This post discusses niobium jewelry for metal sensitivity.
For years I haven’t been able to wear earrings because my earlobes would become inflamed, itchy, and I would develop rashes.
I also have developed intensely itchy rashes under my wedding ring several times.
But I’m excited to say that I’ve found ways to be able to wear jewelry again, and I will share my tips and tricks in this post.
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Table of Contents
What is MCAS?
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic condition that affects all organ systems. MCAS is severe and disabling and people with MCAS experience often significant and debilitating symptoms daily, including anaphylaxis, which can be fatal.MCAS is often found in combination with other chronic conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
Frequently healthcare providers do not know about MCAS, and the tests for MCAS are problematic because they are not uniformly reliable. MCAS can be difficult to manage. Treatments include blocking mast cell mediators with anti-histamines and mast cell stabilizers and avoiding triggers.
Check out this post on how to manage MCAS.
What is metal sensitivity?
Metal hypersensitivity is a common immune disorder where the immune system mounts an allergic response to metal ions through skin contacts, lung inhalation, and metal-containing artificial body implants. The consequences of metal sensitivity can be simple annoyances to life-threatening systemic illnesses. – source
Many people with MCAS have sensitivities to nickel, a common metal found in cookware, and jewelry, and it’s even in our food supply.
“Allergic hyper-reactivities to nickel (Ni) and beryllium (Be) are the best-studied human metal hypersensitivities. Ni-contact dermatitis affects 10 % of the human population, whereas Be compounds are the culprits of chronic Be disease.” – source
Heavy metal toxicity
The term heavy metal refers to any metallic chemical element that has a relatively high density and is toxic or poisonous at low concentrations. Examples of heavy metals include mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), thallium (Tl), and lead (Pb).
Heavy metal toxicity is one of the causes of MCAS. I’ve discussed toxicity as it relates to MCAS in this post and this post. Heavy metal toxicity differs from metal sensitivity, because with heavy metal toxicity, your body has accumulated too much of a poisonous metal, and it affects your liver and other detoxification pathways.
Whereas, metal sensitivity is a reaction to exposures to metals.
What are precious metals?
Precious metals are rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical elements of high economic value. Chemically, precious metals tend to be less reactive than most elements. They are usually ductile (or bendable) and have a high luster (they are shiny). Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are considered precious metals.
However, precious metals like gold and silver can also cause metal sensitivity and immunological responses leading to autoimmune disorders in genetically susceptible animals and people. “Mast cells are also direct targets for autoimmunity-inducing metals both in vitro and in vivo and play a role in the development of metal-induced autoimmune disorders.” – source
Metal sensitivity and MCAS
When you already have an overreactive immune system with a condition like MCAS metal sensitivity can become a trigger for your mast cells to go haywire.
You can experience hypersensitivity to metal implants like hip joints or ports, sensitivity to elemental nickel in your food or cookware, and skin reactions to the base metals in costume jewelry like nickel.
“Nickel allergy is a type of contact dermatitis caused by direct contact with nickel. It is the most common identifiable cause of metal-related contact dermatitis.” – source
My jewelry woes
My MCAS worsened over several decades and while that happened I lost the ability to tolerate costume jewelry, then silver, surgical steel, and “hypoallergenic” metals, then gold, and finally in the later stages, I could no longer even tolerate titanium or platinum. Platinum is actually an alloy of two metals, one being platinum and the other a platinum group metal like iridium (Ir), osmium (Os), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), and ruthenium (Ru). I tried different alloys of platinum, but couldn’t find one that I could tolerate.
I had some lovely jewelry that I couldn’t wear, and that made me sad!
Every few years I could wear a pair of platinum earrings for a few hours for special occasions, but if I didn’t take them out as soon as I began to experience itchiness I would end up with a massive MCAS flare.
My wedding ring is white gold, and after a few years of wearing it, I developed a severe rash under the ring. Luckily when I took it to a jeweler I was able to have a platinum coating applied to the ring, which allowed me to continue wearing it. The coating wore off ten years later, and I had another jeweler apply a second coating, which so far has been continuing to work.
Niobium – the miracle for metal sensitivity!
I continued searching for a metal I could tolerate and found I could briefly wear copper ear wires. But just like my past experiences, after a while that too caused reactions.
My daughter also has metal sensitivity, and when she tried Niobium she found she could tolerate it. Niobium is a light gray transition metal with the chemical symbol Nb. Pure niobium has a Mohs hardness rating similar to pure titanium, and it has similar ductility to iron.
I found several Etsy sellers offering very reasonably priced niobium ear wires, and so I decided to give them a try. And after several months I have been delighted to be wearing earrings again!
Niobium is similar to pewter in color, but it can be anodized (heated) to produce different permanent colors. You can purchase Niobium ear wires in all colors of the rainbow! I purchased several different colors of ear wires and I used some jeweler’s tools to switch out the ear wires of some of my favorite pairs of earrings — rose gold color worked perfectly with my copper-wrapped earrings, gold-toned ones for my gold earrings, and silver ones for my platinum and sterling silver earrings. I’ve been thrilled to be able to wear earrings again!
So far I haven’t found any delicate Niobium necklace chains for my favorite pendant, but I’m still searching!
Where to buy niobium
I messaged the Etsy seller Robert Cerins who sold me my Niobium ear wires, and he was happy to partner with me to get the word out about Niobium for those with metal sensitivity. Here is the link to Robert’s online shop where he sells original art earrings with niobium ear wires. And if you are looking to switch out your ear wires to niobium, here is the link to Robert’s Etsy shop. He sells the most reasonably priced Niobium ear wires I’ve found.
I love making connections with like-minded people, who just want to help others. It turns out that Robert’s wife has a podcast where she interviews people helping to make the world a better place. I’m excited that I’ve been invited to appear on their podcast!! So stay tuned for an announcement about that.
The bucket theory
The bucket theory offers a helpful analogy for understanding symptom reactions with MCAS.
Think of your body as an empty bucket that you want to keep from overflowing. Different foods and activities fill your histamine bucket at different speeds but they combine to form the total level of histamine in your body (how full your bucket is). A fuller bucket means you have more histamine symptoms. When you manage triggers, reduce exposure to known triggers, and take medications and supplements to reduce histamine, you can manage the level of your bucket.
Know your typical symptom progression
Knowing your symptom progression in a symptom flare is the key to developing your own rescue plan. In this post, I discuss how to determine your own symptom progression. Once you know what typically happens in your symptom progression you can design a rescue plan to address those symptoms.
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Check out this powerful frequency device
Healy is an individualized specific microcurrent device (ISM) that runs beneficial electrical currents directed by an app on your phone. Healy can be used to magnify your intention and to get the most out of your life. Check out this post for more about Healy. And this post provides some tips and tricks for Healy.
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Disclaimer
The preceding material does not constitute medical advice. This information is for information purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, cure or treatment. Always seek advice from your medical doctor.
