Psychosocial Factors that Aggravate the Symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome and a Cure for Them

Abstract

Sick building syndrome patients often aggravate their symptoms because they do not recognize their condition or are unable to take appropriate radical measures due to financial, physical, or psychological reasons. In this chapter, we describe those reasons and give possible solutions. Sick building syndrome patients suffer from head-related symptoms, cognitive symptoms, affective symptoms, neuromuscular symptoms, musculoskeletal symptoms, skin-related symptoms, genitourinary symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, heart/chest-related symptoms, and airway and/or mucous membrane-related symptoms. These symptoms resemble symptoms caused by exhaustion, a cold, and/or aging. Therefore, patients are not able to recognize that their symptoms are caused by sick building syndrome, which leads to them aggravate their condition. In addition, psychosocial reasons may be responsible for symptom aggravation. The author’s main subject of research is sick building syndrome, and this chapter describes the reasons for symptom aggravation of sick building syndrome and possible solutions based on experience.