Can you imagine living without your cell phone? Indeed, a lot of us would struggle without our phones. Especially in our generation, cell phones are one of the most valuable and useful inventions to exist. Not only do they make communication so much more efficient, but phones additionally provide us with games, social media, and music every day. Unfortunately, many are unaware of the risks and potential injuries that phones can cause, simply by carelessly using them. A study made by 20 years of data from emergency rooms discovered a recent spike in phone-related injuries to the head, neck, face, and eyes.
A facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Boris Paskhover of New Jersey Medical School, led research following his success of treating patients with phone injuries. He noticed that the rapid increase in these injuries started after 2006, around the time when the first smartphones were launched. Some injuries were caused by the phones themselves. For example, one of his patients suffered from a broken nose when she dropped her phone on her face. Others have been hit in the face by a thrown phone, and batteries have even exploded. However, Paskhover states that many people were injured due to the distractions that their phones brought, such as texting while walking and driving. Some have even tripped and landed face-down on sidewalks. Although there were many minor injuries, such as cuts and bruises, some people severely fractured their bones and internal organs, risking even more long term complications. During this study, a national United States estimate totaled to be approximately 76,043 patients who had phone-related head and neck injuries, and this issue should be resolved quickly.
Teens and young adults under 30 are most likely to be at risk here. Phone usage while driving and walking is rapidly increasing, especially in the age group 13-29, and Dr. Paskhover suggests that it is necessary to educate the public about the potential risks a phone can bring to anyone. In addition, a study even found that 90 injuries were associated with the game Pokémon Go, which encourages people to be on their phones while walking or traveling places. Even outside of being careless and clumsy, according to Dr. Tom DiAngelis, the use of phones can simply damage humans’ upper backs and necks. For every inch, someone’s head tilts forward from a neutral position, the pressure in the spine doubles, which call pull the spine out of alignment. Essentially, people must be attentive while using phones and learn how phones can be detrimental if misused, in order to ensure safety for everyone.
Furthermore, this issue does only cause detrimental physical health effects, but it also is linked to mental health problems, including depression and anxiety. Many have also suffered from other sleeping disorders. Therefore, phone-related injuries are not only limited to physical effects but afflict phone users’ mental health. Ultimately, the sum of all of these effects leads to the conclusion that cell phones can be perilous to humanity.