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Updated March 5th, 2020 at 20:13 IST

Are Smartphones making headaches more painful & users less responsive to pain medication?

Researchers AIIMS have stated that smartphone users who suffer from regular headaches and migraines may be more likely to use painkillers and find less relief.

Reported by: Digital Desk
AIIMS
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Researchers at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have stated that smartphone users who suffer from regular headaches and migraines may be more likely to use painkillers and find less relief. 

The study has identified 400 people in India with a primary headache condition, which includes migraine, tension headache and other headache types that are not due to another condition.

Deepti Vibha, study author at AIIMS in New Delhi said, "While the results need to be confirmed with larger and more rigorous studies, the findings are concerning, as smartphone use is growing rapidly and has been linked to a number of symptoms, with headache being the most common."

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The study shows an association and does not prove that smartphone use causes greater use of pain medication and less relief. 

The study focused on a sample size of 400 people out of which 206 were smartphone users and 194 were non-users. For the findings, questions about their smartphone use and headaches and medication use were asked by the researcher. 

The study found out that in comparison to people who use smartphones, the number of people not using the smartphones were older and had a lower education level falling into low socioeconomic status. 

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A significant result of the study is that 96 percent of smartphone users take drugs for their headaches and other pain-relieving drugs in comparison to 81 percent of non-users of smartphones. 

The study stated that smartphone users took an average of eight pills per month compared to five pills per month for non-users. 

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The study was unable to find about any difference in how often headaches occurred and ho long they last and importantly how severe they were. 

Heidi Moawad, Member of American Academy of Neurology said, "The root of the problem is not yet clear. Is it a user's neck position? Or the phone''s lighting? Or eye strain? Or the stress of being connected at all times? Answers will likely emerge in the upcoming years and eventually guide strategies for more sustainable use of the devices."

"Features such as hands-free settings, voice activation, and audio functions could potentially hold the key to helping smartphone users benefit from their phones without exacerbating their headaches," Moawad added. 

Image Credits: PTI 

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Published March 5th, 2020 at 20:13 IST

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