like the Sixth Sense, only instead of dead people you hear routers telling you their SSID. Lol
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and I got some land for ya. . ., 27 Nov 2006 @ 9:24am

I can tell too - my $20.00 WiFi sniffer lights up like a christmas tree!

He must go nuts when a cordless phone is being used too right?

How about the radiation from the tv's, crt's and just about everything else electronic?

It should be painfully easy to set up a double-blind test for this. Sounds to me just like the psychics who can bend spoons only if they hold them but put them out of reach and listen to the excuses!

Just go ask the Amazing Randi if he's still got that check of his - last I knew he did.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Nov 2006 @ 9:26am

Wow
If you have problems with electronics do not complain about others use of it. In the US at least this use is protected (that is until some lobbyists decide to buy, I mean lobby, the government to allow these claims to be accepted and ruin many potential life saving technologies). As well many "experts" can be made to write their "opinion" either way for any technology argument. There are places you can go if you are worried about technology. Ever hear of Amish lifestyles?
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chaz, 27 Nov 2006 @ 9:31am

Sensing WIFI
Maybe they are sensing the ozone given off by many electronics? Sounds more plausible
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Rational Beaver, 27 Nov 2006 @ 9:44am

WiFi doesn't bother me, but I can usually tell if someone has been cooking bacon in my house. Mmmm...bacon.
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JerryL, 27 Nov 2006 @ 10:08am

Anyone want $1,000,000
for detecting WiFi signals without a sniffer?

www.randi.org
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techno, 27 Nov 2006 @ 10:15am

prove it
if u want me to belive this like it was said earlier then prove it. to me its all bull shit u would be in a bad state in alot of places if it was true. the burden of proof is on u. cuz not sensing it is more plausable. that is my 2cents.
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Stephen, 27 Nov 2006 @ 10:17am

Buzz buzz
If anything, people sometimes can hear the whine that a lot of electronics can make. Its like that "mosquito" ring tone in effect.
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dan, 27 Nov 2006 @ 10:19am

yikes
Reminds me of those "ionized bracelets", only in bad format. People convince themselves that because they can feel these signals (I won't dispute that, but I can't prove or disprove them myself), they must be damaging their equipment. Why have no real tests been done to the extent that people should want?
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Doubtful, 27 Nov 2006 @ 10:32am

So this means that the woman's microwave and cordless phone, and the cell phone tower across town also make her sick. WiFi normally operates in the 2.4 ghz range, along with many cordless phones and cellphones. Microwave ovens also emit interference on that frequency. It's possible that she may be sensitive enough to tell if there is WiFi in a room, but I doubt that it made her sick.
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the man, 27 Nov 2006 @ 10:43am

makes me sick too
maybe it's the cost of her internet connection that really makes her sick - it does it for me!
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David, 27 Nov 2006 @ 10:50am

Re: Buzz buzz
Tell me about it. I can tell if a CRT type TV is on in a nearby room, almost anywhere within the house, even if it's completely muted. Actually, especially if it's muted, nothing to override it.
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wolff000, 27 Nov 2006 @ 11:02am

Bunch Of BS
I wouldn't say any one is a liar but they are fooling themselves. As stated the range in which wifi works is already very populated. All kinds of things are in this range and have existed for a lot longer than wifi. If anyone can detect a wifi signal then they can detect all the other devices in the range. Even if they can detect it, I would seriously doubt that it is not making them sick. On a side note I too can find the electronics department in places like Wal-Mart, I just open my eyes and listen they are really easy to locate by design. Most chain retail stores only have 2 or 3 layouts, so simply by looking at the front of the store I know where everything is and again this is done by design. If you could find the electronics department blindfolded and ears plugged and not being able to even see the outside of the store before hand I might believe you.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Nov 2006 @ 11:05am

Re: Bunch Of BS (typo)
"Even if they can detect it, I would seriously doubt that it is not making them sick."

Typo on my part that line should have "not" removed.

Too bad there is no intention check to run along with spelling and grammar.
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wolff000, 27 Nov 2006 @ 11:06am

Re: Bunch Of BS
"Even if they can detect it, I would seriously doubt that it is not making them sick."

