Dark Tech: The Effect of the Cell Phone on Health

Todays technologies ar advancing at frequently(prenominal) an astonishing rate. This can harbor it difficult for even the around zealous techie to keep pace. Technology is that wonderful thing that brings comfort and wash room to our lives. But, with that comfort and convenience, there often comes a price and the technology of the kiosk recollect proves no exception. Arguably, as a communication apparatus, the carrell reverberate has no equal in how it has changed and affected our lives. Mostly, the effect has been positive in many ways. But, as it is with anything, over office and abuse has brought out its dark look and the effect of unintended consequences.One of the unintended consequences of the kiosk auditory sensation is its effect on the health of its users and even the health of those around them. What is the effect of the cell echo on our health? Researchers argon examining the health risks associated with cell phone use. This explore has focused on concern accidents, germs, malignant neoplastic disease, electromagnetic actinotherapy, and resourcefulness health. Traffic Accidents and prison cell Phones prison cell phone users knowingly, or unknowingly, put themselves and others in potentially unassured situations by employ a cell phone while operate.A novel study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focused on cell phone distracted drivers in the United States. check to the study, sextettety-nine percent of drivers in the United States, ages 18-64, reported that they had talked on their cell phone while driving within the last thirty days. Additionally, within that analogous demographic, thirty-one percent of U. S. drivers reported that they had read or sent textual matter messages or email messages while driving at least at one magazine within the 30 days before they were surveyed.One must note that these percentages fall only those drivers that admitted to the cell phone activity in question. Activities, su ch as texting, take the drivers attention and transfer extraneous from driving to a greater extent much and for perennial periods than other distractions, making it proportionately much dangerous. Younger, inexperienced drivers under the age of 20 may be at a higher risk they garner the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes. The subject ara Safety Council reports that at least 23 percent of all traffic crashes, or at least 1. 3 million crashes, involve cell phone use.This number can be broken down to an estimated 1. 2 million crashes each(prenominal) year involving drivers using cell phones for conversations and the remaining 100,000 or more additional crashes can be related to drivers who are texting. Analyzing this info shows that cell phone conversations are involved in 12 measure as many crashes as texting. This seems to dispel the common myth that a texting driver is the more commonly dangerous cell phone activity. Additionally, and by chance surpri singly to some, it is not just our drivers create dangerous situations on the roadways.Many times, pedestrians captivated with their cell phones are just as dangerous as drivers using them. A study published in Injury Prevention in 2012 reflects that one in three pedestrians is distracted by a expeditious doojigger while crossing busy streets. This type of distraction leads to accidents that contuse both pedestrians and drivers. Germs and Cell Phones Cell phones not only carry main(prenominal) data, but nasty germs also. The gr slow, oily residue you usually see on your cell phone after a week, or only a day, of use can often contain more disease-laden germs than those found on a toilet seat.In 2011, researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical medication at Queen Mary, University of London found that one in half dozen cell phones is contaminated with some sort of fecal matter. These fecal deposits reign their way on to the handsets often because their proprieto rs did not wash their hands with lather and water after using the toilet. Some of the phones were found to harbor E. coli bacteria from fecal origin. If this bacterium is transferred into the mouth and ingested into the body, it can cause fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.In another new-fangled study, students in an Environmental Health course at South University, capital of South Carolina sought to find out what germs live on cell phones. aft(prenominal) swabbing a sample of 60 phones belonging to students, they found that phones were frequently contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). According to Dr. Robert J. Wolff, PhD, program director of Health cognizance at South University, Staph aureus is always dangerous and MRSA forms are worsened because they cannot be stopped easily.Staph skin infections, including MRSA, can quickly diverge into deep, painful abscesses. The bacteria might remain confined to the skin, or delve deeper into the body to cause potentially life-threatening infections in bones, joints, and surgical wounds. at a time established in the body, the infection can infiltrate the bloodstream migrating to the affection valves and lungs tissues where it can wreak havoc on critical physio-biological systems. Radiation and Cell Phone Usage Our cell phones certainly provide an efficient and easy way to communicate with friends, family, and co-workers.But, multiple research projects learn suggested that excessive use of these communication devices may take a long-term toll on the users wellbeing. Cell phones use transmitting radio waves done a series of cell towers where radiofrequency (RF) waves create electromagnetic fields. Although cell phones are considered to be low-powered RF transmitters, your handset transmits power when it is on, and therefore it is of the essence(predicate) to increase your distance from the handset to reduce RF radiation exposure.The federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggests cel l phone users to keep a token(prenominal) distance of 20 centimeters from their handset to significantly reduce RF radiation exposure. Adults and especially children can suffer the long-term effects of radiation waves on the brain. According to Dr. Devra Davis, director for environmental oncology at the University of Pittsburgh, Young children particularly contract to be careful. We do not have enough information nor do we have enough time to be sure that cell phones are safe, and theres reason for concern that they may be harmful.The University of Pittsburgh also warned its faculty and stave to limit their cell phone use due to the possible cancer risks. Vision and Cell Phones For those of you with brilliant phones, staring at your mobile device can cause problems in your vision later in life. Since screens on mobile devices tend to be smaller than computer screens, you are more likely to squint and strain your eyes while reading messages. According to the Vision Council, more t han 70 percent of Americans dont know or are in denial that they are susceptible to digital eye strain.Additionally, smart phones and other hand-held devices are designed for reading at restricting range, so users eyes must constantly refocus and reposition to act upon the displays text and graphics. As much as trinity of U. S. adults reported spending as many as four to six hours a day with their cell phones or related electronic devices. As digital device use increases, so do potential vision problems, including eye strain. Symptoms of this digital eye strain may include change eyes, eye redness or irritation, blurred vision, neck and back pain, as well as headaches.Conclusion We know that todays cell phone is the new wonder of modern technology that makes our lives richer and fuller as each new model is introduced. It is technically a microcomputer hidden beneath the cloak of a phone that puts the information super highway in our hip pocket for instant access at any time or place. Oh yeah, we can use it to communicate with our friends, family and co-workers too. So, are cell phones bad to our health? Well, if cell phones were handguns, they might be banned, or at the rattling least restricted by all means of laws and regulation.If cell phones were automobiles, an owner would probably need to take a safety course to cop an operators license. To be serious, the cell phone is just a tool. If used in a safe manner and a minor common sense, it is no more dangerous than any other tool (Said the three-fingered shop teacher). Unfortunately, not every cell phone user is endow with common sense. So, until legislation catches up with the technology, the cell phone will have its dark side fraught with danger. Until then, to stay safe, we can clean our hands and cell phones regularly to keep the toilet germs and other assorted pathogens away from our mouths.We can keep our phones possible cancer causing RF at bay by using hands-free devices as much as possible. We can keep our eyesight a little longer by limiting device usage and eye strain. Last, but most importantly, we need to keep our cell phones in our pockets and purses while driving. If we need to make or answer a call, hand it to a passenger, pull over, or wait until we reach our destination to use the device. Just remember, when using your cell phone, think safety first your health depends on it