Arthritis Caused by Toxins in Mattress Materials

Symptoms Include Headaches, Breathing Issues, Muscle Pain/Weakness

May 6, 2009

Systemic poisoning induced via many avenues can result in a myriad of agonizing symptoms the average doctor has no way of determining, unless his patients can tell him.

Many people reach for over-the counter remedies to treat their chronic symptoms of fatigue, headaches, arthritis, joint pain, and other physical ills. They may blame aging, overwork, lack of sleep, exertion, or bad genes. But the last place they might ever think to look for a cause would be their ‘safe place’, their bed mattress.

Such annoyances as dusty fabric and dust mites were thrown out with the old mattress, but the brand spanking new one was the answer to all that. Or was it?

Early Warning Hasn’t Resulted in Safe Bedding

On page 4 of an April 7, 1977 report for Science Magazine by Arlene Blum and Bruce N. Ames, it states that flame retardant chemicals then used in children’s pajamas had not had adequate toxicological testing and were cancer causing mutagens. It further stated “they should not be used.” That danger has increased today with the use of even more dangerous chemical toxins being used in bedding materials, and most doctors and consumers are completely unaware of them. Thus, any allergic health issues people suffer, resulting from exposure to these poisons, cannot be properly diagnosed.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) lists the following chemicals as the primary ones now required under the 2007 legislation for mattresses to comply with current law: boric acid, formaldehyde, antimony trioxide, decabromodiphenyl oxide, vinylidiene chloride, zinc borate, and melamine. These substances are certainly dangerous, but many others not listed, such as flame retardants with sinister side effects, are currently mandated for use in the manufacture of the mattresses family members sleep on.

Mattress Fires Affect Few While Toxic Materials Affect Everyone

Until about fifty years ago, mattresses were made from all natural untreated substances, and filled with horsehair or lambs wool. Today, federal regulations passed in July 2007 require mattresses to come right from the manufacturer having been soaked in or sprayed down with a host of petrochemicals, flame retardants, and other untested toxin-outgassing chemicals. These regulations were further upgraded in 2008 to include just about any newly manufactured or imported ‘upholstered’ items, from furniture stuffing to throw pillows. This guarantees that human and pet inhabitants living in proximity to such items will be forced to breathe a chemical soup that might take years to dissipate to levels considered safe. Few items are labeled as dangerous and the public has not been adequately warned of the dangers.

Chemical Exposure During Sleep Can Induce Illness

Walt Bader is president of Lifekind Products, a company that makes organic mattresses. In an interview for a healthy living article on the Recipeland web site, Bader said “"Not only are mattresses made from chemical components, but … they are then treated with chemical fire retardants that outgas fumes that you breathe as you sleep." Bader explains that as little as one part per million of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE), commonly used in mattress manufacturing until January 2005, can cause long-term behavioral alterations in animal studies. PBDEs are not supposed to be used any more in the U.S., but Bader indicates that they are actually considered safer than their more toxic replacements, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs).

Industry Organization Strives to Protect Consumers

The American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) has been working with the CPSC, and has opposed regulations that would require increased use of fire retardant chemicals that may be harmful to humans. Whether their influence will be strong enough to override the current dangerous products already in use or prevent future problems that risk consumers’ health remains to be seen. Until then, consumers need to be aware of these issues.

Sources: Is Your Mattress making You Sick? by Cheryl Thomas (July 2, 2007). CBN News Health and Science.

The copyright of the article Arthritis Caused by Toxins in Mattress Materials in Consumer Alerts/Product Recalls is owned by Marie Thomas. Permission to republish Arthritis Caused by Toxins in Mattress Materials in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.