Electromagnetic frequencies are classed as energy, and therefore they shouldn’t be underestimated in the potential they have to cause harm to the human body. While the radiation is not as immediately damaging as ionising radiation like nuclear radiation, electromagnetic radiation does still have the potential to cause damage in the body.
Different forms of electromagnetic radiation have different qualities. Sometimes the qualities of EMF mean that the frequencies cannot penetrate the body and will be deflected by the skin, meaning that damage is restricted to the skin. But other forms of EMF enter the body in different amounts and with different intensities. Some can penetrate deep into the body where they can cause significant damage. Here are the factors that affect whether an EMF has the potential to harm health.
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EMF Intensity
If electromagnetic radiation is strong it can cause bodily harm, even if the person is exposed to it for a short amount of time. If you are regularly exposed to bursts of strong EMF then you are at greater risk of health problems and experiencing health conditions like cancer.
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Length of EMF Exposure
On the other hand, you can experience damage and health problems when you are exposed to low levels of electromagnetic radiation on a near-constant basis. In the day you will experience EMFs from a variety of sources, and if you are susceptible to electromagnetic frequencies you may experience symptoms of this sensitivity, and become at greater risk of cell damage.
Studies have shown that the health effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation are only evident after many years of exposure. The damage caused by EMFs is on-going but it can take decades for the overall effect to be discovered, which is why it is difficult to get answers from scientific studies. Experts recommend cell phone radiation protection to prevent the cumulative build-up of EMF exposure from regularly using a cell phone.
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Transient EMF
It is thought that it is more dangerous to be exposed to EMFs that fluctuate throughout the day, such as the electromagnetic radiation from a printer that cycles on and off, than it is to be exposed to an appliance that remains on, steadily, all day.
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EMF Frequency
Higher frequency energies have more potential for harm, which is why x-rays are more dangerous that microwaves. But low level frequencies also have potential for harm, according to experts. More research is needed to judge the kind of frequencies that cause the most damage at low levels, and to discover increasingly effective ways to prevent electromagnetic radiation from damaging human health over the long and the short term.