Typo on my part that line should have "not" removed.

Too bad there is no intention check to run along with spelling and grammar.
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Eric the Grey, 27 Nov 2006 @ 11:14am

Why am I remeinded of the Salem Witch trials?
Where people would go into convulsions while the accused witch was on trial, trying to prove that she had some power over them...

Sounds like someone is trying to make some money and what better way than to invent something that is almost impossible to test for.

EtG
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spoon?!?, 27 Nov 2006 @ 11:16am

CRTs, definitely. I don't know what it is, but it's like my tinnitus goes haywire. Gives me a headache after a few minutes. Maybe hypersensitivity hasn't been tested because it would be called a pseudoscience? And if you do a blind study, you have to make sure there are no other electronics around, like in a field or something. Some pipes can do the same thing.
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linnow the minnow, 27 Nov 2006 @ 11:27am

Re: Re: Buzz buzz
hahahhah i thought your reply was hilarious...thanks for brightning my day...i am still chuckling...hhahahha thanks linnow
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Peter, 27 Nov 2006 @ 11:28am

Disability
I believe a lot of these cases are people trying to scam their way onto disability.
I have friends in the U.K.. Finding ways to get onto their very generous disability program is something of a sport.
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M. Craig Weaver, 27 Nov 2006 @ 11:49am

I'm Sensitive to this
I'm so sensitive to this kind of thing that I can tell where they are going to put the electronics section in a store that they haven't built yet!
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Grandfather Time, 27 Nov 2006 @ 12:01pm

Wi-Fi?
Oh, glorious Wi-Fi. You make my days much easier and a whole lot more pleasant. Weither I am playing a Nintendo DS at the local Burger King, or typing up a report at home hijacking my neighbors Wi-Fi, you are always there.

Is it true? Have you been making other people sick? What am I to do if ten years down the road my nose falls off, or I fail to awaken from a Mario Kart DS induced coma?

Oh, fate. How you play cruel tricks upon my psyche.....
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Not So Fast, 27 Nov 2006 @ 12:22pm

Prescription drugs react differently in different people. Depression drugs work differently depending on the person, and they really can not tell you why that is. That's why they start you off on Prozac and if that doesn't work, they go to the next one on the list.

We know less about how our body works (especially the brain) than we know about it. Why would this surprise you? Back when asbestos was invented, it was considered a safe, miracle product. How did that turn out? You talk about stopping innovation and advancement, but guess what, do you really want to have people look back and say "what the hell were they thinking?" You have to balance safety with progress, to ignore safety is just plain stupid. Do drug companies put their products on the market before proving them somewhat safe? I don't think so.
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Chris, 27 Nov 2006 @ 12:28pm

CRT's and WiFi
Most tv's put out a very high pitched hum just from being on. Regardless if they're muted or not. Anyone who cares to take 3 seconds and pays attention will find this out. Some people don't hear as well as others, so if they can't easily make out what they're hearing, their brain is struggling to detect it. This can result in headaches, or nausea, resulting in a sick feeling.

WiFi operates in the 2.4ghz range, with 900mhz and 5.2ghz as well. As does almost any other non licensed Radio Frequency device. Cell phones, cordless phones, microwaves, paging towers for EMS services, and the list goes on and on.

Not saying it's an impossibility, just saying it's more than likely to be a load of BS. As for people being able to tell if their's wifi or not as soon as they walk into an area they need only look for a few key things. Practialy all business complexes now have a huge Omni sticking off the roof, any ATM Cash machines that only have a power cable, spotting someone surfing the web with a laptop, etc...
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Peet McKimmie (profile), 27 Nov 2006 @ 12:47pm

Re:
We know less about how our body works (especially the brain) than we know about it.

You are George W Bush and I claim my $5.
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Crash, 27 Nov 2006 @ 12:49pm

?????
This could all be just the way the signal is transmitted. The digital signal could be the cause. Where as microwaves and most cordless phones emit an analog signal. I would like to see the blind test my self. If someone can just sense wifi my guess would be that pretty much any electronic device regaurdless what it is would cause them to get sick.

