No one even considered that the radiations emitted by cell phones can be hazardous to the body. Until in the year 1993, a curious case was reported from Florida. There a man had filed a lawsuit claiming that because of the cell phone, his wife had developed brain tumor. After that case, there was a flurry of researches to find out if cell phones really emit harmful radiations. As of date, the researches are still carried on with mixed results. While some studies claim that cancer due to cell phone radiation is a far cry, these are countered by skeptics alleging that the studies were funded by cellular operators. If some studies find a link between cell phone radiations and cancer and other diseases then, the cellular operators and their lobbies rubbish off such claims saying that any study with a period of less than ten years should not be acceptable as the amount of radiation is so less that no proper diagnosis can be arrived at in a short time. In the process, people who are using the cell are left in confusion. However, the growth in the mobile phone industry shows that radiation or no radiation, cell phone is here to stay. Most people would rather face the effects of radiation then leave their cell phone. However, for those who really want to know if there are any side effects it can safely be said that, though, all the studies are in their preliminary stage, one thing is certain - radiations emitted by cell phones do have some harmful effects but only if used excessively and used for a long duration. To know more, go through the article below to know the harmful effects of cell phone radiation.
What Are The Side Effects Of Cell Phone Radiations
- Cell phone radiation results in dielectric heating. This means that the tissue around the head is heated by a fraction of a degree. This excess heat is countered by the brain’s blood circulation, but since the eyes do not have any such regulation mechanism, prolonged cell phone use can result in cataracts.
- One study found that rats subjected to radiation results in the leakage of albumin into the brain through the permeable blood-brain barrier.
- A British study concluded that there is a risk of acoustic neuroma in the long run for prolonged cell phone use.
- A study conducted in 2009 found that cell phone radiations affect the cognitive functions in humans. According to the study, longer duration of exposure to the radiation slows down the spatial working memory.
- It has also been reported that mobile phone radiation can also lead to electromagnetic hypersensitivity. This results in a burning and tingling sensation in the scalp, dizziness, lethargy, headache, irregular digestive system, sleep disturbances, heart palpitations, malaise, and loss of mental attention, memory retentiveness, and reaction times. However, more research is being carried out in this sector as all these symptoms can also be due to stress.
- Different studies have shown that prolonged radiation can lead to genotoxicity. The evidence of DNA damage to the cells was found in vitro cultures. There were also evidences of damage to chromosomes and alterations in the activity of certain genes.
- Another side effect is the non-thermal effect. According to a Finnish study, human cells change due to radiation at non-thermal intensity levels.
- The World Health Organization conducted a study in 13 countries, which found that people using cell phone for 10 years have a significantly increased risk of developing malignant tumor. It also found that there is a five-fold increase in brain tumors in children. This can result in an epidemic of cancer for young people later in life.
Other Side Effects
- The radiation can lead to memory loss.
- It can cause joint pain, muscle spasms, and tremors.
- It can also damage the nerves in the scalps.
- The blood cells are also more likely to leak hemoglobin due to prolonged exposure to radiation.
- It can also result in the reduction and efficiency of white blood cells.
- High radiation can produce histamine in mast cells, which can stimulate asthma.