Sunday, August 29, 2010

Beware of Cell Phone - Part II.

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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