However about it being safe, who has ever drove down the freeway? The last time I looked that is still one of the most danagerous things to do. Jumping out of an airplane is safer.
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Chronno S. Trigger, 27 Nov 2006 @ 1:18pm

Analog signal
I looked it up a few years ago. Its not a digital signal being transmitted threw the air. its an analog signal transmitting digital data. Still faster and more reliable than full analog.

As for safety, we have been using stuff like that for many years. We also know at what frequency the waves become Ionizing. Radio waves are far to wide to cause this. This scare has already happened with cell phones and cancer.
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Charles Griswold, 27 Nov 2006 @ 1:49pm

CRTs
Dittos on the CRT thing. The old Apple ][ monitors used to drive me nuts if they were turned on without being attached to a computer. Modern TVs and monitors don't bother me, though.

As for the WiFi thing: if it bothers you, just use a velostat hat.
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Mike (profile), 27 Nov 2006 @ 2:22pm

Re:
Do drug companies put their products on the market before proving them somewhat safe? I don't think so.

That hardly proves a point. Drugs are highly regulated, so the reason they don't put stuff on the market until it's gone through all those tests is because they're required to by the gov't... and many, many people have pointed out why this process has tremendous problems. Medical treatments (both pharmaceutical and other types of treatments) often get delayed well beyond what's reasonable. Other treatments never get off the ground because of the extensive testing (and money) that's necessary. Meanwhile, you still have cases like Vioxx that suggest the process is far from foolproof. Just think about all the treatments that could potentially save lives that are *not* on the market today because of an overly cautious stance?
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misanthropic humanist, 27 Nov 2006 @ 3:33pm

resonance
I don't think ozone production is likely unless very high voltages are present. The explanation given by Stephen seems most likely, that there's audio signals above 20kHz from PSU components. Anyway, I'm about as sceptical as they come and I swear I can get headaches from mobile phones. My theory is that it heats up the fluid in the inner ear very slightly, but the figures say that is nonsense, you would have to hold the phone against your head for hours to get even a couple of degrees increase.

What is interesting is if it affects people of different ages, sexes or race in different ways, maybe we can pinpoint a group that seem most vulnerable to the effects to help work out the mechanism.

If I placed a very powerful audio emitter running at 25kHz in a room most people would never even know, but kids under the age of 18 would notice an annoying sensation that causes headaches. It's the same for infrasonics too, sub 10Hz signals are inaudiable to the majority of people but large (fat) people say they feel queasy in their stomachs after exposure. It's all about resonance. So maybe there's some factor that makes certain people sensitive to microwave signals.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Nov 2006 @ 5:11pm

Re: resonance
I wish more people took your middle-ground approach.

After five or ten minutes on a cell phone, I too get a mild head ache. I too suspect some minor heating effect, or something similarly odd but utterly inconsequential. I don't think it's an issue with just having a sound pumped in my ear; a normal old-fashioned phone has no such effect. For whatever reason, a cordless phone doesn't either.

But again, I don't imagine it'll cause cancer that'll lead me to turn green, triple in size and go on a rampage. People claiming to instantly know there's a WiFi signal available though, heh. My old boss thought she was psychic. Nod and smile, nod and smile.
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Rich, 27 Nov 2006 @ 9:20pm

Re: Feel those Wifi waves
GSM phones make speakers crackle, I get a headache from it also. WiFi... I think its plausable.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Nov 2006 @ 9:17am

everyone is dfiferent.

is is plausable to "sense" a 2.4 GHz signal? yes. highly unlikely. but still plausable. most people who can "sense" electronics being on, sense the frequency transmited by various components of said device. and yes, body makeup can help resonate diffferent frequencies. i used to be able to tell if the basement tv was on, just by closing my eyes, and standing at the top of the stairs (cable box was off, no sound coming from the tv) can people hear 2.4 GHZ? as i said, no clue, but most humans can't hear above 4kHz (DSL anyone?) that's not to say it's not possible.

the ozone thning is what happens when "sparks" are made, high enough voltage is produced to break down the air molicules and form ozone.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Dec 2006 @ 6:56pm

Re: Why am I remeinded of the Salem Witch trials?
Seems to me that testing for it would be easy, router in a cardboard box,so the person cant see it, power strip with a switch likewise hidden, have someone throw the switch or not every 60 seconds and have the "sensitive" person declare if the router is on or not.

