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Mobile Devices Pose Surprising Health Risks

by Warren Riddle on March 11, 2009 at 07:14 AM



ABC this week released a list of seven health risks associated with the use of mobile devices. Noticeably absent from the report was the risk of brain damage due to radiation emitted from cell phones. According to ABCNews.com, Food and Drug Administration spokesperson Peper Long said, "Current scientific evidence doesn't indicate any adverse health outcomes associated with exposure to radio frequency energy from cell phones." This may come as a relief to some cell phone users, but there are other reasons to worry.

Despite the title, some of the risks are not all that surprising. The article mentions driving while talking, walking while talking, and "Blackberry thumb," but a few other symptoms are particularly intriguing. According to the report, dermatologists have recently witnessed a rise in instances of contact dermatitis, or allergic reactions to material in cell phones. Many people suffer from nickel-sensitivity, the primary culprit, which can result in redness, rashes and blisters.

Topping the list is a particularly disturbing, and disgusting, risk that is not so much associated with phones as it is their users, specifically those in the healthcare industry. A recent study of 200 Turkish hospital workers found that 94.5-percent of their cell phones tested positive for traces of bacteria, including several instances of "super" bacteria, or strains that are resistant to certain types of antibiotics. Only 10-percent of the subjects regularly cleaned their phones. Common sense, people. Wash your hands, and remember Purel and sanitary wipes are your friends! [From: ABCNews]


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Tags: health, killer gadgets, KillerGadgets, studies

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