Categories: health | laptop | working
Oh dear. Yet another thing to be wary of when it comes to laptop addiction.
For all that i love the portability that my 12 inch laptop affords me, I'm coming to accept that working at it full-time is *not* good for me. The postural problems that result from hunching forward over a laptop, and constantly looking down at a screen that's below eye level, are bad enough. But I've also started noticing something more insidious.
I been noticing that when I work at my laptop for a while, my wrists and hands get hot from the heat coming off of it. The keyboard is directly over the CPU, after all. Worse than the heat, though, is the feeling of "vibration" that I've been feeling. It doesn't just feel like my hands are getting warm – it feels like they're being pumped full of some kind of energy. As I've become more attuned to it, it's become more and more uncomfortable to me.
Last week, I had an appointment with a craniosacral therapist named Mark Levine, in Richmond Hill. While we were chatting after my (great) session, the topic of working at a laptop came up. He pulled up a little device he has that measures electromagnetic radiation. When he holds it over things, it registers the radiation coming off of them. As he held it over his MacBook keyboard, the little indicator shot off the chart. As he held it over his external keyboard, it barely registered anything at all.
He showed me that you really don't have to get too far back from the CPU for the EMFs to drop significantly – but when you type at a laptop, you really are working direclty in an intense field of radiation. Which explains what I've been feeling... and makes me rather nervous.
I've been meaning to invest in an iCurve and an external keyboard for a while now. No more excuses... I'm going to do it asap. It'll be much better for my back, and will hopefully also elimiate this creepy hot buzzy feeling in my hands that I've got as I type this!
gloves
Wed, 2006-10-18 19:48 — jacobhauserUm. Your gloves are reversed. Do you realize that gloves with no fingers are kind of... I don't know.... useless
best EVER
Wed, 2006-10-18 19:56 — sarahfelicityI knitted those myself, dude. Small protection from radiation it's true, but they sure are the funkiest gauntlets I've ever seen. :P
CST
Mon, 2006-10-23 19:50 — Joe McGillWhy are you going to see a craniosacral therapist in Richmond Hill when only an hour away from there you could come get your CST, a homemade meal and catch up with an old friend?
laptop
Mon, 2007-01-29 06:07 — ccfullerHi, I ahve to agree about the laptop pain. I have a 17" mac and I get a pain in my groin area after about 15 min of use, and my hand after about an half an hour starts to ache. It is not heat, it is just a weird sensation and a pain in my hand.
Just wondered if anybody else had the same feeling???
laptop
Fri, 2007-04-06 17:10 — Eric (not verified)I have a Dell Latitude D810 and have been searching on the internet for months for anyone else who has experienced the groin pain when using a laptop. I eventually started moving the laptop up to my stomach when in bed to stop the pain. It did stop the pain in my groin, but now my stomach hurts. I'm scared because I wonder if its killing me, but I can't find anyone else who has the same problem.
re: laptop
Wed, 2008-01-16 02:54 — Amy (not verified)I also get a pain in my uterus-area/stomach when I rest my MAC lappy there when I'm lying in bed. Pain is usually an indicator that something is wrong. And the pain stops when I move my computer off me. I'm glad you said something, because I've been wondering too. I'm going to look into an external keyboard too, because this could be very dangerous. No point in developing cancer from radiation when it's obvious that this ain't positive for the health. We're around electronic stuff so much, it's amazing that we still recognize when something feels wrong.
check-ups
Tue, 2008-03-04 09:56 — Beeknee (not verified)I've had the pain in the groin thing too. In fact I have it now. I recently found out it's a symptom of testicular cancer. Don't wanna worry people, but i'd consider getting checked up of you suffer this.
I have the exact same problem
Thu, 2008-03-20 21:55 — Anonymous (not verified)I have the exact same problem , and even the weird feeling goes from my lower stomach organs down to my testicles, I am worry that why started to google this finding other people with the same problem, I have been putting apillow between the laptop and my legs and away from my stomache, but even doing that I feel some type of weird raditaion feeling kind of like a tickle bathering feeling, even after the next day I feel this Im very afraid that it will affect something on my testicles or my stomache.
Please write me if you have more info on this I too have a dell but this on is a Lattitude D510
Yes, I have recently been
Wed, 2008-04-16 17:59 — Anonymous (not verified)Yes, I have recently been noticing pain in my stomach and came to realize that it is caused by putting my 17-inch laptop on it all the time. Scary!
laptop
Mon, 2008-06-16 00:42 — Anonymous (not verified)I have had similar pain from using a laptop. I thought I had a UTI or something, but just put together the fact that I've been using a laptop for the first time. I just googled "laptop on lap pain in groin" and found your comment. So, you're not the only one - and I'm not the only one.
indeed
Wed, 2007-02-21 02:25 — sarahfelicityI know what you're talking about and it creeps me out. Try using an external keyboard... it totally goes away for me when I do that. I can't work straight on my laptop for more than about an hour now without getting uncomfortable.
