Cell Phones Bad For The Elbow

CNN reports that health experts are warning about cell phone elbow. Health experts say that holding a cell phone to your ear for a long period of time can damage a nerve in your arm.

This damage can lead to cubital tunnel syndrome.

People with this condition experience a tingling and weakness in their hands. They also tend to have trouble writing, opening jars and playing instruments.

“Repetitive, sustained stretching of the nerve is like stepping on a garden hose,” said Dr. Peter J. Evans, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Hand and Upper Extremity Center. “With the hose, you’re blocking the flow of water. With the elbow, you’re blocking the blood flow to the nerve, which causes it to misfire and short circuit.”

Doctors say that if you begin to feel pain while holding your cell phone, you should immediately switch hands.

This study was included in the May issue of the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine.