Environmental sensitivity (ES) or sensitivities is a challenging condition that causes one or more systems in a person's body to react to chemicals, substances, or other features usually present in the living or working environment. There is a great argument about the origin of this condition and whether it is an actual physical disease. Some doctors dismiss it only as a psychological disorder, and in some cases some psychological conditions are misdiagnosed as ES. However, although it has been officially mandated as a "disease" by several medical groups, it can be the cause of much suffering for those who suffer from it, and better treatment for it would certainly come as a relief to many.
This condition usually arises after an illness or exposure to a certain substance that produces significant physical symptoms. These include allergic-type reactions with a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes, or respiratory system reactions that cause asthma, bronchitis, or a general cough. People may also feel faint and develop nausea or diarrhea, or they may have frequent urination, stomach pain, a general "spaced out" or light-headed feeling, and pain in the head or other parts of the body. Strong sense of smell is generally noted as common among people with environmental sensitivity, and the condition is confirmed or tested by seeing a patient react again to the substance to which he or she claims sensitivity.
Some common features of environmental sensitivity include that people have likely been exposed to the substance in the past to which they are now sensitive. When exposed to the substance in the present, much lower levels are needed to produce a reaction. Improvement tends to be felt immediately when exposure to a substance ends.
The symptoms of environmental sensitivity may pose significant problems for an individual or the number of chemicals or triggers may be few and easy to avoid. Some people will notice significant physical symptoms when they smell fragrances, for example, and may need to avoid buying magazines with scented gifts and working in an environment where people don't wear fragrances. This could be difficult to avoid completely, as many things have a pronounced odor. A person with ES for fragrance needs to set rules about where she works in order to avoid this, but it is terribly difficult to continually avoid all fragrance odors in the company of others.
Conversely, a person may have an environmental sensitivity to a chemical that is not encountered very often, such as one in wet paint. You may have to be away from home if exterior painting is done nearby or if the interior of a home needs to be painted. Usually, unless the person worked in a paint store or as a painter/contractor/etc, avoiding this chemical might be a little easier.
Many people develop multiple sensitivities to commonly available things, and may have environmental sensitivities to cleaning products, various food products, and even gases in the air. A greater number of sensitivities and a greater physical reaction to them corresponds to a much more limited lifestyle. When this is combined with skepticism from the medical community and family or friends, the person with SSc needs a lot of support, and can't always get it. Fortunately, there are some good support groups online, and some people will also find support from the local community helpful.
Support alone is not adequate treatment. People with environmental sensitivity first need to find a doctor who believes in the condition and has experience treating it. There are diagnostic tools to differentiate ES from other conditions, such as psychological disorders and allergies, that can be helpful. Some medical conditions such as lupus, hypothyroidism, and others can also produce symptoms similar to ES. The emphasis in treatment is to identify specific problems or trigger substances and create methods to avoid them. The psychological effects of dramatically altered lifestyle when multiple ES are present must also be addressed.