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Is Your Cell Phone a
Risk to Your Health?
Dr. Albert Comey
Cell phones. Who doesn’t have one? These days just about everyone from teenagers
to grandparents has one. Surveys show
that one third of all teenagers have a cell phone and forty percent of those
between the age of four and eighteen use some type of wireless device. By the end of 2006 there will be over 2
billion people using cell phones. People
use their cell phones more than ever. So
what’s the big deal? If they are so dangerous
why does everyone have one and what’s so dangerous about them?
Driving
While on the Phone
There are a variety of potential dangers regarding cell phones. Studies have been done that show someone driving and talking on a cell phone has a 30% slower reaction time than someone who is driving drunk and a 50% less reaction time than someone driving in normal conditions. Driving while talking on your cell phone increases your risk of death by 400%.
Radiation Concerns
More importantly there are
some potential health concerns related to cell phones that should not go
unnoticed. One point of interest is that
there is a radiation plume of approximately four inches in circumference that
emits from the antenna. When placed against
an adult head to talk, there is a depth of penetration of 25% into the head and
skull of the person talking on the cell phone.
A child ten years of age would have a penetration of 75% and a child of
age five would go almost 100% through the head.
You want to make sure to keep the antenna as far away from your body as
possible. This radiation plume is greatest
when making or receiving a call.
A review of research will show a potential for a
variety of health problems such as brain tumors, acoustic neuromas, cancer,
genetic damage, learning disabilities, asthma, and fatigue just to name a few.
There are a variety of
conflicting studies that are used to show the supposed safety of cell phones. However,
Dr. George Carlo, co-author of Cell
Phones: Invisible Hazards In The Wireless Age,
suggests that these studies that claim cell phones are safe should be read
carefully. He was hired by the cell
phone industry to study the risks and he wound up becoming a whistleblower on
the dangers these phones present. For
example, in one instance, the number of hours of cell phone use is currently
almost ten times that of those done in the studies years ago.
What can you do?
How do we eliminate these dangers
so that we can keep in touch with the world at a moments notice? The solutions are rather simple.
·
First and
foremost, use the speakerphone option on your phone if it has one. If that is not practical then use a headset
to help keep the phone away from your head.
You can also use a ferrite bead that attaches to the headset cord which
will help stop radiation from traveling down the cord.
·
Bluetooth
technology or the little wireless headsets actually put out more radiation so
it is not advisable to use those, although they are very convenient and quite
popular.
·
Avoid wearing
the cell phone on your belt or putting in your shirt or pants pocket. The radiation emitting from the antenna could
be harmful to reproductive organs and your heart. There are also pouches that you can use to
put your phone in to minimize the radiation.
·
Another solution
is to see how much radiation your phone puts out. You can check this by going to CNET.com (http://reviews.cnet.com/Cell_phone_radiation/4520-6602_7-5020355-1.html?tag=txt)
and under the Reviews section there is a list of various cell phone radiation
levels. This will help you minimize your
exposure.
This is
just an introduction of some considerations to think about when you use your
cell phone. I hope this will prompt you
to investigate further and make an educated decision when using your cell phone
as well as your children’s exposure to this technological lifeline.
Albert Comey, D.C. has attained
Advanced Certification by the Society of Orthospinology and is in private
practice in Largo, FL. He is currently
pursuing additional post graduate training to obtain a Diplomate in
Chiropractic Neurology as well as a Diplomate of the Upper Cervical Spine.
Dr. Comey and his wife Jennifer both
worked at the
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© Humber Parkerson Clinic 2006
August 2006 issue of The Highest Level
