Audio/Video, Cell Phones, Computers, Video Games, Advice
Are Your Gadgets Making You Sick? (7)
Seizures, Blood Clots and Death
The condition(s): Here's a medical mystery worth at least one 'House' episode: A 14-year-old British boy is rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment on a blood clot that had developed in his leg. A teenage girl in Iowa is hospitalized after lapsing into a violent seizure. On the other side of the planet, a 28-year-old South Korean man collapses and dies of exhaustion. What vicious and mysterious strain of bird-borne illness is responsible for striking these young people down? Actually, it's video games.
Dominic Patrick, the British boy, spent a rainy day inside playing games. Tucking his legs underneath himself for 10 straight hours caused Deep-Vein Thrombosis, a serious condition that often affects long-haul air travelers who sit in one place for too long.
After five hours behind the controls of a game called 'True Crime: New York City,' Amy Kopaska of Iowa was found by her mom thrashing around, eyes dilated and foaming at the mouth. According to her doctor, long-term exposure to light patterns in the game had triggered Amy's seizure.
The South Korean man, identified only as Lee, spent 50 straight hours playing the game 'Starcraft' in an Internet café, pausing only for toilet breaks and brief naps. Lee had eaten next to nothing in that time, and his death following a collapse was attributed to heart failure caused by extreme exhaustion.
How to prevent or cure it: So, how can video gamers avoid ambulance trips? In all three cases the answer is simply to limit the amount of time you spend gaming, and take plenty of breaks. As we recently reported, the Chinese government is actually writing this bit of advice into law.
Get more info on gaming addiction at Joystiq.
Related Links:
Engadget: Engadget Gets A BlackBerry Massage
Engadget: When Cell Phones Attack...
AOL News: Video Game Addicts Now Have Detox Clinic
Dominic Patrick, the British boy, spent a rainy day inside playing games. Tucking his legs underneath himself for 10 straight hours caused Deep-Vein Thrombosis, a serious condition that often affects long-haul air travelers who sit in one place for too long.
After five hours behind the controls of a game called 'True Crime: New York City,' Amy Kopaska of Iowa was found by her mom thrashing around, eyes dilated and foaming at the mouth. According to her doctor, long-term exposure to light patterns in the game had triggered Amy's seizure.
The South Korean man, identified only as Lee, spent 50 straight hours playing the game 'Starcraft' in an Internet café, pausing only for toilet breaks and brief naps. Lee had eaten next to nothing in that time, and his death following a collapse was attributed to heart failure caused by extreme exhaustion.
How to prevent or cure it: So, how can video gamers avoid ambulance trips? In all three cases the answer is simply to limit the amount of time you spend gaming, and take plenty of breaks. As we recently reported, the Chinese government is actually writing this bit of advice into law.
Get more info on gaming addiction at Joystiq.
Related Links:
Engadget: Engadget Gets A BlackBerry Massage
Engadget: When Cell Phones Attack...
AOL News: Video Game Addicts Now Have Detox Clinic
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
reggie said 5:46PM on 4-22-2008
OK--so 5 out of 7 here apply to me. Frightening to say the least. I have been thinking I need to cut back on cell phone use and internet time. Maybe it's time to read a book or take a walk!
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BarbaraGallant said 7:18PM on 9-07-2008
My neck has been very sore, I changed pillows that I slept on and then my friend advised me to raise my laptop desk I have and what an improvement, also pillows on my chair helps my leg from gettiing a tingle .Darn these computers ,but with all the information we get , we may as well try things that help
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drktranquillity said 2:21PM on 3-12-2009
I'd try to bite off my own tongue as well if I had to spend even 5 minutes playing True Crime. Seriously though, none of this stuff is new and the majority of it should be obvious, "What??? germs all over this little thing I have on me constantly and touch at all hours of the day and night? You don't say..."
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peterlb666 said 6:53PM on 5-05-2009
Yep i used to tuck my legs under myself when i was playing games. I don't anymore because it hurts ^_^
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Pearl said 3:23PM on 4-12-2007
WOW. . .
Is there something about prolonged use with laptops causing violent headaches, nausea and weakness in muscles. Thought I'd ask since there seem to be other odd reactions.
