10 COMPUTER-RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS AND HOW THEY CAN
BE PREVENTED
Does your job or lifestyle demands you to spend a long time
in front of the computer…say over four hours a day? If so, you’ll be at an
increased risk of developing certain computer-related health problems.
In almost every field of
work modern technology has become an inevitable part of our lives and has
become a necessity. Of course, it makes
our lives easier in some ways and maybe even less costly, however, it can be
rather hazardous too. These conditions can be painful and serious and may cost you to leave computer-dependent careers if
neglected. Thus, we are now entering into a new age of computer-related health risks with rampant and excessive use of computers.
Here are some computer-related health problems and tips to prevent
them:
1.
CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS AND LUMBAR SPONDYLOSIS
When we are sitting in front of the computer for hours, every day we tend to forget that proper posture is important. To shift into a more
comfortable position we droop or lean back and do not sit upright keeping the
neck in a neutral position. Every day, over long periods, the muscles of the neck
and back are held in this unwanted position. Over time muscles in this area get
strained and subsequently weaken. As a consequence, these muscles are unable to
hold the vertebrae upright position. Pressure builds on the inter-vertebral
disc due to slippage and narrowing of space between these vertebras. Due to
this slipped disk, the nerves coming out of the inter-vertebral space get
pressed by the vertebra.
Cervical Spondylosis – Thus a
regular computer user feels pain in the shoulder and neck and, numbness and
tingling in arms, and also muscles stiffness around the neck and shoulder.
Lumbar Spondylosis – Inability
to bend and stand or sit for a long time due to pain in Lower Back. Numbness
and tingling sensation in the Lower Limbs.
How To Prevent Spondylosis
] Use a specially designed ergonomic chair to keep your spine in
its natural curve while sitting.
] Keep the spine straight while working in computer to maintain the
correct position of the head, shoulder, and back.
] Move neck and shoulder muscles whenever you get free time at work.
2.
MUSCULOSKELETAL PROBLEMS
This includes areas of
your body like your back, neck, chest, arms, shoulders, and feet.
Having sore muscles and
complaints of the muscles being tired is common. You may sense numbness in the
arms and hands. These troubles could occur as a result of the posture you
assume when using the computer is possibly incorrect. You may be because you
are sitting in an uncomfortable chair, or that you have a workstation that is
not ergonomically correct for your body.
How To Prevent Muscle And Joint Problems:
] Use specially designed and adjustable computer desk.
] Keep your computer display at a height either at eye level or
slightly lower.
] Sit along
with your back straight, legs at 90° angles to
the ground, and feet resting flat on the floor.
] Use a specially designed ergonomic chair to keep your spine in its
natural curve while sitting.
] ALWAYS take
tiny breaks from your computer work to stretch your muscles, keep your blood
flowing, and rest your eyes.
3.
EYESTRAIN FROM COMPUTER USE (COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME)
The human eye physiologically prefers to look at objects more than 6
meters away, so working on a computer screen at a close distance puts extra strain
on your eye muscles. The illuminated computer
screen,
glare, and flickering images will cause eye fatigue and strain on your eyes. Constantly focusing on
the screen with delays in blinking may end up drying out your eyes. Computer
users suffer from blurred vision, temporary inability to focus on faraway
objects
How To Prevent Eyestrain From Computer
Use
] Make sure to regulate
the brightness on your computer display so that your eyes aren’t as strained. If
you are sitting in a dark room your computer screen can possibly be terribly bright
and cause your eyes to strain; therefore to save your eyes you must lower the
brightness.
] Tilt your computer
screen to decrease any glare or reflection.
] Maintain a correct
vision distance from the screen and don’t forget to blink.
] Keep the display either at the level of your eye or slightly lower.
] Make a habit to focus on faraway objects away from the screen
frequently.
] Visit your eye specialist regularly to check nay vision problem.
4. COMPUTER-RELATED OVERUSE INJURIES OF THE HAND (CARPAL TUNNEL
SYNDROME)
Due to repetitive movements and awkward postures Muscles and tendons
can become painful occurs in the elbow, wrist, or hand of computer users. This
is known as ‘overuse injury’. You may notice pain in your neck, shoulders, or
anywhere from the shoulders to your fingers associated with repetitive muscle
use.
One of the most common
conditions associated with repetitive use of your muscles when using the computer
is carpal tunnel syndrome.
How To Prevent
Computer-Related Overuse Injuries
] Place your
mouse at a position at the same height next to the
keyboard.
] When using the mouse, try to use your whole arm, rather than just your wrist.
] Type gentle
to decrease the strain put on your every finger.
] Keep your
wrists flexible when typing; avoid keeping them fixed in a certain position;
keeping them flexible will avoid repetitive, strenuous stress.
