Biosomatic effects of the electromagnetic fields on view of the physiotherapy personnel health

Abstract

The effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in physiotherapy have been discussed mainly with regard to the patient's safety, while the operator's safety is neglected. This paper presents the medical assessment and specific tendencies in the health status of personnel in physical therapy wards--where the EMFs are everyday background factor. This paper summarizes the somatic part of results from the study among physiotherapy personnel from facilities with different equipment and work load by using survey card designed by us for health status screening in somatic and neurobehavioral aspects. The main specific somatic findings and complaints in investigated group include parodontosis--42%; cardiovascular disorders--41.6%; allergic conditions with skin or systemic manifestation--40.8%; photosensibilization-- 34.1%; skin diseases--31.5%; musculoskeletal disorders--30.0% and neoplasm disorders--7.5%. Keeping in mind that better part of the personnel in the physical therapy units is female, a special attention was paid to the pathology of the reproductive system; menstrual disturbances are observed in 20.0%. These findings are collected in complex for the first time in physiotherapy personnel, and when data were available from other professional groups, we found a good correlation.

Body mass index as a risk prediction and prevention factor for professional mixed low-intensity EMF burden

“…periodontitis, osteoporosis, photosensibilization is created and validated. The results show an interesting dynamic and some very important new tendencies of influence -bone density reduction, circulatory, immune and reproductive system involving, estrogen levels rising (indirectly assessed), stomatological status worsening with periodontitis prevalence (Vesselinova, 2012(Vesselinova, , 2013a, which is highly socially significant.…”

“…So far, the occupational EMF background in physiotherapy is a familiar question with a poorly recognized reflection on personnel health, studied by very few researchers in recent years (Cromie et al, 2001(Cromie et al, , 2002Rubtzova et al, 2012;Vesselinova, 2013a).…”

Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation exposure inside the metro tube infrastructure in Warszawa

“…Such evidence was taken into consideration when the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified RF-EMR as an environmental factor that is a possible human carcinogen -recognized as 2B classification (IARC, 2011(IARC, , 2013. Other observations suggest that chronic, long-term (over years) RF-EMF exposure may be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (Bortkiewicz et al, 2012;Israel et al, 2013;Vangelova et al, 2006;Vesselinowa, 2013). The World Health Organization recently opened public consultations regarding a monograph reviewing current scientific evidence regarding health results of RF-EMR exposure and possible risks to the public caused by the common use of wireless technologies.…”

An Assessment of Hazards Caused by Electromagnetic Interaction on Humans Present near Short-Wave Physiotherapeutic Devices of Various Types Including Hazards for Users of Electronic Active Implantable Medical Devices (AIMD)

“…SWDs with capacitive applicators are usually CW supplied, but SWDs with inductive applicator are frequently PM supplied, sometimes it is regulated by the operator—CW or PM emission from applicators. During the patients' treatment, as a result of EMF leakage from the applicators and supplying RF cables, not only the patient undergoing SWD treatment is exposed to EMF (intentionally), but also humans and objects nearby, exposed unintentionally [4, 6, 12, 13]. Through the use of SWD, health care workers (SWD operators) may be exposed to EMF produced by the active device while changing settings of the treatment parameters and changing the location of the applicator around the patient's body.…”

“…Direct effects of EMF exposure should be also assessed because of the requirements of labour law or international guidelines. Scarce data regarding EMF from SWD which are available in the research papers have got many limitations, such as the assessment focused on direct effects of SWD operators EMF exposure only and only from the old models of SWD and nonsystematics methodology of reported measurements without attention to differences between CW and PM signals measurements and assessment [4, 12–15]. …”