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Chemical Sensitivity
From "Indoor Air Pollution." Co-sponsored by:
The American Lung Association
(ALA),
The Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA),
The Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC), and
The American Medical Association
(AMA)


What is "multiple chemical sensitivity" or "total allergy"?

The diagnostic label of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) -- also referred to as "chemical hypersensitivity" or "environmental illness" -- is being applied increasingly, although definition of the phenomenon is elusive and its pathogenesis as a distinct entity is not confirmed. Multiple chemical sensitivity has become more widely known and increasingly controversial as more patients receive the label63.

Persons with the diagnostic label of multiple chemical sensitivity are said to suffer multi-system illness as a result of contact with, or proximity to, a spectrum of substances, including airborne agents. These may include both recognized pollutants discussed earlier (such as tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, et al.) and other pollutants ordinarily considered innocuous. Some who espouse the concept of MCS believe that it may explain such chronic conditions as some forms of arthritis and colitis, in addition to generally recognized types of hypersensitivity reactions.

Some practitioners believe that the condition has a purely psychological basis. One study63 reported a 65 percent incidence of current or past clinical depression, anxiety disorders, or somatoform disorders in subjects with this diagnosis compared with 28 percent in controls. Others, however, counter that the disorder itself may cause such problems64, since those affected are no longer able to lead a normal life, or that these conditions stem from effects on the nervous system65.

The current consensus is that in cases of claimed or suspected MCS, complaints should not be dismissed as psychogenic, and a thorough workup is essential. Primary care givers should determine that the individual does not have an underlying physiological problem and should consider the value of consultation with allergists and other specialists.

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