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Phantom Vibration Syndrome? (Page 1)

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carverrn

June 2nd, 2004

I've never used the vibrate feature for my cell phone before but two weeks ago I started using it. The phone is clipped to my right side belt so when it vibrates I feel it in my right thigh. Just yesterday I thought my phone was ringing (vibrating) several times but when I went to answer it no one was there and no missed calls. The next time it happened I just put my hand on the phone ... It wasn't vibrating ... But I could feel a vibration in my thigh where the phone vibration usually was. The duration is the same as the phone ring and usually happend a couple of times in a row but the feeling is actually a little duller then the real vibration from the phone. And it's not at the surface of the leg it feels more like it's vibrating inside the muscle but it's not a muscle twitch or spasm or at least I can't feel anything twitching. Someone suggested maybe it's a pinched nerve.

I did find one other co-worker who said he's experienced the same thing before. He said he just moves his phone to the other side for a while and it eventually goes away.

It's been happening fairly regularly since yesterday. No pain but it's just so wierd feeling! I've put my phone back to ring now so hopefully it will go way.

I tried searching for similar experiences but only found a few references to phantom vibration syndrome. While some seemed serious, most refered to it jokingly.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

Thanks,
rich

insurancegirl

replied June 2nd, 2004

Extremely eHealthy

Are you expecting someone to call? Cell phones drive me nuts anymore, it's like everyone is running to see who has called them. Crazy! It could be the waves from the phone, maybe you shouldn't hold it on you as much. In the past it was proven that the waves could cause brain cancer, so whos to say its not doing something to your leg. I don't know, but that's my opinion.

~jennifer~

carverrn

replied June 2nd, 2004

Hi jennifer,

kind of like waiting for a phone call and you keep thinking you heard the phone ring? But no, I wasn't expecting a call. I don't usually have more than a couple of calls a day on my cell phone.

My previous phone I had for 2 years, carried it the same way, but never used the vibrate feature. So i'm thinking it's more the vibration that has induced this and not waves. But as I said, I don't get a whole lot of calls so I wound't think that would be enough to do something like this (assuming it could be caused by the vibration).

Thanks for your thoughts.

Rich

DanX

replied April 6th, 2005

I am experiencing the same thing but it is no phantom,

i can definitely feel vibration in my left thigh and am pretty sure it is blood flowing and causing the sensation. I am not sure if it was always there and now I notice it because it is the same frequency as the the cell phone or if it is something new to me healthwise.

I went skiing recently and my thighs were very sore for a while and I have really noticed it since then.

fifijones

replied April 28th, 2005

Im Not Alone

Wow. I've had that happened to me, but never thought much of it or never thought to mention it to anyone. I just thought maybe I was feeling things. My phone starts to vibrate before it rings, so there have been several times when I check my cell phone that I carry in my pocket because I feel it vibrating and think its about to ring.

Oh. Just now thought of something. Maybe its a bug in the phone....Its possible the phone will vibrate from time to time on its own. But why?

UberFrank

replied October 19th, 2005

Holy moly. I have experienced the same thing. I keep my cell phone in one of two pockets - my left hip pocket, or the cargo pocket just above my right knee. I have muscle twitches in both of those areas, but only when my cellphone is in the pocket near the area.

Even weirder - yesterday at work, we had a temp worker in helping us out. He was standing 7-8 feet away from me, and his cell phone rang. It rang 2 times before he answered, and each time it rang, my right hip started twitching and pinching something fierce. It hurt!!

I wish I had something else to add, aside from my own anecdotal evidence of what we all have experienced.

teridona

replied April 18th, 2006

Phantom Phone Vibes

I've noticed this phenomenon, too, except I don't normally carry my phone in my pocket. Rather, it is in my purse, so I feel it under my arm.

So glad to know it's not just me!

Hyrum

replied April 18th, 2006

Natural Frequency Phenomenon

You may want to consider the fact that your phone may have actually vibrated.

One day I was standing holding my calculator (ti-200) and it began to vibrate. This is unusual for this type of calculator as it is not equipped with a vibrating mechanism. I then noticed that it only vibrated when a passing train blew its whistle. I realized that the natural resonant frequency of my calculator was the same as the horn frequency and when the horn blew it excited my calculator, causing it to vibrate. Pay attention to your surroundings next time it happens. If something like this happens, you may be able to prove to yourself that you aren’t messed up.

Hy

lovemissy

replied May 9th, 2006

Phantom Vibration Syndrome

I don't carry my cell phone in my pocket.
I'm also having the vibrating syndrome that started a month ago or so.
It was in my left foot for a week then stopped. Now it has started back up in of all darn places my front pelvic area. It is a light vibrating that kinda goes to a pulse beat but does not seem to have a even rhythm like a heart beat pulse. It's been driving me crazy. I have no idea what is causing it. I hope someone who knows leaves a message here soon.

lovemissy

replied May 9th, 2006

Phantom Vibration Syndrome

Cubster25

replied August 3rd, 2006

Phantom Vibration Syndrome?

