Nearly 50 percent of people on the planet own a mobile phone, according to "The Early Show" on CBS. As a result, doctors and chiropractors are seeing more patients come in and complain of numbness and pain in their elbows and fingers. The culprit: cell phone elbow.

No, we didn't make that up. CBS spoke with Dr. Jennifer Ashton who said that cubital tunnel syndrome, or cell phone elbow, is caused by depression on the ulnar nerve, which is located in your elbow. Stress on the nerve cuts off blood and can lead to long-term damage and pain.

If you've been experiencing pain in that area, the best solution is to stop using your cell phone. Of course, for most of us, that isn't practical, so Dr. Jennifer also offered these tips:

• Use a hands-free device

• Rotate the hands that you use to hold your cell phone, so as not to put too much pressure on any side

• See a chiropractor, who might prescribe rest, therapy or even medication.

And if you think this all sounds too sensational to be true, consider this: Cell phone elbow is second only to carpal tunnel syndrome in chiropractic injuries.

-- Whitney Teal

Here's more:
Skinny jeans equal pinched nerves
Oprah's health advice may be toxic
Mo'Nique loses weight for a 'lifetime'