Scare stories about illnesses may trigger symptoms in some people, according to a new study.
Researchers found that media reports about substances that are supposedly dangerous to health may cause ‘suggestible’ people to develop symptoms - even though there is no objective reason for them to do so.
Researchers studied the phenomenon known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity, which is associated with mobile phone use.
Doctor Michael Witthvft, of Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany, said: ‘There is a considerable body of evidence that electromagnetic hypersensitivity might actually bethe result of a so-called “nocebo” effect.
‘The mere anticipation of possible injury may actually trigger pain or disorders. This is the opposite of the analgesic effects we know can be associated with exposure to placebos.’
The study illustrates how media reports about health hazards may trigger or amplify 'nocebo' effects in some people.
For example, people who are sensitive to electromagnetic fields report symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, burning or tingling sensations on their skin, after watching or readingreports into the dangers.
Dr Witthvft said: ‘Tests have shown that the people affected are unable to tell if they have really been exposed to an electromagnetic field.
‘In fact, their symptoms are triggered in exactly the same way if they are exposed to genuine and sham fields.’
As part of the study, 147 test subjects were first shown a television report.
One group of participants watched a BBC documentary, which dealt with the potential health hazards supposedly associated with mobile phones and WiFi signals.
The other group watched a report on the security of internet and mobile phone data.
Then all the subjects in both groups were exposedto fake WiFi signals that they were told were real.
Even though they were not exposed to any radiation, some of the subjects developed characteristic symptoms - more than half of the subjects reported experiencing agitation and anxiety, loss of concentration or tingling in their fingers, arms, legs, and feet.
Two even left the study prematurely because theirsymptoms were so severe that they no longer wanted to be exposed to the assumed radiation.
It became apparent that the symptoms were mostsevere among the subjects who had high pre-existing anxiety as a result of viewing the documentary about the possible hazards of electromagnetic radiation.
Dr Witthvft said the study demonstrates that ‘sensationalised’ reports on potential risks, which often lack scientific evidence, can have a significant effect on the health of large sections of the population.


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