If you often have incessant headaches, then you might be spending too much time on your smartphone, a recent study suggests.
Published in the journal Neurology Clinical Practice, the study monitored 400 patients with non-illness headaches for 18 months. It found that smartphone users had more headaches with sensory disturbances. More smartphone users were also taking more pain medication but with less relief.
According to Dr. Deepti Vibha, the research indicates that there's a possibility that smartphone usage might be triggering or exacerbating existing headaches. She also mentioned that this opens the door to further research about the unexplored mechanisms of this link.
The Smartphone Usage and Headache Link
Of the 400 patients studied, 206 were smartphone users while 194 were non-smartphone users. They were asked to answer a questionnaire regarding their smartphone use and headache history.
Compared to only 7.7% of non-users, 17% of the smartphone group experienced headache attacks with aura.
Auras are sensory disturbances that occur prior or during the headache. It includes seeing flashes of lights, tingling sensations, and slurred speech.
Looking for the Root of the Problem
Dr. Heidi Moawad, a neurology professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and John Carroll University, noted in an editorial that this study doesn't show the reason why smartphone users find it harder to recuperate from headache attacks.
According to the Brigham Health Hub, text neck might be causing these tension headaches.
Text neck is a repetitive stress injury (RSI) caused by the prolonged forward head posture that people assume when using their mobile devices. Statistics reveal that less than 21% of young adults even know what the term means, less along how to take preventive measures against it.
Eyestrain, which can cause headaches to almost 33% of users, is another possible cause offered by the American Migraine Foundation.
Even after just an hour of digital exposure, eye fatigue and dryness starts setting and progressively gets worse. When used in low light conditions, eyestrain symptoms come up after just 20 minutes.
Scientists are also looking at the association of artificial light sensitivity to headaches. Experts say that some people naturally have lower tolerance to bright light, leading to brain hyper-activity.
Mitigating the Pain
To minimize the occurrence and severity of smartphone-related headaches, Moawad encouraged mobile users to take advantage of features like hands-free settings, voice activation, and audio functions.
Activating the blue light filter, adjusting the brightness and font size settings, and using an anti glare screen cover could be effective as well.
Finding Relief
While the root of the problem is still unknown, what can be done for now is to find effective pain relief.
The Yale School of Medicine's Dr. Christopher Gottschalk said that people should carefully monitor the severity of their headache in relation to their smartphone usage. He also suggested asking your physician for help, especially in finding effective pain relief.
The Harvard Medical School suggested over-the-counter medication like acetaminophen and ibuprofen as headache remedy. If they prove to be ineffective, talk to a doctor to get prescription medicine.
They also suggest seeking natural headache relief in the form of peppermint oil and mineral supplements such as magnesium, coenzyme Q10, and vitamin B12.
What's Next?
The study is a reminder that our overreliance on mobile devices might possibly lead to health problems.
Moawad noted that these findings might encourage people to reduce their smartphone usage. However, it might be unrealistic for most, even for those who suffer from constant headaches.
To get the best of both worlds, Moawad explained, "It's likely that the devices will be modified so that they can provide the same convenience without causing problems like headaches, eye strain or neck pain. Who knows -- maybe the technology will even be modified in a way that helps improve these issues."
Dr. Noah Rosen, director of the Northwell Health Headache Center, said that at the end of the day, this study is highly speculative since many factors weren't taken into account.
"It does teach us to be mindful of those things we use every day and how it may otherwise affect us," he noted.
Vibha acknowledges that more study needs to be done. She said, "The fact that smartphone users require more painkillers to abort headaches and have a higher pill count per month, hints that smartphone use and headache needs to be studied in longitudinal studies."
