Pacemakers and escalators?

[Knavesmire27]

Ok so am sure this is likely one of the stranger questions to ask but here goes .....I recently had a pacemaker fitted as well as other major heart surgery so slowly getting back to normal. Yesterday I went to a department store with an escalator and found myself stopping before I stepped on it and suddenly wondering if it ok to use escalators. The people behind me must have thought I was mad as I scurried off but once the thought popped in my head I couldn't let it go!

So am I ok to use an escalator with a pacemaker???

Thank you as always in advance for any advice. As always it is gratefully received (not sure what I would do without this site to be honest ☺️)

[Popalot]

My husband has a pacemaker and regularly uses escalators with no issue. There aren’t any warning signs near the escalators so I presume they are safe. I must admit it’s not something we had thought about before. I think problems would only arise if a magnet was near the chest area. This is only my opinion though so perhaps someone with more professional knowledge might advise.

[Knavesmire27 in reply to Popalot]

Thank you. That makes sense ☺️

[PadThaiNoodles]

The motor on an escalator isn’t going to put out much of a magnetic field, and even what it does put out will be heavily moderated by all the metal around it.

[Knavesmire27 in reply to PadThaiNoodles]

Thank you 😊

[EMBoy]

Modern pacemakers are designed to withstand quite large magnetic fields, and those that we encounter on a daily basis do not generally cause any problems. My PM is able to withstand MRI scans, and has a "safe" mode that would pace me at 80 bpm until the magnetic field was removed.

I regularly use mobile phones, microwaves, escalators, lifts, etc. and used to work with electron microscopes that have large electromagnets as lenses. I have never had any adverse effects in 5 1/2 years.

I wouldn't go near any very large magnets (such as those they have in scrap yards), and would give airport security barriers a miss, but apart from these, I just get on with life without worrying.

[Minogue in reply to EMBoy]

Totally agree . I think large speakers at concerts have magnets - I avoid those seats and stand well away from these .

[SuddenShock]

I think that is an excellent question and much better to ask than wish you had

[SchnauzerOtto]

I believe it's absolute safe, but I am nevertheless convinced that escalators and those horizontal travelators in airports do have a magnetic field. Everytime I get off an escalator I feel a little surge of dizziness! But could well be in my mildly hyperchondriac imagination, as otherwise there would warning signs!!

[Knavesmire27]

As always, excellent advice. Thank you 💗

[MDR1]

I have an ICD and was advised not to use travelators as they do have strong electromagnets, but escalators are fine. I was also advised not to use induction hobs and to avoid airport security scanners although the modern scanners at some airports are now safe.