Any thoughts anyone? p
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Pearl said 5:30PM on 4-12-2007
Anyone have any experience with severe headaches, nausea or pain in abdomen from working with Laptop on your lap for hours?
p
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jackquic said 7:42PM on 5-05-2009
Hi Pearl,I have to say I use my lap top often to play games and i`ve noticed in the last 2 months i`ve been getting severe headaches and my eyes are really hurting very much but i`m not sure if it`s from puter time or I had vasculititis(not sure of spelling) a few years ago and one effect is very bad headaches,I went to the Dr. last week and she took blood for test and need to get a mri of my brain because there are abnormalaties from the vasculititis,which is an infection on the brain....I don`t think it`s from the puter because I can go a week or two not using it and still get the headaches...
Nick said 7:10PM on 4-12-2007
I think sitting down and holding a video game controler or typing all day would cause some slight muscle weakness in your arms. 1.) With Controllers all your doing is mashing buttons ... all day, and if you try feeling it, you can feel stuff going on in your forearms, but your not actually using your arms, just your thumbs. 2.) With keyboards, if your trying and you feel that feeling on the bottom of your forearm when you type that could cause some slight muscle weakness when your doing that all day. With headaches, sitting there straining your eyes at a screen can cause headaches, its like staring at a light in a dark cave for hours. Nausea may just be for certain people, because that doesnt happen to me...but people may get muscle spasms, not always so bad but theyre annoying and if you get spasms you should lay down or eat and go outside for 5 minutes.
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shawn said 4:01PM on 4-12-2007
Uhh... I like the advice colums for giving some helpful tips, but when all the author can site is 3 health cases out of the millions and millions of people logging in, it really holds little credability.
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Dominique said 5:33PM on 4-12-2007
i agree with shawn....i mean, how often does some one die like Lee did.....this is stupid...and the thing about the sperm count......there is probaly no conection......and one question....did Amy Kopaska have a history of siezures or epilepsy? if she did then she and her mom should have been watching out for the lights triggering that....btw i used to have siezures (so i know what its like) and im 13
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Ashley said 5:36PM on 4-12-2007
Uhh, Yeah I think it pathetic to let your kids sit that long in front of a screen anyways. But being a video game junkie myself I do infact KNOW they have labeling warnings for this in EVERY game you buy...in the little booklets they always warn you about seizures. You must take breaks from this stuff. People ARE NOT ment to be sitting in front of screens all the time. If you do take care of your body while doing so...take breaks...eat...drink water. Then go back to playing.
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Wendy said 6:20PM on 4-12-2007
In response to Pearl- I think it is very possible to have these affects from laptop usage. Our bodies are electrical. Some peoples' energy systems are more easily affected by outer electrical sources and can be damaged- altering the natural proper and healthy energy flow that nourishes our body systems. I have personally been helped by an alternative health care practice called Health Kinesiology. Look for a well-trained, well-educated practitioner with credentials.
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Cary Levin said 6:31PM on 4-12-2007
I get a headache from using a bluetooth earpiece. I've tried a couple different ones but with the same result. ANYONE ELSE?
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Robyn said 6:35PM on 4-12-2007
Okay, those 3 people were idiots. Playing one game for 50 hours? Even 10 straight hours? they asked for it if you ask me. As far as the seisure, 5 hours, still a long time, but some people are more sensitive to light. A boy in my class had one when another kid was flicking the lights on and off. Those three cases had nothing to do with the games, it was the idiots playing them.
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bigford42851 said 6:38PM on 4-12-2007
My kids are grone! And I,m almost gone myself.
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Robyn said 6:38PM on 4-12-2007
Cary, your headache was more likely just the peice being on your ear putting pressure on your head. I get headaches from sunglasses, headbands, and earphones all the time.
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Nick said 12:22AM on 4-13-2007
Typing* not trying =p
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Sasha said 7:18PM on 4-12-2007
well if a person did ANYTHING for 50 hours straight without eating im sure they would die. For example, im sure if you tried to have sex for 50 hours straight you would die. you don't need to blame video games on one person's idiocy
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Jordan said 8:16PM on 4-12-2007
Hey AOL News, get your facts straight, the guy wasn't playing Starcraft he was playing World of Warcraft, I used to be addicted to that game until I heard about him.
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Richard said 8:20PM on 4-12-2007
I believe that all 3 cases are not truly related to electronic devises. the british boys case is obvious that he cut off his blood supply to his legs and trapping the blood in his legs when he sat down so his blood began to coagulate. the girl probably had a severe history of epilepsy. lastly who in their right minds could play a video game for 50 straight hours anyway with little breaks. without eating and probably drinking nothing and if he was out of shape and probably genetically prone to heart attacksthen it could easily happen under those extreme circumstances.
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