According to an Australian research team, the inordinate amount of time people now spend looking down at their phones could lead to the development of bone spurs at the base of the skull -- in addition to all the other health problems associated with too much screen time. It's increasingly obvious that while cellphones are an exceptional gadget, too much time with your phone in hand is no good.
Are you growing a horn from your cellphone?
Scientists from the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia have been investigating what they call "enlarged external occipital protuberances," or bone spurs located at the base the skull. Among people aged 18 to 30, these bony growths are becoming disturbingly common.
In young people, these "horns" are developing even faster. The surge in the appearance of these bony growths has prompted substantial concern.
Lead researcher Dr. David Shahar reportedly told BBC, "I have been a clinician for 20 years, and only in the last decade, increasingly I have been discovering that my patients have this growth on the skull."
During the investigation of these bony growths, Shahar and his team concluded that the "horns" were caused by extensive time spent on screen-based activities across all age groups, and the corresponding poor posture. The team analyzed the skulls of 1,000 people, aged 18 to 86.
Dr. Shahar posits that we are spending so much time looking down at our phones, and it is putting enough pressure on the body that it is being forced to adapt. Muscles that were rarely used are now being called upon to perform at a much higher capacity -- and skull horns are its response to these changes, apparently.
According to Dr. Shahar, the bony lumps are unlikely to cause long-term health issues, but they're probably permanent. "'Imagine if you have stalactites and stalagmites, if no one is bothering them, they will just keep growing," he explained.
Cellphone health problems
There are many health issues associated with excessive use of cellphones and related devices. Furthermore, what many professionals deem "excessive use" is on par with "average use" by today's standards. While people may not have been glued to their devices when cellphones first hit the mainstream, things have surely changed since the advent of smartphones.
Cellphone use has been linked to a wide variety of ailments which stem from poor posture -- and not just in the head and neck. Cellphone use has also been linked to pain in the hands, wrist and elbow from the way the device is held.
Staring at a screen all day, especially up-close, is very bad for your eyes. In addition to concerns about the effects of blue light, cellphone use is linked to digital eye strain -- resulting in pain or discomfort, blurred vision and other symptoms.
Prolonged exposure to the blue light emitted from cellphones has even been linked to macular degeneration.
There is also a massive body of research linking cellphone radiation to cancer -- including research from our own government. While the industry tries to obfuscate the link between electromagnetic radiation from cellphones and brain tumors, the evidence says otherwise.
You can learn more about the dangers of cellphones and other technological snafus at Glitch.news.
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