How is that a hard test? You could certainly make it more complex but I suspect that you will be able to tell them they are idiots in about 10 minutes.
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Anon, 10 Jan 2007 @ 3:58am

There is something to this...
I too am sensitive to WiFi and also mobile phone radiation in that I get headaches and dizziness as well as unusual skin sensations. I think it might have something to do with the frequency these devices use which is usually 1-2Ghz, but possibly also the mode of transmission may play a role (ie. the type of signal, eg. analogue vs digital). It does seem that some people are more sensitive than others and perhaps most people don't have a problem at all (the WHO estimates 3% of the world's population as being electrosensitive, although the electrosensitivity phenomena extends beyond just microwave radiation exposure and has not yet been proven as far as I'm aware). It's been known since the early days of radar that humans are sensitive to microwaves, even at levels below what is required for significant heating to result. The causal process is not properly understood. Sensitivity to microwaves was recognised by scientists in the former Soviet Union, but in the West research focussed on net thermal effects to exposed tissue and organs. Exposure standards for the plethora of electrical devices using microwaves that have been developed in the West have been determined primarily on ensuring net thermal effects to human tissue are insignificant. I think we will get a much clearer idea of what is going on in the next few years, but it will be a very contentious issue because of the immense revenues of the wireless industry. It's probably wise to minimise exposure or avoid it if possible.
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Anon, 10 Jan 2007 @ 3:58am

There is something to this...
I too am sensitive to WiFi and also mobile phone radiation in that I get headaches and dizziness as well as unusual skin sensations. I think it might have something to do with the frequency these devices use which is usually 1-2Ghz, but possibly also the mode of transmission may play a role (ie. the type of signal, eg. analogue vs digital). It does seem that some people are more sensitive than others and perhaps most people don't have a problem at all (the WHO estimates 3% of the world's population as being electrosensitive, although the electrosensitivity phenomena extends beyond just microwave radiation exposure and has not yet been proven as far as I'm aware). It's been known since the early days of radar that humans are sensitive to microwaves, even at levels below what is required for significant heating to result. The causal process is not properly understood. Sensitivity to microwaves was recognised by scientists in the former Soviet Union, but in the West research focussed on net thermal effects to exposed tissue and organs. Exposure standards for the plethora of electrical devices using microwaves that have been developed in the West have been determined primarily on ensuring net thermal effects to human tissue are insignificant. I think we will get a much clearer idea of what is going on in the next few years, but it will be a very contentious issue because of the immense revenues of the wireless industry. It's probably wise to minimise exposure or avoid it if possible.
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Anonymous, 14 Mar 2007 @ 4:04am

Fucking Idiot
Who ever wrote this article is not only a fucking idiot, but also a fucking asshole.
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phil baney, 3 May 2007 @ 3:12am

Human rf sensitivity
As an engineer I understand the principles of wireless, Pulsed RF, microwaves, radar etc. But I also know people who can tell if there is strong modulated RF close by. some people are particulaly sensitive to the 2.5GHz area i.e wifi phones etc. The reality is that they are demodulating the carrier and 'hearing' the pulsed signals - this permanant background noise causes many symptoms The science for this has been documented variousy since the invention of RADAR and is probably due to micro temperature variations causing pressure on the components of the ear.. I have had this demonstrated to me many times also some people can detect aircraft transponders in a similar way.
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Andre, 21 May 2007 @ 1:17pm

Double blind tests
Hi.

Ok, I propose a simple test. Build two absolutely identical rooms separated by a door. The door is fully shielded as are both rooms.
Now, arrange your device in the ceiling of both rooms with power only provided to one at a time, put half your test candidates in each room and then monitor how many people move between the rooms.

Under normal conditions there should be a 50/50 ratio, if one individual favors one room then this should then null out.

Voila, a totally foolproof double-blind test for electrosensitivity.

Perhaps someone can do this as part of a PhD in Psychology or Biology?

