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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Taj Mahal top earning ASI monument through ticket sales from FY19-20 to FY23-24: Govt
New Delhi, Apr 3 (PTI): The iconic Taj Mahal in Agra earned the "highest income" through the sale of tickets among the ASI-protected monuments from FY19-20 to FY23-24, according to data shared by the government.
Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared the data in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha.
He was asked the amount that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has received from selling entry tickets to various monuments in the last five years, year-wise and monument-wise; and the monuments that have received the highest income through selling entry tickets in the last five years.
In his response, the minister shared the data in a tabular form for cycles of financial years ranging from FY19-20 to FY23-24.
According to the data, Taj Mahal earned the top slot for all five years.
The Mughal-era architectural wonder was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jehan in the 17th century and it is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
In FY19-20, the Agra Fort in Agra and Qutub Minar in Delhi were in the second and third positions.
In FY20-21, the Group of Monuments Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu and Sun Temple, Konark were in the second and third positions. In FY23-24, Qutub Minar and Red Fort of Delhi were in the second and third positions.
