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Hang up for the Health of It

Cellular phones are everywhere today: restaurants, theaters, business meetings, churches - even at the beach. "Since the introduction of cellular telephone service in the United States in 1984, the number of subscribers has increased substantially every year. By the end of 1999, there were more than 86 million cellular telephone users." (The Journal of the American Medical Association 2000;284:3001.) "By 2004, two out of three Americans between the ages of 10 and 19 will be mobile, say experts at the Boston-based research firm the Yankee Group." (Science World 2001;57:7.) Are You A "Cell-Neck" Sufferer? The mobile phone revolution has ushered in a new health disorder: "Cell-Neck Syndrome." Doctors of chiropractic, including Dr. Christiana, are seeing this condition - which is characterized by head and neck pain - with increasing frequency. "Cell-neck syndrome" develops when patients wedge small mobile phones between their shoulder and ear in order to free up their hands for driving. Over time, this activity stresses the muscles of the head and neck. Eventually, muscles shorten sparking soreness and pain. In addition to causing muscular problems, balancing a phone between the head and neck may spur spinal disorders. Specifically, the spine of the neck is forced into an unnatural posture. This results in a condition called vertebral subluxation, which occurs when the bones of the spine (vertebrae) move slightly out of place. Vertebral subluxations are associated with an increased likelihood of headache, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and ear infection. Dr. Christiana uses gentle maneuvers called chiropractic adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations and promote overall wellness. So, if you're an avid mobile phone user, make sure to schedule an appointment with Dr. Christiana for a chiropractic checkup. De-Phone and De-Stress The incessant chiming, ringing and bleeping of cellular phones - along with the associated one-sided chattering - is enough to make the blood boil. A 1999 study showed these maddening marvels may actually cause a temporary increase in blood pressure. German researchers positioned a 900-megahertz cellular phone to the right side of the heads of 10 healthy volunteers, then turned it on and off for fixed periods of time via remote control. (The volunteers did not know when the phone was operating, and they did not actually talk on the phone.) The results were nothing short of amazing. "The researchers found that 35 minutes of exposure to the electromagnetic fields generated by the phones increased resting blood pressure between 5 and 10 mm Hg - an increase that could be dangerous for someone with already high blood pressure. Researchers suspect that the elevations in blood pressure are caused by a temporary constriction of blood vessels in the side of the head nearest the phone." (Natural Health 1999;29:28.) High Blood Pressure: Yes. Brain Cancer: Maybe. In the midst of a veritable media frenzy, the question on most cell phone-toters' minds is: Do cellular phones cause brain cancer? Although the jury is still out on this one, The New England Journal of Medicine addressed this question in a recent article. Researchers looked at 782 patients with brain tumors and 799 patients with other medical conditions. "More research is needed to determine whether long-term, extremely heavy use of a cell phone might increase the risk of brain cancer." (The New England Journal of Medicine 2001;344:79.) The close proximity of the antenna to the head is at the core of the controversy. The multi-billion-dollar question is how much radio frequency (RF) signal is absorbed by the brain during a cellular phone call. "There is less concern over intracranial RF exposure from a carmounted telephone because the antenna is mounted on the roof and the vehicle acts as a shield." (The Journal of the American Medical Association 2000;284 :200 1.) The potential cause-and-effect relationship between the usage of cellular phones and brain cancer has attracted global attention. "The health effects due to using cellular telephones are currently being studied in a number of populations. In preliminary reports of a casecontrol study conducted in Sweden, the risk of brain cancer was unrelated to using a handheld cellular telephone." (The Journal of the American Medical Association 2000;284:2001.) Mind That Memory Memory loss is often a begrudgingly accepted aspect of the aging process. But a new study reveals that younger people - specifically those who use cellular phones - are at risk of premature memory loss. Biologist Henry Lai of the University of Washington and hi colle;gues exposed 40 rats to the type of radiation associated with cellular phone use. "When people use cell phones, 60 to 70 percent of the microwave radiation that's emitted is concentrated in the head and hand. We didn't have a tiny cell phone, so we exposed the whole animal." (Discover 2000;21:13.) The rats received less than half the amount of radiation a human brain would experience during a one-hour cell phone call. The rodents' response time during a contest where test rats were taught to swim laps in a miniature tank varied substantially. The non-radiated rats gave a stunning performance. The radiated rats, however, barely survived the ordeal. "The researchers suspect microwave radiation causes a decline in the rats' levels of acetylcholine, a brain chemical crucial for memory and learning. 'They've lost the ability to form a map in their head,' says Lai. Not surprisingly, he doesn't use a cell phone." (Discover 2000;21:13.) Pacemakers Problems In the May 1997 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, the link between cellular phone use and interference with pacemakers was logistical: Just don't hold the phone close to the chest. "Researchers performed 5,533 tests on 980 patients with pacemakers using five types of cellular phones. The patients were attached to an ECG machine to record any cardiac abnormalities. Only 6.6 percent of the tests resulted in any serious interference with the pacemaker. This only occurred when the phone was held over the pacemaker. When in the normal position at the ear, the phone caused no significant interference." (The New England JournalofMedicine'1997;336:1473.) Ironically, the month before this article was published, a leader in the pacemaker industry took its own stand on the issue. "Medtronic, the largest manufacturer of pacemakers, has recommended that people with pacemakers use cellular phones on the side farthest from their pacemaker." (Electronics Weekly 1997;1809:1.) Invest in An Earpiece Despite the myriad of health reasons to limit mobile phone use, they remain a business necessity for many professionals. If giving up your cell phone isn't an option, invest in a mobile earpiece. These handy devices keep talkers' hands free to grip the steering wheel, cutting down on driving-related hazards. By preventing the tendency to cradle the phone between the ear and neck, an earpiece will also eliminate the risk of "cell-neck." What's more, earpieces slash the amount of radiation that hits the brain.

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