'Selfie Elbow' Is The New Medical Condition Doctors Are Talking About

Selfie has been a continuing trend that has taken the world by storm. However, doctors have issued warnings saying that taking the perfect selfie can put selfie fanatics at risk of developing "selfie elbow" which is already considered a real medical condition.

The Indian Express reported on July 4^th that just like tennis elbow or golfer's elbow, an addiction to selfie-taking or the habit of taking a picture of one's self using the phone camera, can cause a pain in the primary pic-snapping elbow.

In a recent study, award-winning journalist and NBC's Today Show host Hoda Kotb went to see a doctor to complain about a pain in her elbow, according to elle.com. "I went to the orthopedist and he said, 'are you playing tennis or ping-pong?' I told him I was taking selfies," Kotb was quoted as saying.

"When you take the picture, your arm is up, bent in a weird way and you just click, click, click - think about how many you take: 20, 30, or 40. Selfie elbow, everyone has it," added Kotb, who is also a well-documented figure on photo-sharing website Instagram. She also said that her doctor recommended icing her elbow and also do some specific exercises to help relieve the soreness.

According to Jordan Metzl, a sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery in the US, the problem with "selfie elbow" is that it is overuse. He explained that just like carpal tunnel and tendinitis, it is the repetitive nature of the task or chore that causes the aches. If you do something enough times like, typing, texting, or taking selfies, it is going to have some consequences, Times of India reported.

Metzl also said that the interface between technology and the human body can sometimes cause injuries from being overly enthusiastic.

"You get selfie elbow from taking too many selfies, as you put too much stress on the muscle and it irritates the area where the muscle comes off the bone and you get this inflammatory response," Metzl added.

However, the condition can be managed by taking pain relievers like Advil for the inflammation, putting an ice over it and also do some exercises for the muscles. "Maybe, people should alternate their arms -- start spreading the load," Metzl pointed out.

Gaming, chatting, selfie-taking, texting and tweeting have contributed to a significant rise in injuries related to the use of technology in teenagers than before, ndtv.com reported.

"For those who are dedicated selfie-takers, using a selfie stick can work like an arm extender and takes the pressure off the elbow," suggested Charles Kim, musculoskeletal rehab specialist at Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Medical Center.