Do headphones cause cancer?

[logancircle]

I know cell phones are suspect, but when I heard a guy I know just found out he has brain cancer I was like FUCK! He's always (20 years or so) been one of those dudes who ALWAYS has headphones on--only takes one ear off talking on the phone. I'm not a worrier most of the time, but this coincidence seems unlikely/creepy. Anyone know about this kind of stuff?

cd in DC

[LTA]

The cell phone problem is more from the high intensity fields surrounding the antenna. Put the cell phone in your pocket and use a remote headset, and you get cancer where the cell phone is. Police officers had the same issue when setting radar guns on their laps.

Now, by comparison, a headphone gives off very little EM radiation. I wouldn't be concerned with it, even though there isn't much statistical data concerning the topic. They haven't even "proved" the power line connection / cancer connection yet, and that is 1000's of times more likely to be a health risk. Not to downplay your friend's condition, but cancer often happens for no apparent reason. A friend of mine's father lived a healthy lifestyle, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and died 3 weeks later. A friend of the family continued smoking through a trach ring 20+ years after dealing with throat cancer, only to be killed in a car accident. In most cases, there will be a "why?" that never gets answered.

[Kevin Kitchel]

Only Jeff Robinson causes cancer.

[Professor]

Or maybe Jeff is the cure - we may never know.

As for the headphones, there is certainly some amount of concern over having even a low-level electromagnetic force present in such close proximity for such an extended period of time, but as mentioned above, the link has not been established. There have been, and I'm sure will continue to be, studies in this area, especially for folks that wear headphones for a living like airline pilots, air traffic controllers, submarine sonor crew, etc. It's probably safe to say that the particular frequencies involved are much safer than those in cell phones.
As for cell phones, they use a microwave transmitter that produces a much more potent and much more dangerous EMF than any set of headphones. The old brick phones with their 3-5watt transmitters were great for reception, but much more toxic - although people didn't walk around with them stuck to their heads. The modern mini cell phones are using transmitters that run at something under 1/2 a watt, but people practically wear them as earings, so the 'dosage' of microwave radiation may actually be higher. And even when people aren't on their phones, the phones are still calling out periodically to find the closest antenna or check for messages, so the EMF is almost constant.
Considering that people build houses next to radio antennae and promptly sue the radio stations when their kids are diagnosed with lukemia, I'm sure the first round of cell phone lawsuits will be hitting soon - if they haven't already.

-J

[konabuzz]

Do headphones cause cancer?








Only when the music just freakin' smokes......



Eeeewwwwww........my bad.

[Bear]

Do headphones cause cancer?








Only when the music just freakin' smokes......



Eeeewwwwww........my bad.

That was totally unacceptable.

[konabuzz]

That was totally unacceptable.

For what it's worth, I concede your point, and I would certainly never disparage or "make light of" any genuine contributing factor to cancer, but headphones? C'mon.......

I neither doubt nor mean to diminish the original poster's sincerity, but the low levels of EMF generated by small speakers are comparable to that created in everyday telephone handset speakers, in use for the past century. Cell phones, on the other hand produce relatively high levels of EMF within the UHF radio spectrum, as do cordless phones. The debate is still out re. the long term effects of these.

[rimbaud234]

no, they don't

[konabuzz]

no, they don't

To what point are you referring?

No, really....I'm no expert, but am quite interested in this topic. Perhaps I'm a googologist......gimme something, and like most of us, I like to research it to death. Please enlighten if you have something.

[Zeppelin4Life]

There is too low emissions to cause cancer I would think. Xrays, high voltage electricity/power lines, radio waves of all types (cell phones), etc can all contribute. We know RF has a huge effect on the chance of cancer occuring. Everything electronic emits RF to some extent, usually in the AM band if you care..and this is what the 'dangerous RF' would be. I however am still sceptical about the whole thing. We have radio stations flying by our head that are riding on 50, 60, 70 megawatts! The thing with cell phones is that you have such a powerful FM transmitter so close to your head. Infact, the phone is usually the same power output as the towers, and youve seen how big and scary they look. thats kindof scary

Dave

[LTA]

It is not only the intensity, but the duration. Even the wiring in your house is a potential source of EMF that you'd never think of, even if nothing is plugged into the outlet. Now imagine all the flux put out by a cheap dimmer running at half throttle. Perhaps that outlet under the head of your bed is why you aren't sleeping at night. Or your alarm clock.

I bet CRTs would be a bigger risk than headphones too. Mom always said, "If you sit too close to the TV, you'll go blind" and "If you watch too much TV, you'll rot your mind." That would be a light-hearted discussion for a different thread.

[dumbangel]

I read a study made by Hungarian scientists that showed people who kept their cell phone in their pocket had semen of lower quality and lesser quantity.

It often takes time for something to be rigourously classified as carcinogenic. Doctors were still appearing on tobacco advertisements in the 50s with slogans such as "Just what the doctor ordered!"

Who knows, maybe cell phones will be the abestos of 21st century. But that's a much bigger scale with big money at stake.

[tiger vomitt]

Only Jeff Robinson causes cancer.

please dont be an asshole.

[beebe]

how much current usually goes through head phones?

as far as cell phones... when i got one i read the safety warning and it says right there that the phone should be is a holder a least half an inch away from you body at all times when turned on. i don't think it's worth it to most people to look that dorky. so i'd suggest turn it off when it's in your pocket.

i've heard about some experiments... the engineers with the cell phone manufactures are more concerned with how your head interfears with the signal then how the signal interfears with your head. that's their job, but it's kind of a disturbing thought.

my phone was stolen... i think they did me a favor. i'd recomend a pay-as-you-go phone... they are expensive if you use them too much (so you won't), but you'll still have one if you need it. The Virgin phone and service I had was pretty cool.

[Silverlode]

A far higher concern ought to be the crap we're eating than the radio waves around us. People have been pelted with all kinds of radiation since the beginning of time.