I don't use my blackberry cell phone very often. But it is always with me and I do use the email and texting functions a zillion times a day. If I do use my cell phone too much, I get headaches. The head pain may be caused from the stress of a bunch of calls. Or could it be that my body is trying to tell me something?
What we do know is that cell phones emit radiation in the process of sending and receiving voice and text messages. Health risks are a bit unclear – the environmental health science hasn't yet caught up to the technology. But some studies suggest that cell phone radiation is related to increased risks for brain and mouth tumors and possibly even children's behavior problems. Makers and sellers of cell phones are not required to disclose radiation emissions for their product, allowing us to unknowingly play Russian roulette with our phones. Recently, a study came out to help us buy the cell phone with the least amount of radiation output. Environmental Working Group (EWG) has come up with a cell phone radiation list covering more than 1000 phones. You can find your phone on the list and see where it ranks with others.
In the meantime, whether your phone ranks high or lower in radiation, here are some tips to help reduce your exposure:
- Use a headset or speaker - headsets emit less radiation than the cell phone but some emit a continuous stream of low- level radiation. So take it off when you are not using it.
- Choose texting over talking - less power is used and less radiation emitted when texting.
- Hold the phone away - keep the phone away from soft tissue of your head or belt line when you are talking even when you are using a headset. Some people keep it clipped to their belt or in a pocket.
- Limit children's cell phone use - kids brains absorb 2X the amount of radiation as an adult's so limit use time to emergencies.
For more tips, risks and FAQ, go to: EWG Safety-Tips Oh, and if you are wondering about your cordless home phone, here is the related quote from EWG: "Cordless home phones do give off radiation. Similar to cell phones emitting signals to a tower, a cordless home phone handset emits signals to the base station in your home. And like a cell phone, the cordless phone handset emits peak levels of radiation during a call." Safe calling!
