Wireless Modems and Electromagnetic Sensitivity II

In my last post, I shared my personal experience of getting a wireless modem/router and immediately upon setting it up finding myself in significant physical distress, as if my head and body were almost “buzzing”, and as if there was a high-pitched (but inaudible) whine or squeal in my ears.

In this post, I’d like to share some of the stuff I’ve found on the net about this experience. First, in this video, Lloyd from energysense.com demonstrates and talks about the electromagnetic radiation coming off a standard household wireless modem/router.

British investigative reporters on Panorama asked, if health risks from cell phone towers are generally recognized, why are we now putting wireless modems (broadcasters)—which are essentially the same thing on a smaller scale—into our urban areas, our homes, and  most frighteningly, into our classrooms.  They demonstrate that in a typical classroom with wi fi, the radiation level is about three times as powerful as when standing at close range to a cellphone tower, and we are exposing our children to that every day.  Is that scary or what? Watch.

That was part one. You can find parts two and three at You Tube if you wish. You get the gist. And the question they raise is important as our world becomes increasingly wi-fied. Students are now encouraged to get i-pads, cities incorporate free wi-fi hot spots, and our bodies continue to be bombarded with more and more of this radiation. So what is it?

Electromagnetic energy fields (EMFs) are areas of energy that surround electric devices. Our bodies also have energy fields and biochemical responses (e.g., nervous system, digestion, brain processing), and the EMFs can interact and disrupt our body’s field. Geobiologist Roy Riggs says that people who are sensitive to EMFs can experience a variety of symptoms including nervousness, insomnia, rashes, aches, pains, foggy thinking, problems with ears and/or nose, throat disorders, digestive disorders, infertility, and EMFs may be linked to some types of cancer[i].

Most of us are aware of—and wary of—external sources of EMFs such as electricity substations, cell phone towers and mobile masts, and overhead power lines, but many of us are so seduced by the glorious wonders of modern technology--have you played with an i-pad lately?--that we pay little attention to the EMF dangers within our homes and offices.

Although all electrical appliances emit some electromagnetic energy, undoubtedly the most powerful source of EMFs within the home is a wireless modem/router, followed closely by cordless phones. Wireless modems and cordless phones emit energy at the same or a similar frequency to your household microwave oven, only at a much lower energy level, but unlike your microwave oven, they are usually turned on all the time—a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week broadcast. Using corded modems and phones significantly cuts your exposure to these electromagnetic fields. Experts advise if you do choose to use wireless technology, turning it off at night or when not in use can lower your overall exposure.  

There has been quite a lot of research done on the dangers of cell phones, but not a great deal yet on wireless internet technology. Most “experts” say wi-fi isn't dangerous. Perhaps that is wishful thinking. If I hadn’t experienced such a powerful reaction to the installation of a wireless modem/router, I might be inclined to dismiss potential dangers as simply a product of our modern world. Now? I think we’re playing with something considerably more dangerous than fire, and with relative ignorance. Watch this space.

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[i] http://bodyecology.com/articles/little-known-dangers-of-emf.php