-Andre
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Gavin, 10 Jun 2007 @ 10:33pm

I Have Experienced It
I experience a unique and intense feeling when entering a room or area with Wifi. This happens especially when the signal is at 50% at least, and it is transmitting binary data (its talking to a remote machine).

To try and define this I would have to explain the feeling as being similar to having the hairs on your arms go up (the chill effect). That happens at long distance. Shorter or direct contact becomes even more intense with a skin crawling feeling, tingling, and numbing/throbbing pains near joints (throbbing happens randomly, not on every joint/muscle at once). The numbing/throbbing feels like when you close the loop of a 9V battery (i know someone out there has done the old 9V to the tongue trick) or static electricity.

The surface of the "direct contanct" area could be a laptop keyboard handrest-area (directly under an internalized wifi card). Or on the antenna of a Wifi Access Point/Router (linksys brand).

I'm not the type to believe in something that seems as silly as this whole thing, I don't believe in aliens nor do I have the entire collection of X-Files seasons on DVD. I'm just a software developer with no knowledge of this radio technology outside of what I can physically experience.

Yes, I have proven it to family and friends on a recent vacation to Tampa, Florida. While in the city I brought along my laptop with NetStumbler (wifi detection software) and we drove down a street that was heavily populated with tourists, an active nightlife/dining area with people all over. I was able to sense beforehand a network and call it out before NetStumbler announced it. I was also able to generally judge the direction of the device. For example I called out a nearby hotel (Double Tree) and pointed towards the general direction while keeping my head focused down at the laptop screen.

I picked up some devices in less populated areas too, and i also called out when i felt VERY high levels of this stuff, and then suddenly a second later being bombarded with notification-sounds from Netstumbler as it discovered the access points.

The effects of this are more noticeable at night at longer distances but up close or indoors, I immediately know one's near.

It's not a pleasant experience either, not like a soft tapping. It can get as bad as a sharp pain down the back of my neck that occurs randomly. When the device is shut off or I leave, the problem goes away and i feel less tense, more relaxed.

If anyone's in the South Florida area and wants to test me on this I'd be happy to give a demo in a controlled setting (or in a non-controlled one like a living room or kitchen. lol). This stuff isn't difficult at all to prove, I've proven it to friends before and they think it's a pretty neat thing. I don't think it's that cool though, it's like picking up a lot of excess noise and not being able to shut it off. You can imagine how it is for someone like me to walk around say Disney World (they have tonnes of access points all labeled TWDC which i think stands for The Walt Disney Corporation). With the explosion of wifi access points in major cities it can be a real problem.

Thankfully I live in an area with only one wifi signal from a distant neighbor. I once had Wifi in my own home for about 4 years and hadn't recognized this until I turned the thing off for a week. A lot of sleepless nights simply vanished, and I could think more clearly. I'm sure a lot of you just assume this is all in my head. Well you're right, it is all in my head, in fact I'm bathing in the stuff everywhere i go.
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Vics, 11 Aug 2007 @ 5:48am

Re: Disability
"very generous disability program" my ARSE! YOU try living on it! People with chronic fluctuating illnesses like this wouldn't stand a hope of getting incapacity benefit so I can assure you they're not benefit scroungers.

I fully believe that people suffer from this 'electrohypersensitivity' as a species we evolve, we are more sensitive to a lot of things now than our ancesters were, i have no doubt that some people really can 'feel' wifi, especially as usage is on the increase. It's logical to assume that the more of something there is the easier it is to see/ sense.

I'd point you all to this article:
wifi blues
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jonny, 27 Sep 2007 @ 4:27pm

I get a headache anytime I am in close range of a wifi signal -- I have sat through some very uncomfortable dinners at friends' homes with the only relief coming from going to a different part of the house or going outside. The effect is a bit less in cafes -- and I am often too distracted to notice, but if I am asked, I can accurately gage if a place is providing wifi access.
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Alex Grogan, 11 Oct 2007 @ 8:23am

Cell-phone induced headaches.
Did you ever think of it this way?