Wow, I just found this forum via google and i'm totally amazed...And relieved that i'm not the only one! I've had cell phone for many years and have always used them in the vibrate mode. I also have always kept the phone in my left pocket. Until a month or two ago, I had never experienced this phenomenon. About 6 months ago I switched out my phone for one with bluetooth functionality. First an lg, which I was not happy with, and more recently the samsung a900. I'm using sprint as my service provider. Oddly, it feels like my phone is ringing(vibrating) even when the phone is nowhere near my leg. The vibration only occurs in my left leg, the same spot where my phone sits in my pocket. It also seems to be vibrating more frequently, which prompted my search. Well, that's all I can add to this for now. What phone is everyone else using? Are you using bluetooth? I'd love to know.

Regards,

cubster

Cubster25

replied August 3rd, 2006

While continuing my search I found an article that may explain what is happening;

http://jscms.Jrn.Columbia.Edu/cns/2005-05- 03/orso-phantomvibes

enjoy,

cubster

jscraig

replied August 4th, 2006

Me Too

I've been experiencing this vibration feeling on the left side of my pelvic area. It feels like a very dull version of my cell phone on vibrate. I was thinking I might have parasites since I traveled out of the country recently. Has anyone found a web site where a doctor comments on this? I thought I was going crazy until I found this message board and saw I was not the only one.

petemiller

replied August 17th, 2006

I searched on google and was relieved to find this thread - its not just me!

I just bought a cellphone with bluetooth, which I keep in my left pants pocket. Since it starting to use it, i've noticed a twitch in my left thigh, just below the area where the phone would rest.

The phone alert is set to vibrate then ring and has bluetooth on.

For the last two days i've been keeping the phone out of my pocket (dropped once already) and the twitch has gone away. Time for a little experiment I reckon. In & out of pocket, bluetooth & vibrate on & off.

Cubster25

replied August 18th, 2006

'phantom Vibration Syndrome?'

Oddly enough, since I found this forum and found out I was not alone in this matter I have stopped getting these phantom vibrations. Looking back, the more I thought about the vibrations the more it happened. I guess the mind really can play tricks on us.

irezumi

replied August 21st, 2006

Me, Too

I also recently started using the vibration feature on a new phone and have developed the vibration that you all feel. It's almost like it's under the skin, and not as strong as the phone. I've even felt it in the middle of the bottom of my right foot a couple times, but I don't know why I would feel it there. I'm so glad i'm not just nuts...

nkny

replied September 18th, 2006

petemiller wrote:

i searched on google and was relieved to find this thread - its not just me!

I just bought a cellphone with bluetooth, which I keep in my left pants pocket. Since it starting to use it, i've noticed a twitch in my left thigh, just below the area where the phone would rest.

The phone alert is set to vibrate then ring and has bluetooth on.

For the last two days i've been keeping the phone out of my pocket (dropped once already) and the twitch has gone away. Time for a little experiment I reckon. In & out of pocket, bluetooth & vibrate on & off.

wow, just found this tread ...Im having the same feeling but I dont use bluetooth on my razr... Actually really noticed it today but have felt it before but didn't really pay it any attention. Today I was getting coffee at a store and I thought my phone was ringing. I then patted my pocket to see if I had my phone there only to find an empty pocket.

The strange thing is that I dont put my phone in my pocket like others do, I keep it on my left belt area and it's my right thigh thats phantom vibrating. But then I realized that lately ive been putting the phone on my right thigh in the car so I can feel it vibrate before it rings. If I dont do that I cant hear the phone with the music on. I used to keep it inbetween my legs but stopped doing that.

Has anyone talked to a doctor about it... My thigh keeps ringin as I type this and it's driving me crazy...

Nick

Jacobtc

replied October 3rd, 2006

Cell Phone Vibration

I experience a similar muscle spasm on my leg under my left pocket directly where my cell phone is. It happens a lot and isn't nearly as strong as the cell phones vibration. When I started to experience this I thought it must have to do with the radio waves effecting the nerves in my leg, not that they are damaging them but just exciting them. It just really doesn't seem like a trick my mind is playing on me because it is very steady and frequent. I have a samsung sgh-d807 with bluetooth (bt turned off normally). Also it seems to be triggered by leg movement such as stomping on the ground with that leg.

katiana

replied October 3rd, 2006

Experienced User

Yeah I have experienced this too. I think it is clearly mind over matter, but good to know i'm not alone =)

noordinaryrabbit

replied November 7th, 2006

Happens to Me Too

This definitely happened to me during the summer. Carried my phone in a low purse, and since the ringer wasn't very loud I depended on the vibrations that i'd feel in my left thigh. I didn't start to get the phantom rings/spasms until after my boss threatened us if we didn't answer our phones though. Carried the phone in my butt pocket after that, and didn't suffer the same problem...Probably something about muscle/fat happening there. Or maybe my butt just wasn't as concerned about my job. I'll ask one day.

Also, i'm just generally twitchy (like after I sneeze sometimes my eyelids go for a ride) and I am susceptible, overly so I say, to vibrations as I can only keep a laptop on my lap for a short while before I get shaky hands and upset bowels. I'm fun!

Hey! This thing capitalizes for you. Neat.

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	Tags: vibration, muscle, back muscle, muscle pain, back nerve, back thigh, back spasm, back leg, back pain syndrome, back muscle spasm