Sick Building Syndrome (cont.)
How Common Is MCS?
Because little is understood about MCS, some health care practitioners may not recognize MCS as a medical illness and, therefore, do not make a diagnosis of MCS. For this reason, it is not possible to assess how many people actually suffer from MCS. One estimate suggests that 2%-10% of people may have some disruption in their lives because of MCS. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that about one-third of people working in sealed buildings claim to be sensitive to one or more common chemicals.
Studies show that more women than men appear to have MCS, and this sensitivity occurs most often in younger adults between the ages of 30 and 50.
In addition, studies have shown that symptoms of MCS are more common among military personnel, particularly Persian Gulf War (PGW) veterans. Some findings show that PGW veterans have an increased sensitivity with behavioral changes to smog, vehicle exhaust, cosmetics, and chemicals.
What Causes MCS?
The cause of MCS is unknown, which makes it hard to diagnose and treat. One theory suggests that chemicals traveling in the air enter the nose and affect an area of the brain called the limbic system. The limbic system plays a role in emotions, motivated behavior, and memory, which may make a person more sensitive to a chemical odor previously encountered. However, this theory has not been proven.
Another theory suggests that the immune system is somehow damaged in people with MCS. Yet another theory, called "toxic-induced loss of tolerance" (TILT), suggests that acute or chronic exposure to chemicals causes some susceptible people to lose their tolerance for chemicals they previously could tolerate.
People with MCS identify many products as chemical triggers, including:
- Tobacco smoke
- Perfume
- Traffic exhaust or gasoline fumes
- Nail polish remover
- Newspaper ink
- Hair spray
- Paint or paint thinner
- Insecticides
- Artificial colors, sweeteners, and preservatives in food
- Adhesive tape
- New carpet
- Flame retardants on clothing and furniture (such as mattresses)
- Felt tip pens
- Chlorine in swimming pools
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