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I%E2%80%99ve Been Sleeping With My Cell Phone Under My Pillow

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Posted on Thu, 18 Apr 2019
Question: I%E2%80%99ve been sleeping with my cell phone under my pillow for years can you get brain cancer? My head has been hurting for past 3 weeks. Worried
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dariush Saghafi (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Link between CA and cell phone radiation still controversial

Detailed Answer:
Sorry that you feel that concerned about the risk of brain cancer (CA) and cell phone radiation. In point of fact, pain in your head for the past 3 weeks is not likely to be related to any type of neoplastic or tumorous growth because there are much more common ways such things present themselves.

Of course, the only way I COULD KNOW 100% that you did not have something intracranially (within the skull) causing the pain you have is if you went to a doctor who checked you out neurologically, got a good solid history of any problems you've had over the past few months, track the evolution of the pain you've had for the past 3 weeks, and then, probably obtain either a CT or MRI of the brain that revealed NO tumorous growth, make sense? But, I'm just going to tell you from experience and my inner gestalt that the way you're presenting the symptoms and the case in general does not at all sound typical for how a patient would come to me who actually had been suffering from a true blue cancerous tumor in the brain that manifest itself in the past 3 weeks.

I could recite a number of studies that exist in the literature regarding this topic but I'm sure you've taken the time to read many of them as well and you likely know the same information. According to the NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE's latest opinions which they've formed after looking at all well done and relevant studies on this subject matter they have concluded that...."there is currently no consistent evidence that non-ionizing radiation increases cancer risk in humans." There is plenty of well described evidence and cases where IONIZING RADIATION (i.e. high energy sources such as X-RAYS, GAMMA RAYS, RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES) increases the risk of CA but cell phones, TV's, radars, radio tower transmitters,and similar LOW ENERGY/LOW FREQUENCY forms of radiation have not been shown to be clearly and definitively related to the genesis of cancers in human beings.

Another organization called the International Agency for Research on Cancer which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed that there is very limited evidence that cellphone radiation is carcinogenic(i.e. CA causing). Therefore, in their opinion they have classified radiofrequency emissions from cell phones as POSSIBLY carcinogenic to human beings.

The MAYO CLINIC's opinion on the relationship between CA and cell phone emissions is that "to date there's no convincing evidence that cellphone use increases the risk of cancer."

Therefore, the current literature and available research that has been done for as long as up to 20 years since cell usage has significantly increased generally is believed to have no significant relationship as a cause to the genesis of cancers in human beings and more specifically to your question, does not represent a significant risk to develop brain cancer from sleeping with it under your pillow.

However, having written and researched all of the aforementioned information and opinions published by very reputable and authoritative organizations felt to be on the cutting edge of research and clinical issues related to this topic I believe (and many doctors do as well) that until the question of cell phone emissions and human health in general (cancers most specifically) can be DEFINITIVELY answered in one way or the other (positively or negatively) that there is nothing wrong with having a healthy respect for the POSSIBILITY that health issues at least in SOME PEOPLE may arise as a result of cell phone usage. Therefore, limiting cell phone use and doing things to maintain as much distance as possible from cell phone antennae and the person speaking on the phone can be practiced by all users of cell phones, Make Sense?

If I've provided useful or helpful information to your question and you have no further inquiries or comments at this time then, could you do me the utmost of favors in CLOSING THE QUERY along with a few POSITIVE WORDS of feedback and maybe even a 5 STAR rating if you feel it is deserving? I am definitely interested in getting updated information on how things are going in the next few days or weeks if you'd drop me a line at www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi

You can always reach me at the above address for this and other questions. I wish you the best with everything and hope this conversation has helped you give you a little more direction as to what you may wish to do as well as things you can discuss with your doctors regarding your health concerns and cell phones.

This query required 60 minutes of professional time to research, assimilate, and respond in complete form.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dariush Saghafi

Neurologist

Practicing since :1988

Answered : 2472 Questions

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I%E2%80%99ve Been Sleeping With My Cell Phone Under My Pillow

Brief Answer: Link between CA and cell phone radiation still controversial Detailed Answer: Sorry that you feel that concerned about the risk of brain cancer (CA) and cell phone radiation. In point of fact, pain in your head for the past 3 weeks is not likely to be related to any type of neoplastic or tumorous growth because there are much more common ways such things present themselves. Of course, the only way I COULD KNOW 100% that you did not have something intracranially (within the skull) causing the pain you have is if you went to a doctor who checked you out neurologically, got a good solid history of any problems you've had over the past few months, track the evolution of the pain you've had for the past 3 weeks, and then, probably obtain either a CT or MRI of the brain that revealed NO tumorous growth, make sense? But, I'm just going to tell you from experience and my inner gestalt that the way you're presenting the symptoms and the case in general does not at all sound typical for how a patient would come to me who actually had been suffering from a true blue cancerous tumor in the brain that manifest itself in the past 3 weeks. I could recite a number of studies that exist in the literature regarding this topic but I'm sure you've taken the time to read many of them as well and you likely know the same information. According to the NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE's latest opinions which they've formed after looking at all well done and relevant studies on this subject matter they have concluded that...."there is currently no consistent evidence that non-ionizing radiation increases cancer risk in humans." There is plenty of well described evidence and cases where IONIZING RADIATION (i.e. high energy sources such as X-RAYS, GAMMA RAYS, RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES) increases the risk of CA but cell phones, TV's, radars, radio tower transmitters,and similar LOW ENERGY/LOW FREQUENCY forms of radiation have not been shown to be clearly and definitively related to the genesis of cancers in human beings. Another organization called the International Agency for Research on Cancer which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed that there is very limited evidence that cellphone radiation is carcinogenic(i.e. CA causing). Therefore, in their opinion they have classified radiofrequency emissions from cell phones as POSSIBLY carcinogenic to human beings. The MAYO CLINIC's opinion on the relationship between CA and cell phone emissions is that "to date there's no convincing evidence that cellphone use increases the risk of cancer." Therefore, the current literature and available research that has been done for as long as up to 20 years since cell usage has significantly increased generally is believed to have no significant relationship as a cause to the genesis of cancers in human beings and more specifically to your question, does not represent a significant risk to develop brain cancer from sleeping with it under your pillow. However, having written and researched all of the aforementioned information and opinions published by very reputable and authoritative organizations felt to be on the cutting edge of research and clinical issues related to this topic I believe (and many doctors do as well) that until the question of cell phone emissions and human health in general (cancers most specifically) can be DEFINITIVELY answered in one way or the other (positively or negatively) that there is nothing wrong with having a healthy respect for the POSSIBILITY that health issues at least in SOME PEOPLE may arise as a result of cell phone usage. Therefore, limiting cell phone use and doing things to maintain as much distance as possible from cell phone antennae and the person speaking on the phone can be practiced by all users of cell phones, Make Sense? If I've provided useful or helpful information to your question and you have no further inquiries or comments at this time then, could you do me the utmost of favors in CLOSING THE QUERY along with a few POSITIVE WORDS of feedback and maybe even a 5 STAR rating if you feel it is deserving? I am definitely interested in getting updated information on how things are going in the next few days or weeks if you'd drop me a line at www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi You can always reach me at the above address for this and other questions. I wish you the best with everything and hope this conversation has helped you give you a little more direction as to what you may wish to do as well as things you can discuss with your doctors regarding your health concerns and cell phones. This query required 60 minutes of professional time to research, assimilate, and respond in complete form.