Preliminary report: symptoms associated with mobile phone use.

Occupational medicine (Oxford, England) · 1998 · Harm · Very low evidence

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HarmVery low evidencePaper 4082

Study snapshot

PublicationOccupational medicine (Oxford, England) · 1998

Study typecross_sectional

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingVery low

Abstract

Mobile phone use is ubiquitous, although the alleged health effects of low level radio-frequency radiation (RFR) used in transmission are contentious. Following isolated reports of headache-like symptoms arising in some users, a survey has been conducted to characterize the symptoms sometimes associated with mobile phone usage. A notice of interest in cases was placed in a major medical journal and this was publicized by the media. Respondents were interviewed by telephone using a structured questionnaire. Forty respondents from diverse occupations described unpleasant sensations such as a burning feeling or a dull ache mainly occurring in the temporal, occipital or auricular areas. The symptoms often began minutes after beginning a call, but could come on later during the day. The symptoms usually ceased within an hour after the call, but could last until evening. Symptoms did not occur when using an ordinary handset, and were different from ordinary headaches. There were several reports suggestive of intra-cranial effects. Three respondents reported local symptoms associated with wearing their mobile phone on their belts. There was one cluster of cases in a workplace. Seventy-five per cent of cases were associated with digital mobile phones. Most of the respondents obtained relief by altering their patterns of telephone usage or type of phone. Cranial and other diverse symptoms may arise associated with mobile phone usage. Physicians and users alike should be alert to this. Further work is needed to determine the range of effects, their mechanism and the possible implications for safety limits of RFR.

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typecross_sectional

Effect directionharm

PopulationMobile phone users who responded to a notice of interest in cases (diverse occupations)

Sample size40

ExposureRF

Evidence strengthVery lowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In telephone interviews of 40 respondents, participants described unpleasant sensations (e.g., burning feeling or dull ache) mainly in temporal, occipital, or auricular areas that often began minutes after starting a call and usually resolved within an hour after the call, though sometimes lasted longer. Symptoms were reported as not occurring with an ordinary handset and were reported as different from ordinary headaches; 75% of cases were associated with digital mobile phones. Some respondents reported relief by changing phone type or usage patterns; three reported local symptoms when wearing phones on belts, and one workplace cluster was noted.

Outcomes measured

Headache-like symptoms
Burning feeling
Dull ache
Cranial/temporal/occipital/auricular unpleasant sensations
Local symptoms from wearing phone on belt

Limitations

Self-selected sample recruited via notice and media publicity (selection bias)
Survey/interview design without a comparison/control group
Symptoms are self-reported and not clinically verified in the abstract
Exposure not quantified (no frequency, power, or SAR reported)
Potential confounding and reporting/recall bias not addressed in the abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "cross_sectional",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Mobile phone users who responded to a notice of interest in cases (diverse occupations)",
  "sample_size": 40,
  "outcomes": [
    "Headache-like symptoms",
    "Burning feeling",
    "Dull ache",
    "Cranial/temporal/occipital/auricular unpleasant sensations",
    "Local symptoms from wearing phone on belt"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In telephone interviews of 40 respondents, participants described unpleasant sensations (e.g., burning feeling or dull ache) mainly in temporal, occipital, or auricular areas that often began minutes after starting a call and usually resolved within an hour after the call, though sometimes lasted longer. Symptoms were reported as not occurring with an ordinary handset and were reported as different from ordinary headaches; 75% of cases were associated with digital mobile phones. Some respondents reported relief by changing phone type or usage patterns; three reported local symptoms when wearing phones on belts, and one workplace cluster was noted.",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Self-selected sample recruited via notice and media publicity (selection bias)",
    "Survey/interview design without a comparison/control group",
    "Symptoms are self-reported and not clinically verified in the abstract",
    "Exposure not quantified (no frequency, power, or SAR reported)",
    "Potential confounding and reporting/recall bias not addressed in the abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "very_low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "mobile phone",
    "radio-frequency radiation",
    "RFR",
    "symptoms",
    "headache-like",
    "burning sensation",
    "digital phones",
    "survey",
    "telephone interview"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.25,
      "reason": "Includes respondents from diverse occupations and notes a workplace cluster, though exposure source is personal mobile phone use."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1093/occmed/48.6.357
PubMed: 10024730

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