S. Hill from Church, London, wrote in worried about headaches and dizziness whenever they use a mobile phone and wondered if they might have electrohypersensitivity.
Dr Martin Scurr responds: Your discomfort is real, but the science so far doesn’t strongly back up the idea of electrohypersensitivity.
Large trials where people are exposed to real versus sham radiofrequency signals from phones haven’t shown consistent symptoms among the exposed group.
Interestingly, studies where participants didn’t know if they were being exposed (blinded trials) found they couldn’t reliably tell when a signal was on.
Still, given your very specific symptoms, the practical advice is simple: reduce exposure where possible.
That might mean turning off your phone, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth devices one at a time to see what triggers symptoms.
Even if the science isn’t definitive, your well-being comes first.
Managing Cholesterol Without Statins
Marion Tunnicliffe from Southport shared her concerns about taking statins for high cholesterol.
She had been trying omega-3 and collagen supplements, worried about side-effects mentioned in the package leaflets, and stopped statins after experiencing pain.
Dr Scurr responds: Cholesterol management is important, especially given your atrial fibrillation and pacemaker.
These conditions put you at higher risk for heart attacks and strokes, which is why statins are prescribed alongside diet changes.
A low-cholesterol diet generally means cutting down on animal fats like red meat and full-fat dairy and increasing soluble fibre from oats, beans, and similar foods.
Statins are proven to help people with heart disease live longer, so balancing potential side-effects against these benefits is key.
Regarding drug leaflets: they cover every possible side-effect, even rare ones, because manufacturers must legally provide that information.
Think of it like a car manual that warns you accidents can happen—it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t drive.
What’s really important is discussing your concerns with a doctor in depth, not just a five-minute appointment.
If possible, book another consultation to talk through your worries and options.
In My View: ECT Can Save Lives
Dr Scurr also reflects on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) after seeing a patient in her mid-20s who had long struggled with severe depression.
Medication had failed, but ECT “saved my life,” she told him.
Dr Scurr recalls his early experience administering ECT in a psychiatric unit.
Patients are briefly anaesthetized, a small electric shock is applied to one side of the head, and a short convulsion occurs.
It’s highly effective for some cases of severe depression, but remains controversial and underused.
While newer drugs exist, no medication is perfect.
Powerful treatments like ECT can make a life-or-death difference for certain patients, and Dr Scurr emphasizes that it deserves more recognition in modern medicine.
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