Guess what? Mobile phones cause nerve damage to your ears. They also heat the skin.

The latest findings come from two research groups - one in the UK and one in Australia.

The good news is that the researchers reckon the use of a hands-free kit can reduce our exposure to the heating, and so reduce symptoms. They acknowledge that the long-term implications for health are unclear.

The Australians cite the case of a man who had nerve damage to the side of his head, which they could not find the root of, even after a brain scan. They found that he had a marked difference in response on one side of his head, and suffered pain after using a phone for an hour on two consecutive days.

The leader of the research group, Dr Peter Hocking, said the unilateral nature of the damage indicated that a cell phone had caused the damage rather than there being a traceable medical problem. He said: "This is the first time I am aware of that there has been a clear demonstration of a health effect in humans."

So, hands-free kits and look like a victim of "care in the community", or get nerve damage in the ear? Tough call, we'd go for the looking stupid option any day. ®