Ive had the same symtoms
Wed, 2007-07-11 13:07 — WalkingDown (not verified)Ive had the same symtoms when using the laptop on my lap. I dont use it that often. recently I have experienced a numbing sensation on my right leg. Its like the skin from the top of the nee to the lower hip is numb. I wonder if this could be caused from the laptop. Like I said, I dont use it much but the times I have had it on my lap, I definately noticed something going on.
EMR
Mon, 2007-08-06 08:44 — Anonymous (not verified)I've noticed these sensations for years, when I'm around microwaves, too much cell phone time, and now my laptop. Sarah, you inspire me to get a remote keyboard.
But I want to share with everyone that I've begun to use a meditation bench over my legs and set the laptop on that. It's the perfect dimensions, has a slight angle, and keeps the direct contact to a minimum.
Diane
Sebsation
Tue, 2007-08-14 08:54 — michael (not verified)I am too feeling a certain sensation in my groin area on the right when using my dell Inspiron 6000. At certain direction from my Sony Walkman the laptop will influence the radio reception. Dell denies any safety hazards. I wonder if Dell can be believed. Scary indeed.
Can anyone help me?
Wed, 2007-08-22 00:21 — Stewart (not verified)I have been sleeping, this entire summer, with two laptops closed, one on top of the other beside my head. (This is because I have slept on a couch (it is more comfortable)) for the last three weeks. I have started the first day of it listening to a binaural that is supposed to make people feel more in tune with their lives and make you feel better(Chakra Awakening from IDoser), and three days later, I felt the effects of caffiene intoxication with three bottles of Vault, and I have been sleeping this whole time with one of my laptops completely on. I have been feeling bad, almost like something really bad is going to happen, and it partially cleared up when I slept for a day with it closed. Is this due to EM radiation or from another problem?
I thought it might have been from low levels of serotonin, but I feel perfectly fine in my bathroom and I am the kind of person that literally sits there ALL day and uses the computer.
If you think you know the problem, or might be able to give any suggestons, either post it here, or Email me at:
mangakid_19 at yahoo dot com
I need to know soon so I know if I need to see the doc. It could be some help if someone has any idea if a certain home-made binaural could help me.
PS. I am 16 and I am sorry if this is the wrong place to put this. The people that come here seem to know something at least about this.
Itchy Magnetic Fields
Mon, 2007-09-17 12:39 — Keeping Grounded in Iowa (not verified)Hello everyone, glad to see that others are interested in finding the source of their problem. I have witnessed some similar symptoms with using a laptop computer and hopefully this information can help someone here.
My wife has become very sensitive to the Acer laptop unit that we bought about 1.5 years ago. The first sypptoms were watery skin blisters on her fingers and a itchy, tingling sensation on the legs. She described the feeling as if the legs had been slightly sunburned. We immediately thought about communication radiation (wi-fi) emitted from the unit and I looked into the realm of EMF. I learned that cell phones, cordless phones, and laptop Wi-Fi technology usually can be found to use the 2.4 GHz transmitting frequency. This is just a high radio frequency that is similar to how a radio station tower works. This 2.4 GHz frequency happens to be the exact same frequency setting microwave ovens use to cook food! My first step was to remove the Wireless LAN card from the bottom of the laptop. Easy. We only use dial-up anyway so this was not a problem and besides perhaps it offers good protection from a malicious snoopy wi-fi hacker nearby. Anyway, I looked into shielding EMF's and found a pretty good website lessemf.com (believe me I am not at all affiliated with them). I then proceeded to build an grounded electric shield which is relatively easy to do. That didn't seem to do the trick and so we bought a remote wired keyboard and mouse. That did help as the distance from the laptop helps reduce the exposure. By the way I use a small gaussmeter to measure the magnetic field strength coming from the laptop. The field strength was still the same after this shield went up. So then today I proceeded to investigate magnetic fields and indeed these can be just as harmful as electric ones. Plus my wife's fingers are still blistering and the legs feel "hot" again. I've learned that magnetic fields can be shielded but it's a rather compex science of what type of materials to use and the effectiveness of those materials. Plus to make a shield for our laptop would cost between $75 to $100. What we plan on doing next is purchasing a flat screen LCD monitor that enables us to place the laptop about 10 feet away (extension cords will have to be used) but the importrant part is that this new monitor is to have an external power supply pack. These power packs also known as transformers create high magnetic fields as well so it's importrant to keep that thing away from the body.