Press your hand against your head for 10 minutes and you'll probably get a pressure induced headache too - no cell phone required - think of all the minutes you'll save to get the same effect.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2008 @ 5:16am

Re:
i can sense it too:( i mean in a bad way, i get a headache in a few minuts. unfortunately i deal with radio trancivers alot at my work:(
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2008 @ 5:20am

Re: Feel those Wifi waves
damn it! cellphones and radio antennas uses 2.4 , 5.4, 5.8 Ghz etc. frequency!! the same frequencys are used in microwaves oven! this heats up anything containing water molecues! since we are build mostly from water , and our brain is like 90% of water, so are the eyes!! this clearly explains why human tissue is exposed to this radiation too!! at least some people. like myself unfortunately:(
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Feb 2008 @ 8:47pm

What a bunch of nay sayers.
I do get headaches and nausea at times when using wi-fi.

I get it at times using my work Toshiba Tecra laptop, and avoid using it if I can.
I get a worse effect if I use a Netgear USB device.

I don't get the same issue with my cordless phone, also in the 2.4GHz spectrum. Perhaps it has something to do with the mode, or the density of the signal.

I dont feel the effect from other electronic devices or radio transmitters including mobile phones on the 850MHz
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lauren, 20 Apr 2008 @ 8:31am

I can prove it
Our friend has this sensitivity and I always wondered if he was just a bit eccentric and strange. Then my 4 year old son started screaming, days and nights in pain. It's gone on for months, lots of doctors and tests. One week ago we decided to shut off the wifi at night. He's has slept every night this week without disturbance.

How can someone who doesn't experience this have the right to say it's not true? Many of these people are weird, but a lot of them are just regular folks. If you don't want people to stand in judgment of you, then consider how you speak and treat others.
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Radka, 5 May 2008 @ 3:31am

Re: Not too far off...
HI, I'm a women, and I found wifi signals intimidating. Now, my neigbourg got himself WIFI, so I am absolutely fucked. I can not sit even on the chair. Simply, WIFI signals interfere with human brain signals but also with other home electonic appliances. My frindge, TV, or computer is breaking up because of my WIFI neighbourgh signals comming to the appartment. He doesn't care about my pain,as he said that I don't have any problem; he knows it better. From my point of view, WIFI should not be sell to public because it already destroys innocent people their careers, health, and love life. Wifi is my enemy because it hurts me, and I'm at the end blamed for my stupid actions caused by lost of concentration once at work or with friends.
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Marty Galyean, 22 Oct 2008 @ 4:24pm

Electronics Detection
Hey, Not So Fast:

It is far more likely that you were hearing the high pitched squeals and such that TVs emit from their IF circuitry (many children can just hear it as their high frequency hearing is still that good, I know I could), and perhaps you were also reacting to the outgassing of various epoxies and plastics used on the new circuit boards as they heat up in use which can be a cloying and nauseating smell to some. But it is highly unlikely that it was the electromagnetic energy that was directly affecting you. The science just doesn't support it.
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Mark Greer, 3 Jun 2009 @ 4:57am

Wi-Fi makes me ill
Wi-Fi ? I definately know when it is on because I get a moderate thick headache and mild nausia. I sleep with intense dreams when it is on. Sorry, you can't dismiss me because I will only get louder on the subject. I am sure it is harmful now, and even though I am a computer tech and know it is low power, it is definately a brain vessel poison to me. Science is just waking up and hasn't interviwed me yet.
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Mark Greer, 3 Jun 2009 @ 8:38am

Iron in the blood
Iron and water in the blood react to those signals, and Wi-Fi has a toothy, edgy code - I am still recovering from it being on all night, like a hangover.
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Mike T, 20 Jul 2009 @ 4:51am

Wi Fi + health
It seems to me that the anecdotes are pretty clear. Because the great God Science has not yet devised methods to measure the human effects of low power, high frequency radiation on the human organism, this means absolutely nothing. The fact is I have personally experienced the disorientation and dizziness in places such as supermarkets which are filled with wi-fi as well as fluorescent lights. The effect disappears if I move outside the building. We are highly complex electro-chemical organisms and our bodies operate with millions of simultaneous faint electrical signals along fine nerves. How can science at its present level of ignorance gauge whether our body electronics is affected or not? It certainly is a valid possibility. The problem is Science is controlled by funding from powerful companies and many of these would not like Wi-Fi stopped.
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Stoyan Pertov, 10 Jul 2010 @ 4:59pm

