An internet allergy might sound like something your mother makes up to get you to go outside, but the condition is real and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes it. But, questions still surround the claims.

Unexplained headaches, dizziness and even skin irritation have begun to be seen as the cause of severe discomfort or hypersensitivity to electromagnetic (EM) fields. The condition has come to be known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome, or EHS for short, by the WHO. Research from IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine details the phenomenon. People who claimed to suffer from EHS described physical symptoms like headaches and fatigue that seemed to appear whenever they were close to EM signals from Wi-Fi stations, computer screens or even cellphones. They also claimed that if they removed themselves from the source, their symptoms improved.

While the WHO does acknowledge that this condition is real, there still is not solid scientific backing to link EHS symptoms to the exposure from Wi-Fi signals. But even still, people are claiming the internet made them sick. Recently, parents of one 12-year-old boy filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts against his private school. They claimed that the newly installed "industrial-capacity Wi-Fi" system had led to their son's health problems.

Perhaps you’ve seen "Better Call Saul," the spin-off series of "Breaking Bad." Saul’s brother Chuck finds himself unable to work and sits home in a shiny space blanket resembling a large sheet of aluminum foil to keep away the exposure from Saul's cell phone. Source: TV Guide

The boy reported the usual general symptoms associated with EHS but also claimed EMF led to nose bleeds and heart palpitations. These symptoms, it was claimed, only showed up while he was at school. Evaluations of the Wi-Fi system showed it was well within the safety parameters set by the FCC and the case was dismissed.

The World Health Organization defines EHS as: "EHS is characterized by a variety of non-specific symptoms, which afflicted individuals attribute to exposure to EMF. The symptoms most commonly experienced include dermatological symptoms (redness, tingling, and burning sensations) as well as neurasthenic and vegetative symptoms (fatigue, tiredness, concentration difficulties, dizziness, nausea, heart palpitation, and digestive disturbances). The collection of symptoms is not part of any recognized syndrome."

Many scientists have spoken on the subject, noting that they feel those who suffer from this are indeed ill, but it is difficult to prove that the signals are directly causing the symptoms.

In the case of EHS, it turns out that believing that oneself is being exposed to electromagnetic fields, and that this is harmful, is what triggers the symptoms, not the exposure itself, Dr. James Rubin noted in research about the craze. He related the feelings to something called the “nocebo effect,” which happens when people start to feel unwell when they think they have been exposed to something hazardous. In an experiment, they asked people to watch either a segment from the Panorama report about the alleged harms of Wi-Fi or an innocuous film about internet data security. They were then exposed to a fake Wi-Fi signal. Those who watched the Panorama clip were more likely to develop symptoms, but even more likely if they were already anxious.

So, while the science is still under review, people’s symptoms remain real. Perhaps the best way to limit this internet illness is to close those apps and get outside more often.