Having this on your head can actually cause leukemia

Leukemia is a very common disease. Nowadays, many elderly people and children always suffer from this disease. There are many causes of leukemia, radiation and viral infection are the main factors. So can the incandescent lamps in the home cause leukemia? Let's find out together!

Does the higher the radiation value, the greater the danger?

"The state stipulates that the radiation of household appliances cannot exceed 0.4 watts per square meter. According to professional instrument testing, among household appliances, the radiation value of refrigerators is about 0.02 watts per square meter, that of televisions is 0.04 watts per square meter, that of laptops is 0.01 watts per square meter, that of microwave ovens is 0.2 watts per square meter, that of hair dryers is 0.008 watts per square meter, and that of table lamps is about 436 watts per square meter." This article circulating online mentions the radiation values ​​of various furniture and appliances. Is the higher the value, the greater the harm?

Let’s first look at how electromagnetic radiation affects the human body. The impact of electromagnetic radiation on the human body needs to be analyzed specifically based on its intensity and frequency, with frequency being the decisive factor. For lower frequency electromagnetic radiation, the impact on the human body is mainly thermal effect. The frequency bands used by common mobile phones, computers, etc. in daily life are mainly radio waves and microwaves, which are low-frequency electromagnetic radiation. There is currently no evidence that they cause harm to human health. For higher frequency electromagnetic radiation, such as X-rays and gamma rays, they have ionizing properties and their impact on the human body is no longer limited to thermal effects, but directly or indirectly causes damage to human cells. Excessive exposure will be harmful to human health, so we should try to avoid entering high-frequency electromagnetic radiation areas. In other words, to judge the radiation size of an object, we cannot just look at the numerical value, but different frequencies have different standards.

Yu Anqi, deputy director of the National Electric Light Source Quality Supervision and Inspection Center (Shanghai), explained that table lamps are all fluorescent tubes, which have electronic ballasts inside. At the moment of startup, the radiation intensity of the electronic ballast is about 1.3 to 1.8 times that of normal operation, and it will quickly return to normal within one second. Therefore, if the data is measured at the moment of startup, it will naturally be higher. But even so, it still does not exceed the international radiation limits for this type of product. Yu Anqi said that as long as you keep a certain distance when using it, there will be no problem. What if it’s not an incandescent lamp but the one below?

Pay attention to the harm of five kinds of radiation to human eyes

Radiation is everywhere in our daily lives. Occupational health experts from the Yantai Municipal Health Supervision Institute in Shandong Province remind us to pay attention to the hazards of five types of radiation to human eyes and take good protection.

The most common is damage caused by strong sunlight, such as "eclipse retinopathy" caused by observing a solar eclipse, which can cause macular burns in the eye and have varying degrees of impact on central vision. In severe cases, a central blind spot may form. It is recommended that tourists and workers working outdoors wear tinted glasses to protect their eyes.

Infrared rays can also cause eye damage. In the glass processing, metal smelting and casting melting processes in industrial enterprises, glass and metal can generate a large amount of infrared rays when they melt at high temperatures. The damage to the eyes is mainly caused by heat. Among them, short-wave infrared rays can be absorbed by the lens and iris, causing cataracts. People who come into contact with infrared rays should wear special protective glasses containing iron oxide.

Industrial welding, fluorescent flaw detection, reflections from plateaus, water surfaces, and snow surfaces can cause ultraviolet damage to the eyes. Ultraviolet rays have a photochemical effect on human tissues, causing proteins to coagulate and denature, and the corneal epithelium to necrotize and fall off. Symptoms usually occur 3-8 hours after irradiation, with a strong foreign body sensation, stinging, photophobia, tearing and blepharospasm, mixed conjunctival congestion, and punctate exfoliation of the corneal epithelium. Symptoms usually subside or heal within 24 hours. Those involved should wear UV-protective masks.

Ionizing radiation damage. Industrial or medical X-rays, gamma-rays, neutron or proton beams can cause radiation cataracts, radiation retinopathy or optic neuropathy, keratitis or iridocyclitis, etc. Remember to wear lead protective glasses when working.

Microwave damage. Microwaves have low frequency and strong penetration, and are widely used in radar, electronic countermeasures, communications, household microwave ovens, etc. Microwaves may cause cataracts or retinal hemorrhage, so microwave protection glasses should be worn. The surface of the protective glasses lenses is sprayed with tin tetrachloride or a metal compound with high conductivity to form a multi-layer conductive film that can block microwaves.

Can it be blocked?

Having said so much, you may be thinking, wouldn’t it be safe if we shield the radiation? Ideals are full, but reality is very skinny. Radiation cannot be shielded. The earth itself is a large magnetic field. The thermal radiation and lightning on its surface can generate electromagnetic radiation. The sun and other planets also continuously generate electromagnetic radiation from outer space. The natural magnetic fields, sunlight, household appliances, etc. surrounding humans will emit radiation of varying intensities. There is no "vacuum zone" that is free from radiation. Not only is it impossible to shield, but we also use radiation to our heart's content, from cosmic rays that travel through the galaxy and nuclear fuel in nuclear power plants to marble floor tiles in our homes, from X-ray machines in hospitals to ultraviolet rays in the sun, from mobile phones, microwave ovens, high-voltage lines to signal towers for televisions and radio stations...If radiation is harmful, then not only would using electric lights, even basking in the sun would be life-threatening! So since radiation is so useful, you really don't have to worry too much while enjoying its convenience. Only excessive radioactive exposure can cause harm to the human body. Exposure to radiation such as X-rays, gamma rays, etc., a large amount at one time or small amounts over multiple times may cause leukemia.