Are Cordless Phones Dangerous for Pacemaker Users?

Are Cordless Phones Dangerous for Pacemaker Users?

Pacemaker users are warned about the dangers of potential interference from things likes magnets, radio signals and high voltage electrical systems which can (at least in theory) disrupt the pacemakers operation.

While these concerns are rooted in scientific fact, in practice such incidents are exceptionally rare. However, much speculation has become wide-spread during the years, leading especially elderly pacemaker users concerned about common household items, such as cordless phones and other devices which operate using radio waves or other electrical systems.

Is This A Real Concern?

Anyone with a pacemaker is quite right to be concerned about any issue which may impact the function of their pacemaker, since it is a device essential to their health and well being. However, cordless phones pose no actual threat to pacemaker users and have never been implicated in a reliable study as being dangerous in any way to pacemaker users.

Though it may be true that the types of radio signals could potentially interfere with electronics such as a pacemaker, the signal intensity from such devices is quite low and is exceptionally unlikely to interact in any way with most electronics. Pacemaker users may want to avoid coming in close contact with extremely high powered radio systems - such as may be found at broadcasting towers – but the humble cordless telephone is unlikely to prove problematic.

Design Assurances

Devices which may be prone to interference are typically “shielded” in some fashion, whereby various materials and techniques are employed to reduce potential interference from radio signals by dispersing the signal or otherwise not allowing it to interact with the devices circuitry. This design is highly effective at preventing interference issues.

In a similar vein, devices which broadcast signals have been specifically designed to cause the least interference possible with surrounding devices. The combination of these technologies is typically more than enough to prevent electronic devices from interfering with one another and is an essential element which allows so much technology to operate in concert in the modern world.

In Conclusion

Pacemakers are widely used across the world. While theoretical concerns exist about their potential for disruption or interference, the reality is clear that they have proven a highly practical device and have enabled patients to live better, longer and healthier lives.

Though pacemaker users should take measures to avoid certain environments - such as extremely high powered radio transmissions, certain kinds of medical equipment, devices which use magnetic fields or magnetic “therapies,” high voltage electrical environments, and other areas advised by doctors – most commonly encountered real world situations, including the use of a cordless phone, are friendly to pacemaker users without interference risk.