Cell phone radiation may cause cancer: Here's how to reduce your risk

The health concerns pertaining to the long-term use of cell phones have been around for quite some time now although none of the research has credibly made the case that low levels of radiation emitted from personal electronic devices pose a threat to the human body.

Still, the California Department of Public Health has issued new guidelines on cell phone radiation, warning it may be dangerous.

The guidelines, issued last week, say that “some laboratory experiments and human health studies have suggested the possibility that long-term, high use of cell phones may be linked to certain types of cancer and other health effects.” These include brain cancer, tumours of the acoustic nerve and salivary glands, lower sperm count, headaches and effects on learning, memory, hearing, behaviour and sleep. 

The guidelines also recommend keeping phones away from the body when they’re not in use - in a backpack, for example, rather than a pocket- and sleeping with phones away from the bed.

While mobile phones have existed for several years, stories of its increasingly detrimental impact have surfaced more in the past decade, and rightly so, as the usage, too, have significantly shot up. While, in theory, phones shouldn't give you cancer, research continues to be carried out in this regard.

Alos, an article which appeared on The Verge takes up this matter with Jonathan Samet, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health and an expert in phone radiation, who suggested that while the findings have not been concrete enough to conclude anything specific, statistics do indicate potential risk.

It could be noted that while radiation from phones could cause harm, it does not classify as "ionising" radiation, which has the power to damage your DNA and can lead to cancer. Phones emit a much lower energy radiation which is considered to be "non-ionising."

However, whether it could still react with the body in some other way that might lead to problems from long-term exposure is a question that remains unanswered.

Nevertheless, asserting caution can do no harm, and hence, must be done when required. As they say, prevention is indeed better than cure.

How to reduce exposure to radiation

Here are some simple precautions you can take to reduce exposure to electronic device radiation: 

- Keeping your cell phone as far away from your ear and body as possible at all times

- Avoiding Bluetooth headsets - these pose serious radiation hazards because they act as mini wireless antennas and blast EMFs directly into your ear and head

- Keeping laptops off your lap and away from your body as much as possible 

- Not sleeping with your devices next to your head

As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), the intensity of radiofrequency radiation from cell phones decreases exponentially the further the device is held away from the body. 

Also, it is said that EMF-emitting devices like laptop computers are exceptionally more harmful when plugged in, as opposed to when they are operating on battery alone.

(With Agency Inputs)