Recurrent pain syndromes in students with smartphone addiction and correction of associated functional disorders

Abstract

Purpose. To study the incidence of recurrent pain syndromes and other functional disorders in students with SDB. Material and methods. Using an online survey, random samples of 1st and 2nd year university students were surveyed. 256 people took part in the survey; median age – 21 (19; 22) years; boys – 52 (20.3%), girls – 204 (79.71%). SDB was assessed using the questionnaire The Smartphone Addiction Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Version for Adolescents (SAS-SV). The type of recurrent pain syndromes was determined using a screening questionnaire. The indicators were compared in 2 groups – with and without SDB. Results. 83 (28.9%) of the examined were diagnosed with SDB, of which 15 (18.1%) were boys and 68 (89.9%) girls. Students with SDB had a higher frequency of generalized Internet addiction compared to students without SDB (42.0 and 15.1%, respectively; p<0.0001), longer time during the day (>6 hours/day) using a smartphone with a predominance of watching videos (50.6 and 37.6%, respectively; p=0.0487), they also showed a correlation with frequent cephalgia (27.7 and 11.0%, respectively; p=0.0007), pain in the cervical spine (31.6 and 17.7%, respectively; p=0.0372), pain in muscles and joints (52.5 and 27.4 %, respectively; p=0.0047), unstable blood pressure (30.0 and 15.7%, respectively; p=0.0538), asthenia (61.4 and 28.3%, respectively; p<0.0001) were observed more often. ), dizziness (57.8 and 42.8%, respectively; p=0.0240), memory loss (41.0 and 21.4%, respectively; p=0.0007), severe irritability (42.2 and 23, 7% respectively; p=0.0025). Students with SDB were less likely to engage in sports (36.1 and 52.0%, respectively; p=0.0172), and spent little time outdoors (39.8 and 25.4%, respectively; p=0.0319). Conclusion. A closer association of recurrent pain with SDB indicates the adverse impact of uncontrolled smartphone use on the body of addicted users and substantiates the need for correction of associated functional disorders, a personalized approach to these populations to reduce the risk of them developing chronic psychosomatic pathology in the future.