] When not typing, remove your hands from the keyboard, to let
your arms relax.
5.
HEADACHES
Headaches are common for
computer users and occur as a result of enhanced muscle tension or from
pain in the neck. Any vision problems or continued strain on the eyes also can
cause headaches.
How To Prevent Headaches
] Attend
regular eye examinations in order to correct any vision problems.
] Try your best
to keep your neck straight while working in front of the computer.
] Take breaks from
your computer and move your head in a circle to release the strain in your neck.
6.
OBESITY
Prolonged use of
computers might cause an overall sedentary lifestyle that lacks adequate
physical activity and/or exercise. In kids, prolonged use of computers or
electronics, in general, is a major contributing factor to obesity.
How To Prevent How To Prevent Obesity
] Set limits
for your children when they are using a computer or electronic device.
] Encourage
outdoor play or a certain hobby that may replace the time spent using
electronics in order to spend a more active lifestyle.
] For adults
who require using computer 7-8 hours a day, should avoid using a computer again after
reaching home. You should relax mentally and physically when at home.
] Try to do
some physical exercise before you go back to work.
7.
STRESS
DISORDERS
Modern technology also
has a huge impact on our emotions and how we behave. Prolong computer use accompanied
by occupational strain can lead you
to psychophysiological stress Stress, if
kept untreated for a long time may develop into a serious health problem. The
longer your stress occurs and is left untreated, the greater your chances are
of contracting more serious health problems. Under Stress, you may feel
dizziness not be able to think clearly, and can lead
to a lack of concentration and decreased attention. Computer
stress makes you get angry about losing your data or computer crash. You also
become easily burned out under stress.
How To Prevent Computer Stress
] Don’t be
addicted to your computer or the internet.
] Always take
regular breaks when working online or on the computer. If possible go and breadth
in the fresh air.
] Keep out
computer hardware up to date to avoid stressful crashing and loss of data.
Always keep back up to avoid the loss of your valuable work.
] Try to
schedule the jobs and complete them on time.
Using the computer or watching TV makes you engaged and this will let you be stimulated which
makes it tough to sleep. Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted by our pineal
gland which helps us sleep. The bright lights, glare, and flickering images from the computer monitor also hamper your melatonin
secretion. Light is an activating factor as the receptors located in your
retina sense the light and send a signal to your brain that it's time to stay awake.
Increasing light exposure in the evening will suppress our melatonin secretion
leading to a sleepless night. Artificial lighting that is given off from
computer screens can actually trick your brain and suppress its release of
melatonin – the substance that assists your sleeping patterns.
How To Prevent Sleeping Problems
] Avoid using a
computer hour before going to bed.
] Stay in dim light to help with the sleep onset process.
] Reading a
book prior to going to bed, so that you may fall asleep more easily.
9.
LAPTOP USE
INJURIES
More pains, strains, and injuries among computer users are caused
by the growing use of laptop computers. Though laptops were designed to be used
for brief periods of time when a person is unable to access a desktop computer.
But these days a laptop is used all the time by many people.
Due to the close proximity of the monitor and keyboard of a laptop, you have to lift your arms and shoulders too high to position the monitor at
the right height for your back and neck. Again, if you position the keyboard at
the best height for your arms and shoulders, you have to bend your neck and
shoulder to see the monitor. Carrying a laptop can even strain your joints and
muscles.
How To Prevent Reduce Laptop
Dangers:
] Try to avoid Use of laptops as and when possible.
] Peripheral equipment like a separate wireless keyboard or mouse, docking station, and laptop stand also helps.
] Carrying a laptop in a backpack or luggage reduces muscle strain.
10. INCREASED RISK OF BLOOD CLOTS
Spending long periods of time immobile in front of a
computer at work or home gives no chance for your blood to move around your
extremities. Due
to lack of circulation, the
blood accumulates and creates a build-up of blood cells which eventually
clot (or stick together). Especially if you are sitting with legs are crossed, over
a period of over 4 hours, can highly increase your risk for a clot. If a blood
clot breaks away from where they are lodged and moves to another area, such as
your lungs, can be life-threatening.
How To Prevent Blood Clots
] Avoid
crossing your legs when using a computer for a long time.
] Take many
breaks, get up and move around every 30
or 40 minutes.
] Stretch your
legs using your leg muscles helps keep
your venous blood flowing to decrease the chance of it pooling in your legs.
] Extending and flexing your foot can also help.
] If you do
have to sit for a long time, make sure to bend and move your legs even while
sitting.
Eventually, it might
seem as if using a computer is a terrible thing… yet the vast majority of us
truly can't afford to keep away from it in any way. As with anything else, if
used responsibly and as directed using computers is not an awful thing. Implementation
of the above advice will definitely help you to avert the health risk
associated with the use of computers.
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