Ear Buds

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by Tracey_E - 2024-03-15 17:16:00

What did they do? Are you sure it was the ear buds? A magnet has to be very strong and less than 6" from our device to affect it. I don't have power beats pro but I've had multiple pairs of airpods, other off brand wired and wireless earbuds, as well as wireless noise cancelling Beats headphones. I've never had an issue, and I pace every beat so I'd know right away if something affected it. 

Have you tried regular airpods?

Ear buds

by piglet22 - 2024-03-16 06:18:20

How do you think they interfere?

As I understand it, ear buds (headphones to us older listeners) are self contained if wireless and battery powered, or wired.

If wired, it's sensible but probably overkill to keep the leads away from your device and parts of lthe heart leads close to the surface.

Wirered or wireless, there will be minute magnets in the speakers, but while in your ears, the possibly of interference is vanishing small.

I work with devices called Hall sensors that are very sensitive to magnetic fields and even with rare earth magnets, you have to be within a couple of centimetres to see any significant effect.

The pacemaker will have either a Hall sensor or a reed switch in it. A reed switch is less sensitive than a Hall sensor and I would dismiss ear buds as being a risk.

Wireless types will probably use Bluetooth to communicate with the phone or other device.

Newer pacemakers communicate by Bluetooth so there is a common protocol.

However, whether music or interrogation, the chances of data being corrupted is remote. Most data is encrypted and is transmitted in a strictly controlled pattern.

The air is full of 2.4 GHz data

 All internet routers operate in the same frequency range. If it did interfere, we would be falling over every day.

However, it would be sensible, especially during pacemaker communications, not to be too close to routers or phones transmitting music.

Another consideration is the growth of "smart" devices like doorbells and app controlled light bulbs or switches.

Many use a system called ZigBee which again uses 2.4 GHz.

I must have at least ten ZigBee devices as well as WiFi and routers plus extenders and because of the way data is transmitted, they never intefere.

In reality and baring some industrial processes, you have to go out of your way to get your pacemaker to malfunction.

Ear buds

by Julros - 2024-03-16 17:45:27

I can't speak to the subject of interference, I use Shokx OpenRun Bone Conduction Open Ear Wireless Headphones without any problems. The sound part rests on your temples, so you don't have anything in your ear so you can still hear things around you. 

Ear Buds

by Tracie1002 - 2024-07-28 16:03:54

Hi AJ,

I came to ask the same thing. I just bought a pair of PowerBeats Pro during Amazon Prime Days. Tried them out today. They were working great until they weren't. About mile 4 on my trail run, I started pacing. I paced for about three minutes straight when I made the connection it might be my new ear buds. I took them out and gave them to my husband in an effort to get them away from me. It took a few more minutes but my heart calmed down and I was fine (other than not feeling so great from prolonged pacing). 

I'm bummed. I wanted to comment to let you know you're not the only one. Since some commenters say no, this really can't happen, I wonder if it's device-specific? I have a Medtronic, how about you? 

Oh well, I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see what other ear buds people come up with as suggestions.