Top 5 “casualties” of using tech. Do you suffer from any of these?

We’ve all heard of “carpal tunnel syndrome,” but there are many other problems associated with our increased reliance on technology these days. In this Canada AM segment, I talk about 5 other common problems, ranging from “BlackBerry thumb” to infertility. I’ve also posted a point-form list here, too.

Click here to watch the video from the Canada AM appearance, or browse the list below.

 

MARC’S TOP 5 CASUALTIES OF TECH

1. Texting Thumb, a.k.a. “BlackBerry Thumb”

* caused by gripping and typing a small keyboard
* at first, you’ll feel a slight discomfort on your thumb — and ignoring it would soon lead to its swelling and some throbbing
* give your fingers a break in between texting and emailing, plus there are some stretches and exercises that you can do with your hands and fingers that will relieve the strain off your fingers…in text messages, use abbreviations or shortcuts to type a word…if it is of less importance, hold it off from emailing long emails until you can get to a computer

2. Traffic accidents

* caused by texting/talking & driving
* best way to avoid this is to concentrate on the task at hand: driving
* if you *must* talk, then go hands-free with Bluetooth: headset, speakerphone, GPS, etc. or go to your local Dollar Store to pick up a wired headset for $1
* it might already be law in your province
* some free apps will read messages to you, too

3. Eye, Neck and Back Pain

* caused by not looking at a computer monitor correctly, not sitting correctly or not holding a phone correctly. 
* invest in a decent chair with lower back support; both feet should be flat on the floor (tip: use a milk crate for your feet if you’re shorter in stature)
* position your chair correctly: if you need to place your monitor to the left or right side of the desk, position your chair so that you’re not turning your head to see the screen. Over time, this could put unnecessary strain on your neck. Your head should be centered with your body and you should be looking straight ahead at eye level to see your monitor
* make sure you have adequate lighting so you’re not straining to see the monitor, keyboard or papers on your desk. If you find yourself squinting to see the text on the screen, enlarge the font
* if you frequently talk on the phone, purchase a headset so you’re not trying to hold the phone between your neck and ear (and type at the same time)

4. Cell Phone Elbow

* numbness, “pins & needles” tingling or pain in the elbow, can turn into aching and burning in the forearm and hand
* often referred to as cubital tunnel syndrome
* caused by prolonged cell phone use; holding the phone in a certain way, with arm bent and/or elevated, causing a drop in blood supply to the nerves
* use a hands-free kit, do stretches and exercises
* treatment is effective and makes the pins and needles, tingling and numbing go away but patients who present early have a better chance of full sensory and motor recovery
* if nerves become inflamed and simple physical strategies don’t work, anti-inflammatory meds might be considered. After that, surgery might be a last option.

5. Infertility

* caused by keeping a heated laptop on your lap
* heat generated from laptops can significantly elevate the temperature of the scrotum, potentially putting sperm count at risk
* a study found scrotum temperature can be raised to 2.8 degrees Celsius with a hot laptop
* fertility studies have shown that an increase in scrotum temperature by 1 degree Celsius can reduce sperm count by as much as 40 percent
* don’t put a laptop on your lap unless you use some padding, tray — but not a pillow as it can block the air vents and cause damage to the computer or even start a fire

Filed Under: Apple > Back to School > Health > In The News > Microsoft > News
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