Financial Resource Center

Is your home or workplace making you sick? Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS, often called “sick building syndrome”) is a condition in which people become ill due to prolonged exposure to mold, formaldehyde, or other dangerous substances that can spread through a building’s ventilation system virtually undetected.

Although national medical associations don’t recognize MCS as a distinct physical disorder, everyone should watch for signs that their environment may be hazardous to his or her health. Here are some symptoms:

• Frequent headaches
• Persistent fatigue
• Dizziness and nausea
• Difficulty with concentration
• Problems with memory
• Frequent muscle pain, stiffness, or cramps
• Dry skin or itchiness
• Chest pain or heart palpitations
• Persistent sore throat and/or coughing