Wi-fi routers make me sick if I'm next to them. My body can definitely detect any router operating within 10-15 meters. Cordless and mobile phones do not make me feel that way. The symptoms are: strange headache from the back side of the head, painful feeling in the heart area and the chest, arrhythmia, pain in the bones, a stiffing feeling, lack of ability to breath and swallow normally. I can hardly stand more than 30-40 minutes next to a router, because things are constantly getting worse. Nothing, but switching the router off can stop these symptoms. After 30 minutes almost everything disappear, but the headache remains 'till the next morning. I'm absolutely sure, that this is medical, but not psychological condition. This is proven in many situation in different places when I can't actually see the router. I'm selling computers and our office manager respects my condition and do not force me to work near Wi-fi equipment. I have an expensive wi-fi router at home, but unfortunately I had to disable its wireless function, cos every time I or someone else turn it on - I start to feel terrible. My colleagues and some of my relatives can't understand this condition, but I'm ready to participate in examinations to prove that hypersensitivity is a serious condition, and has nothing to do with any psychological factors.
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Seeking, 12 Feb 2011 @ 1:06pm

Re: electromagnetic/RF hypersensitivity
I am writing to respond to the above thread at
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20061127/082049.shtml
and to ask a question.
Re: wifi sensitivity, I have had a room for about 10 years in a big ole house that, in winter, I can't live there because of woodsmoke pollution inside the house (bad leaky woodstoves AND holes in wall of my bedroom through whioch comes smoke from the chimney). So for at least one winter I was away AND I had to travel out of the area AND other reasons, kept me away from the house for about a year.
During the nonheating months, I felt pretty normal (I also have mold sensitivity and there is mold there, but it wasn't too bad). But when I returned after this apx. year absence and went upstairs to my room and lay down on my bed, I was feeling funny (sorta buzzy in my body is the best way I can describe it). There was nothing I could see that could cause this. But a short while later I learned they had installed wifi router while i was away--downstairs and a few feet over from my bed. A friend of mine there and I will be doing a "double blind" study at some point but until we can do this, i am going on asumption it is *probably* the wifi router (since that was the only thing that changed in the house) that was causing my unconfortability.
Now here's my (unrelated, except that it may have to do with RF) question: I am now living in a diferent location (it is winter so I'm away from the house that has the interior woodsmoke problem) and my room is right under a satellite dish (the only place in the room where I can sleep, is about 7 feet from the dish). This dish was installed when a former tenant lived there, and I, myself, am not subscribing, so it is not "active" in the sense that I am receiving a signal that is going into a TV. But could someone tell me please: Would the RF radiation that the satellite dish is designed to receive, still be focused OUT of the air, and ONTO that location (of the dish) even though I don't have a box inside my apartment that would be allowing the signal to be translated into sound and video on a television set? This is very important for me to know so that if the answer is yes, I can avoid renting a place in the future that has even an "INactive" (in the above sense) satellite dish near my living quarters.

Here are the symptoms I've been having in this apartment:
- high-pitched humming in my head
- falling down at the drop of a hat both inside the apartment andelsewhere
- feeling of listlessness even though I am very motivated to get lots done (and am NOT depressed)
Thank you to anyone who will answer my question about whether the satellite dish has to be *attached to something inside my apartment* in order to be sort of "accumulating" RF that then could be affecting me per the above symptoms.
I apologize if the above is a stupid question but I only just became aware that what the satellite dish is receiving is RF (radiofrequency) radiation from: http://www.hps.org/hpspublications/articles/rfradiation.htmland also just became aware that RF can be harmful, from: http://www.townsendletter.com/July2007/wifi0707.htm)
(I knew that cellphones radiation could be harmful from experience I've had with them, but did not know it was RF radiation in them until reading the 1st-mentioned url above)
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Research, 30 Mar 2011 @ 8:40pm

Google
Look up Microwave auditory effect (frey effect)
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arnab, 30 Jul 2011 @ 1:07pm

Headache
Whenever I am close to strong WIFI devices I get headache.
I am with the women.
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Andrew, 22 Jul 2012 @ 3:19pm

skeptical
Easy test probably dodgy to do again.. but give it a shot.

