WhatsAppitis added to list of hi-tech health problems

Published Mar 28, 2014

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A Spanish doctor claims to have found the first case of “WhatAppitis” – and warned users of the app it could harm their health.

The unnamed patient complained of pain in both wrists one morning. After investigating the case, doctors found it was caused by six hours of replying to WhatsApp messages.

The case, described by the doctor in the Lancet, said the 34-year-old patient who was 27 weeks pregnant, was suffering sudden pain in both wrists after waking up in the morning.

Inés Fernandez-Guerrero of Granada’s General University hospital wrote that the patient “had no history of trauma and had not engaged in any excessive physical activity in previous days”.

After talking to the patient, the cause became clear.

“The patient was on duty on December 24 [Christmas Eve], and the following day she responded to messages that had been sent to her on her smartphone via WhatsApp instant messaging service.

“She held her [cellphone], that weighed 130g, for at least 6 hours.

“During this time she made continuous movements with both thumbs to send messages.”

After examining the patient for signs of serious injury, “the diagnosis for the bilateral wrist pain was WhatsAppitis”, the doctors wrote. The patient was given painkillers and banned from using her phone.

The doctors also warned the injury was just the latest in a string of hi-tech problems. – Daily Mail

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