When a pulsing magnetic field is passed near a conductor, say metal wire for example it creates electricity. This is how generators basically work. Who's to say that those pulsing magnetic fields aren't creating electric fields in the human body when they excite a conductor like water molecules? This could help explain the water blisters. Please Note that the fields of the laptop do reach out rather far, about 3' untill my meter doesn't pick them up anymore. My wife still gets an arm and leg sensation with the use of a remote keyboard and that's from about a 18" distance!
If anyone would like to add more info to this posting that'd be great. If I can help clarify or go into more details about the complexity of fields please ask. I'm just a ordinary person that's highly interested in finding why my dear wife is having these terrible things happen to her. I'll surely answer any questions you might have. I hate to think that so many people right now are "catching" cancer and other forms of ill health from their cell phones, computers, and similar devices while the companies that sell this to you claim that there's no such thing!
Peace!
CB
In addition to the buzzing
Sat, 2007-09-22 21:10 — Anonymous (not verified)In addition to the buzzing feeling in the hands, does anyone else besides me feel foggy (not alert) mentally after using their laptop?
Glad I'm not the only one
Sun, 2007-10-21 03:14 — Anonymous (not verified)Glad I'm not the only one noticing this. I thought it was just my imagination but whenever I rest my laptop on my stomach it always starts to hurt.
I also get pains in my
Mon, 2007-11-05 15:29 — Rob (not verified)I also get pains in my leg/groin/stomach when my laptop is resting there... does anyone have any links to further information?
leg ache stoamch ache with my laptop
Tue, 2008-01-22 19:13 — Anonymous (not verified)I have just got a dell inspiron 1520 and get a ache all the way down my right leg if I rest it on my lap, or a stomach ache if its on my stomach. Does this happen with other laptops just the same, or is it dells particularly? Would have done more research on this before I had bought the laptop had I known about it before- I am using a pillow but this is not very convenient or particularly portable!
I have the same problem and need more info
Thu, 2008-03-20 22:00 — Anonymous (not verified)I have the exact same problem , and even the weird feeling goes from my lower stomach organs down to my testicles, I am worry that why started to google this finding other people with the same problem, I have been putting apillow between the laptop and my legs and away from my stomache, but even doing that I feel some type of weird raditaion feeling kind of like a tickle bathering feeling, even after the next day I feel this Im very afraid that it will affect something on my testicles or my stomache.
Please write me if you have more info on this I too have a dell but this on is a Lattitude D510
-Feeling Froggy
Fri, 2008-04-25 13:58 — Anonymous (not verified)Yes, When using my MacBook for extended periods I've come away feeling foggy, sometimes wondering where the time has gone!
There are devises available which actually pick up loose electromagnetic "waves". One such product mounts on the back of your watch, having direct contact with your body. It's roughly the size of a nickel and can also be mounted on a cell phone. I can feel a subtle difference when I remove my watch.
This company also sells a much larger type device for your household. I believe it's range spans 1000ft. I certainly encourage anyone to at least look into it. life-enthusiast.com Then search "ADR" ...."ADR Protect" for watch, and ADR-3 for home.
I own the bundle which includes the ADR-4 ....Hands-down a winner.
hi
Tue, 2008-04-01 23:21 — Anonymous (not verified)you know if you feel unsafe just go to the doctor straight dont wait for a reply from somebody because if something is wrong and you wait it gets worse and last year i was in a place called tarim in yemen its very hot and dry 55-45 degrees daily its a desert and i started getting red eyes and went to the doctor who said you have have dirty eyes (something to do with the dust and stuff getting into them) so that was a year ago now i just bought myself a macbook and i work on it from 3 pm up till 2 am (sleep at 2 am get up at 5:30 am pray up till 7 am,) with my laptop next to me so i get very red eyes and a sensation like as if there's a speck of dirt in them and when i rub it gets redder and sort of itches does any one else feel that,? do you stewart? of somebody knows how to get rid of the red eye s please tell me email me at m.m.l.l.105110@hotmail.com i wonder if its the same as in tarim but i guess the solution is stop using our laptops so much (easier said then done) any way as for your binaural try breathing exercises there much better i know from experience also try using hand signals from naruto it helps out too wish you a happy summer
Use this product to reduce your Electromagnetic Radiation
Thu, 2008-01-24 02:56 — Gemedy (not verified)Apparently this product will work on cellphones and lap tops. I'm buying it. All the comments that have been posted confirm to me that I was feeling similar symptoms.
http://www.aulterra.com/en-US/welcome/item_detail/1
EMI from laptops "groin pain"
Mon, 2008-02-11 19:20 — Dan (not verified)Hi,
I thought I was the only one with this issue and actually went to a urologist a few years back and he said there was nothing wrong with me and I was just wearing the wrong underwear. I was disapointed with the Dr because I felt he was not helpful. I have had pain from my old HP, my Dell laptop and my MacBook so I know it is the high RPM's of the hard drives in these computers that causes discomfort. My concern is that it can't be healthy and has anyone found out any ways to stop this, i.e. sheilding, besides an external keyboard. Please let me know.
