Technology and health

How to make your gizmos and gadgets work for you.
 I use technology all the time. Any worries?

Staying in the same position for too long, especially unnatural positions like on the train or on the couch, may affect your back. The screen may affect your eyes. Look away, take screen breaks and get up regularly to move around.

At your desk, note how you’re sitting, the computer screen position, your chair height, the position of your mouse and keyboard and the rest of your desk equipment. Adjust your position so your eyes are level with the screen, arms are comfortable and supported and the chair supports your back. If you’re using a laptop for a long period, use a separate keyboard and mouse and a laptop stand. (Remember too that using a laptop actually on your lap can damage sperm and fertility.)

We know some people feel they are sensitive to the electromagnetism from these devices so there may be effects on health we don’t yet know about. 

Should I get my sight tested?

See an optometrist if you are having difficulty focusing close-up or seeing long distance or have pain, headaches, blurred vision or see halos around lights. As we age, some deterioration in sight is normal. The basic eye test is cheaper than you think and is free in many cases or if ‘clinically necessary’. 

If you already wear glasses or contacts, you should go for an eye test at least every couple of years. People over 40 and people from black or minority ethnic groups may need tests more frequently. (People from African-Caribbean backgrounds are at greater risk of glaucoma and diabetes and people from south Asian backgrounds at greater risk of diabetes.)

If you use screens habitually as a significant part of your normal work, your employer should pay for a proper eye test and any glasses you might need for screen work.

Always protect your eyes when working by using the right mask, shield or goggles. 

What about hearing?

Hearing also deteriorates with age - 40% of those over 50 have some hearing loss. Look after your ears by wearing ear protectors when necessary and keeping volume down when using headphones or headsets. 

Wax build-up can also affect hearing. Warmed olive oil (yes, the cooking type) can loosen wax, or try drops from your pharmacist. If they don’t help, see your practice nurse.

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This content is wholly based on the Men's Health Forum's The Man Manual which was prepared in line with the NHS England Information Standard of which the MHF is a member. Follow the links for more information or to buy copies.

 

The Men’s Health Forum need your support

It’s tough for men to ask for help but if you don’t ask when you need it, things generally only get worse. So we’re asking.

In the UK, one man in five dies before the age of 65. If we had health policies and services that better reflected the needs of the whole population, it might not be like that. But it is. Policies and services and indeed men have been like this for a long time and they don’t change overnight just because we want them to.

It’s true that the UK’s men don’t have it bad compared to some other groups. We’re not asking you to ‘feel sorry’ for men or put them first. We’re talking here about something more complicated, something that falls outside the traditional charity fund-raising model of ‘doing something for those less fortunate than ourselves’. That model raises money but it seldom changes much. We’re talking about changing the way we look at the world. There is nothing inevitable about premature male death. Services accessible to all, a population better informed. These would benefit everyone - rich and poor, young and old, male and female - and that’s what we’re campaigning for.

We’re not asking you to look at images of pity, we’re just asking you to look around at the society you live in, at the men you know and at the families with sons, fathers and grandads missing.

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