Doctors in UAE warn against use of wireless headphones
Abu Dhabi : Doctors in the UAE are warning people against the use of bluetooth earbuds, which they claim not only causes a risk of sleep distraction and deafness, but also brain cancer.
The wireless/bluetooth headphones, which sell for as high as Dh700, are a serious health hazard and should not be used for longer than a "minute or two" a day, if necessary, said Dr Nasir Nawasreh, specialist - family medicine with subspecialty in acute care at Bareen International Hospital.
"I do not recommend people to use blue tooth headphones - minimal if they have to. The device has to be removed immediately after usage." Dr Nawasreh said researches indicate that brain cancer is one of the major risks the popular device could cause.
He pointed out that bluetooth headphones work by waves that are similar to the microwave, thus "literally cooking the human brain." "The more frequent the wave, the greater the harm. The better quality of sound, the more frequent and harmful the waves are."
The level of waves can cause biological effects by penetrating into the brain and skull.
Dr Nawasreh said researches also indicate that people under the age of 20, who use wireless headphones for more than 25 years, are more prone to developing brain cancer.
"The risk of developing brain cancer in these people is three times higher than the average person."
He said besides the risk of cancer and other effects on brain function, the device's radio-frequency energy could cause severe headaches, sleep disturbance, sleep memory, inflammation and deafness.
"Listening to voices via bluetooth causes the brain to become busier by analysing the sounds or music and it stores what it listens to." Dr Nawasreh stressed that recently, one of his patients became partially deaf due to the usage of bluetooth headphones.
"The patient ended-up having ringing ears and a degree of deafness caused by the usage of wireless headphones. The ear capacity is just like a glass of water, once it's full, the water will spill out."
Moreover, the high frequency waves could also cause side effects on people with pacemakers. He said people with a high risk of developing diseases due to family history or genetic disorders, should stay away from bluetooth headphones.
"This also includes people with chronic ear infections, as well as those with migraines and with a family history of brain tumors."
Dr Rajesh Baby, specialist in neurology, Universal Hospital, said although wireless headphones might be handy for the millions of people who use them globally, long-term exposure to the products could pose a risk on health and safety.
"There are a lot of controversies regarding cancer development and health risks when it comes to using wireless headsets."
He pointed out that lab studies on mice and rats revealed that heavy exposure of cellphone radiation increased the schwannoma of the heart, which is a tumour of the tissue that covers nerves.
The neurologist thus recommends people to put their phones on speaker instead of using bluetooth headphones or directly placing the phone on the ear. "The further away the phone is from the body, the better. The less time spent, the safer the user will be."
courtesy : khaleejtimes.com
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