Thank you,
Dan from CT
Yes there is a way to try and shield you laptop
Fri, 2008-02-29 12:12 — Ground in Iowa again (not verified)The most difficult part about taming an electromagnetic field is the magnetic part of it. THe magnetic part is also quite harmful because it causes an induction of energy to be created in the boy suh as your legs, groin, head, etc. This is pretty much how a generator works, a series of magnets swing next to conductive wires and thusly electricity is born! But your boy is conductive since there's all that water and minerals in you and so your body is making energy! But it's irritating and damaging to cells.
Magnetic fields will easily penetrate walls, clothing, water, and even metal. My understanding from all the research I've done about it is that you can't quite "catch" the magnet field like you can the electric ones. What you can do though is provide a easy road for the maget field to favor instead of the air and going through legs, head, etc. Below is a webpage that sells highly magentic conductive material. You have to use this material in a way that the magnet source will like. Think of a bar magnet like a AA battery. Energy flows out of one end and wants to get to the other end. When you use this material it's like using a wire close to the battery. The flow doesn't want to go farther out into the air in order to get to the other end. It now sees the highly conductive material and says "great! I'll use this tollway instead!" Perhaps a panel can be made to go between your legs and laptop to help keep those fields closer to the PC and not so deep into the legs. (Oh and it is advised to use more than one layer of the stuff with spacing between layers)
http://www.lessemf.com/mag-shld.html
http://www.lessemf.com/computer.html
I hope that my info can help those that are interested.
Cheers,
Chris
cbradshw@hotmail.com
http://communities.msn.com/portraitsmore
electromagnetic radiation from laptops
Tue, 2008-03-11 22:39 — DBH (not verified)Thank you so much for this info. i just bought my Macbook a month ago and I am experiencing buzzing in my hands, arms, head and face. it is most uncomfortable and scares me. I love my Macbook but it is not worth it if I am doing damage to myself. I will try the external keyboard and hope that helps.
How long of use? Can it cause cancer?
Sun, 2008-03-16 21:02 — KH (not verified)What is the time frame you guys are spending on the laptop?
I use my laptop for varying durations. I do feel the hot legs and hot arms thing. This really freaks me out? I am somewhat anxious in general but I am afraid this will result in cancer someday!!!
That is why I am wondering if I use the laptop as much as other people do, or possibly more????
me too.
Tue, 2008-04-15 07:48 — bliss (not verified)Just recently I've begun noticing a weird, low-level vibration in my nether regions. I'm not joking.
After reading here, I realize it's only when the laptop is in or very near my lap. (I had it on the table at the library the other day but it was in the children's section so the table was low.)
We recently moved and I thought maybe it was something to do with our new apartment, like the building is on some type of energy field. I kept asking the others if they felt anything and the answer was no.
I do have an extra keyboard around here somewhere but dang it. I specifically wanted a laptop so I can take my work with me any where, (I work from home) so I don't have to be tied to my desk.
What's really scary is that I also noticed that when I have the laptop right on my stomach, I too feel pain in my female organs. Not nice at all.
Any way, I've got a pillow on my lap, a folding tray on top of that, and the laptop on the tray. Well, I see that's not helping. :-( I'm still feeling the vibrations.
Someone mentioned a diode to me for the laptop, as I had one for my cell phone. I guess that might help.*shrug*
Oh Dear....
Fri, 2008-04-25 05:00 — Anonymous (not verified)Just found this thread. Have enjoyed using my Mac laptop in bed/on sofa for a couple of years now. Just got diagnosed with colon cancer, and I don't fit ANY of the risk criteria. Operation a success, though I will need chemo. Marked burning feeling in the scar whenever I use the laptop on my lap. Is anyone doing research on this?
J
ACER Travelmate and stomach pains
Tue, 2008-06-17 08:31 — Al (not verified)Hi all.
Interesting thread.
I too have stomach pains when I lay in bed with the laptop resting on my stomach. I've tried using a pillow to increase distance but that's no good. I also tried using the metal side panel of a tower case to provide a metallic kind of shield and that didn't help. The only thing to stop the pain is to move the lap top away from my body. That simply has to be RF energy generated within the laptop itself. I thought perhaps it was the wireless network adaptor so I disabled that but to no avail. Surely continued use of equipment which has this effect must be harmful. So much for the term 'laptop computer' as I feel it may well be 'LAptop Cancer Insertion Device". LACID...'laced?'.
Oh, nice pics of the countryside btw.