Wireless router 12 inches from head on a shelf next to the bed in the spare room. Splitting headache next morning (no booze involved sadly) Had some laptops on in the house all night with regular traffic. Ignored it the second night, headache again (still no booze).. switched off the third night and no headache the next morning.

Yeah I'm still skeptical that rf causes it.. though we have a voda macrocell 40m away from my house and I sleep in full view of it normally through the window. I chalk the cluster headaches down to coffee and the aches to aging.
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Julia, 1 Dec 2012 @ 2:53pm

Mind Control
I think it's mind control of the masses using radio waves and microwaves to do it. With the computer and new HD TV, along with energy saving bulbs and smart meters we're being submersed in it.

And that doesn't include the phone masts and mobile phones.
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Veronica, 6 Dec 2013 @ 8:25am

Re: Re: Why am I remeinded of the Salem Witch trials?
This is a stupid statement. Electromagnetic Intolerance is real and can't just be studied like throwing a switch. Thnkk of someone who is allergic or sensitive to a strawberry. If you givethem a strawberry hidden in foor every sixty seconds--and they get sick--will they be ab le tro tell you each and every time they eat the strawberry? Once the sensitivity is activated--it takes a great deal of time to eliminate the feelings of exposure. I have been ill for 9 months now. I had an ipad, cell phone, wifi, etc. loved it all! However, the headaches, burning skin, heart palpatations made me stop uingthe stuff. Now I am sensitized to the point that I can feel symptoms form other peoples phones, neighbors wifis, cell towers etc. It happens to some people just like any other illness. Eveyones physiology is different. Peoples bodies react differently to the same stimulus. I wish people whould stop saying that it doesn't exist or that it isn't real. At some point, sicience will find the mechanism that cuases the symptoms--physiologically--and show this to be true. In the mean time, please don't be vicious and ignorant. Have some compassion for people who suffer from this. We suffer twice--first from the horrible symptoms--and then from people who are ignorant of this issue and who belittle us and dismiss us. Please be kind and understanding. This is happening all around the wourld to men, women, children, rich, poor, educated nd uneducatred--just like cancer or heart attacks etc--it affects a segment of the population. And yes, some people who are mentally ill will also get it--just like diabetes or any other illness affects them. Stop stigmatizing people--and start tryingto uncover the dangers for everyone.
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jod Bronson, 18 Mar 2015 @ 10:32am

WIFI MAKE ME SICK :((
Here is a Challenge for the STUPID People....

Make TWO Rooms...

1. With WIFI
2. Without WIFI

Turn on the WIFI without me knowing... Let me enter, naked if you want me to.... Without Anything (Like Measuring Equipment's) I will tell you which Room has WIFI On and which Room doesn't have WIFI. If I FAILED, you can CHOP my head off :))

How's that?

And for the People who feel they are SICK because of WIFI... I just wanted you to know " YOU ARE NOT ALONE "

Here are my Symptoms;

Fatigue
Back Pain
Nausea
Dizziness
Moodiness
Headaches...
NOTE: When Heats come on in Winter... Like 68F Degree Over, it gets worst...
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Sourabh Bera, 23 Feb 2016 @ 7:20am

I had the same experience but in India no one believes in all these things
I had bought a wifi dongle 1 month ago.....right after that all the problems started.same as yours first I thought It may be my own body problems but after reading all these things I had to believe in WIFI radiations...........but I had a question why I had not these feelings when I used 3g Internet on mobile???
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Sourabh Bera, 23 Feb 2016 @ 7:32am

Re: Wi-Fi makes me ill
I have also felt the same thing
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Christopher Lien, 19 Jan 2018 @ 8:13pm

WiFi makes me sick.
Cant use WiFi at all. My skin tingles, I get headaches, feel noxious, ringing in my ears and more. WiFi might be perfectly safe but I cant even visit people who use WiFi or any other EMR emitting devices. Laugh all you want but this is very real.
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