Health Problems Caused by Mobile Technology

Mobile technology such as smart phones, laptops, and iPods, were all created to make our lives easier or more enjoyable in some way. But what happens when use of these devices becomes excessive? An article posted by HealthPresenceWorld.com reported on the most recent health problems commonly caused by mobile technology use. These ailments consist of "blackberry thumb", "cell phone elbow", "computer vision syndrome", and "facebook depression". While these do not strike me as serious health epidemics, it is interesting to see how technology aimed at improving our lives comes with unexpected health concerns as well.

There is also talk that extended cell phone usage may cause brain tumors, as well as many other theories related to long term exposure to technological devices. This may be just the beginning of a series of technologically caused health problems and it would be beneficial and socially responsible of technology companies to test these theories and make sure they are producing products that are not detrimental to their consumer's health. The National Cancer Institute cellphones is currently conducting research that examines whether or not cell phone usage is related to cancer. According to their website, cell phones emit radio waves, but research suggests that these waves are too weak to cause tissue heating or damage, and they conclude that there is no strong link between cell phone usage and the two most common types of brain tumors. However, for the small percent of top cell phone users, a small increase in likelihood of glioma brain tumors, but the researchers determined this finding as inconclusive.

As studies are slowly becoming more popular and finding small effects along the way, I wonder what we will find in the future. I also wonder if the discovery of these findings would effect behavior. My own mother took this information and made serious behavior changes. She always talks on her cell phone on speaker phone and prefers to use her home phone for long duration calls. She warned me to do the same, and to keep my phone as far away from me as possible while I am not using my phone. Even after her warnings and doing the research myself, the convenience and reliance on my phone keeps it on me despite being aware of the small potential risks. Just like people smoke even when they are fully educated on the health risks, I predict our addiction to technology would produce similar results.

I recently discovered an article (click here for full article) which made me think about health concerns caused by technology. However, these products weren't harming the consumer, they were harming the workers halfway around the globe who are putting these products together for us. A chemical n-Hexane, which is widely known to be harmful and banned from factories in the US, was being used to clean Apple iPhone products at a factory in Taiwan. At least 62 workers were hospitalized many facing serious illness. Exposure to this chemical would never occur at a factory in the US, but in these factories purposely set up in poor and desperate countries companies get away with cutting edges. I'm sure there are hundreds of similar stories hidden away from public awareness that expose how our immense need for technology is damaging the health of those less fortunate and I'm sure there are many unintended or hidden health consequences that will surface in the future.