Mobile Phones

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Mobile phones have revolutionised communications throughout the world. Texting has resulted in a new language barely understood by the pre-mobile phone generation. It is hard to imagine the modern business and younger social world without the mobile phone. Unfortunately, research from across the globe is showing that long-term usage of mobile phones can be damaging to your health. It is associated with brain tumours, memory and concentration problems and rat experiments have found signs of early onset dementia (similar to Alzheimer's - Salford et al, 2003). Mobile phone use without a hands-free kit in a car has been banned in the UK, because of the increased risk of having an accident (Due to the distraction caused by using the phone).

We are often asked "Which phone is the safest?" and "how do I use my phone safely?". Phone models change too often to answer the first question. The criteria by which you judge safety are too complicated to work out simply and we don't know if any use of a mobile phone is safe in the long term.

If you feel you need to use a mobile phone, please read reducing your exposure on reducing your microwave exposure from your current phone and what to look for when you buy a new one.

• People who use their mobile phones a lot have reported the following symptoms which can be brief or which may last for some considerable time after the user has stopped the call; burning skin, warmth in the head, warmth in the ear, tingling or lightness, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, concentration problems and forgetfulness and memory loss .
• Digital cordless phones (DECT) use the same technology as mobile phones. Having a DECT base unit in your house is like having your own mobile phone base station .
• Swedish research has linked mobile phone use with brain tumours on the same side of the head that the phone is used .
• Other Scandinavian research has suggested that users in their teens and early 20s may devlop early onset dementia
• Spanish researchers believe that the natural electrical activity in a child's brain may be affected, leading to psychiatric and behaviour problems, especially increased aggression, a poor attention span, impaired memory and learning .
• The department of health has a leaflet recommending that children under 16 should use mobile phones in emergency situations only and should keep their call short .
• Sir William Stewart, who wrote the Government report on the safety of mobile phones will not let his grandchildren use one .
• Your phone communicates at full power when it is connecting to a number. Hold your phone away from your body when you have finished dialling until the person answers. If you are texting, hold it away from you until the text is sent.
• The parts of the body which are most vulnerable to microwave radiation are the eyes, the breasts and testicles. Other parts of the body which are sensitive are internal soft tissue organs such kidneys, liver, ovaries, etc. Your phone should be kept away from these parts of the body
• Do not carry your phone on your belt.
• When your phone is on standby, it communicates (at full power) with the nearest base station regularly to ensure it has the best signal possible. This could be once every 30 minutes if you are staionary in a good signal area. If you are in a poor signal area, it may transmit as often as every 30 seconds as it attempts to get a better signal. If you are on the move, it will transmit frequently.

Mobile phones have been known to initiate Electrical Hypersensitivity (ES), which can be a very debilitating condition.

Research into Mobile and Cordless telephones

Please read our study listing and analysis of recent research into this area. It is also worth reading through some of the supplementary information on our industry bias section.

Sue Kovach from Life Extension magazine has written an excellent article summarising some of the currect understandings and complications of research and health implications from cell phones.