Is Your Phone Really Harming Your Health? Here's What You Should Know

All of us are highly dependent on our mobile phones and it has become hard to imagine our lives without them. From ordering food or books to even booking tickets, everything you need is just a few clicks away. Nowadays, they play the most important role in helping us keep in touch with our loved ones. But just because they play an important role in our lives, that does not mean we should not pay heed to the dangers it bears. From headaches to eye problems, excessive use of cellphones can cause a lot of harm to our bodies.

1. Reservoir of germs

You may not believe it but your mobile phone could be carrying a number of germs which can make you ill. In one of the studies published by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2001, it was concluded that 1 out of 6 mobile phones in the UK is covered with fecal matter as some people don’t wash their hands after going to the toilet. Faecal matter contains bacteria (E. Coli) which can lead to diarrhoea and fever. Another study showed that the mobile phones of health care workers have a colony of disease-producing germs.

2. Sleep disturbances

Our body has it sown biological clock which makes us sleep at night and wakes us up in the morning. This sleep cycle is regulated by a hormone called melatonin. Our cell phones emit blue light which suppresses the melatonin in our body. This causes disruption in the sleep pattern and makes it difficult for one to go to sleep.

3. Neck and spine problems

‘Text neck’ is the modern term used to describe neck and spine injuries caused due to cell phones. This results from staring down or staying hunched over for too long. Our spine bears the weight of our head which is 4.5 to 5 kilograms on average. As we bend our neck forward and look downwards, the pressure on our spine rises up to 5 times. This can lead to pain and injury to the spinal cord.

4. Eye issues

Prolonged exposure to a laptop, computer or mobile screen can lead to computer vision syndrome in both children and adults. Computer vision syndrome is an eye problem that causes drying, redness, itching and burning of the eyes along with blurred or double vision and difficulty in focusing on things kept at a further distance. The person may also experience pain in the neck and shoulders.

5. Injury to fingers and thumbs

Many of us play games and sometimes text for hours on our mobile phones which makes us prone to injuries that affect our fingers and thumbs such as tenosynovitis or trigger finger (or trigger thumb). This injury can cause swelling and inflammation in the tendons that help in joining the bones together. One may complain of sore fingers, wrists and forearms, and cramps in the entire hand or single digit.

For more information, read our article on Blurred Vision.

Health articles on News18 are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.