In my previous post I wrote about the irresponsible use of Cell
Phone while driving, by quite a large number of Hyderabadis. I would like to
add that it is just not the drivers but the pedestrians too who are taking
risks with their Cell Phones. They can be seen crossing streets and walking in
heavy traffic with their Cell Phone to the ear deeply engaged in lengthy
conversations perhaps partially or totally unmindful of the traffic signals and
conditions around them. From time to time accidents are reported involving such
careless persons. A young doctor friend of my nephew died in such an accident.
At a railway crossing he was waiting for a train to pass while he was engaged
in a Cell Phone conversation. He was standing on an adjacent track and did not
hear another train coming on to him nor the shouts of several people asking him
to move away as his entire concentration was on his phone conversation and he
was crushed to death. People should remember that Cell Phone earlier called as
Mobile Phone does not mean ‘you can talk as you are moving’. While on the roads
one should stop in safe places to take or make calls or simply avoid the calls
until they reach their next destination.
When Cell Phones were first introduced they were expensive, the
Phone and the calls too. When I bought my first Cell Phone a very ordinary flap
phone with a small mono screen in August 1997 it cost me close to Rs. 30,000/-.
The incoming and outgoing calls were at Rs. 8/- a minute for the regular public
and Rs. 4/- a minute for Doctors and bulk office users. I got the phone connection
on my brother’s name as he is a doctor and availed the concession in call
rates. It was Rs. 1.33 for every 20 seconds for incoming and outgoing calls.
Today one can get phones for as low as Rs. 1500/- and the call charges since
long are only for incoming and it is just One Paisa per second! With the fall
in prices it appears as if everyone in Hyderabad owns a Cell Phone including
very young persons. It is just not the prices but the technology blessed
necessity to keep in touch with family, friends, business associates, internet,
music, photography and so on from anywhere has made Cell Phone a part of one’s
body! And this has brought about the dangers I have mentioned above and in my
previous post. This apart a number of health hazards associated with the Cell
Phone are being reported. In conclusion I will write about what I have heard on
these health hazards to keep the readers of my blog informed and to take care.
The first one I would like to mention is Cell Phone addiction. It is
said that such people would be spending a lot of time with their phone, text
messaging and calling contacts and encouraging others to be in touch with them.
They would be holding or be close to their phone all the time and even while
sleeping. Most of the conversations may be idle talk at the cost of studies,
important jobs and relations with the family. I understand that they become
restless if they cannot make calls or receive calls. This is called a
Compulsive Call Fix. Such people may also suffer from what is called as Ringxiety,
Phantom Rings or Fauxcellarm which is a constant feeling that their Cell Phone
is vibrating or ringing when that is not the case.
Then other health hazards being reported with prolonged use of Cell
Phone are hearing impairment and a forearm pain problem called as Cubital
Tunnel Syndrome or more commonly as Cell Phone Elbow.
There are more serious health problems being raised in connection
with the electromagnetic / microwave radiation from Cell Phones and the relay
Towers but these I think are not yet proved.
To have a better understanding of these problems you may watch the
following videos by clicking on the links:
Regarding Cell Phone
addiction:
Regarding Cell Phone Elbow /
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome:
Regarding Cell Phone Radiation
dangers:
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