Cell Phones and Microwaves

[alivenwell]

At my prior place of work, they had microwaves and a TV at opposite ends of the room. Just as you described, I used to see the TV image flicker when the microwave was cooking something.

I wonder if they have microwave ovens that can be operated across the room with a remote control.

[drarvindr]

I'm not as much of a cellphone user nowadays. When i was on hospital duty , id get cals every 30 seconds when i was more than a minute late for my shift " WHERE ARE YOU???? WHAT DO YOU MEAN TRAFFIC"S BAD?" .... I don't need the phone so much now. i use the microwave for a midnight snack when i feel like it. I don't trust any of the studies as either the guys who are part of the study own stock in Nokia , or are members of " doctors against cellphones" or some such thing.

[alivenwell]

Even though this isn't directly related to epilepsy, I thought I'd post it because the magnetism was mentioned in here with headphones. It seems like it could potentially affect VNS as well.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/...17391144_x.htm

Music headphones can interfere with heart devices
Posted 2h 11m ago | Comment | Recommend E-mail | Save | Print |


By Marilynn Marchione, AP Medical Writer
NEW ORLEANS — Have a pacemaker or an implanted defibrillator? Don't keep your iPod earbuds in your shirt pocket or draped around your neck -- even when they're disconnected. A study finds that some headphones can interfere with heart devices if held very close to them.
They might even prevent a defibrillator from delivering a lifesaving shock, say doctors who tested them.

"Headphones contain magnets, and some of these magnets are powerful," said the study's leader, Dr. William Maisel, a cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and a heart device consultant to the federal Food and Drug Administration.

"I certainly don't think people should overreact to this information," but it's smart to keep small electronics at least a few inches from implanted medical devices, and not let someone wearing headphones lean against your chest if you have one, he said.

"The headphone interaction applies whether or not the headphones are plugged in to the music player and whether or not the music player is on or off," he added.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Boston | Food and Drug Administration | iPods | Heart Association | Indiana University | Virginia Commonwealth | Bluetooth | College of Cardiology | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | Dr. William Maisel
Maisel's research was presented Sunday at an American Heart Association conference.

Nearly 2 million people worldwide have pacemakers, defibrillators or other devices to help their hearts beat faster, slower or more regularly. Tests by the FDA earlier this year concluded that iPods or other music players posed no threat to these devices as long as they were used properly.

Maisel and other doctors wanted to know if the same was true of headphones. They tested eight models -- earbuds and those that hook over the ear -- in 60 people with heart devices.

When headphones were about an inch from the device, interference was detected nearly one-fourth of the time -- in four of the 27 pacemaker patients and 10 of the 33 with defibrillators. A pacemaker reset itself in one patient.

Patients having such interference might not feel anything, or may have heart palpitations. But the interference could temporarily deactivate a defibrillator, keeping it from delivering a lifesaving shock if one were needed.

The magnet's effect falls off rapidly with distance from the device, and heart device function returns to normal as soon as the headphone is out of range.

The study did not test larger or noise-canceling headphones. The size of the headphone doesn't necessarily relate to magnetic strength; small, portable ones typically use neodymium, which is one of the most powerful and concentrated magnetic substances, Maisel said.

A separate study presented at the heart conference found no danger to heart devices from cell phones equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology.

Cell phones, anti-theft security devices and a host of other electronics have sparked fears in the past, but studies generally find no danger to heart devices with ordinary, prudent use, said Dr. Douglas Zipes, past president of the American College of Cardiology and professor of cardiology at Indiana University.

"Reassurance to the public is what's warranted. I still get questions, what about my microwave?" he said.

Dr. Kenneth Ellenbogen, a heart device expert at Virginia Commonwealth University and a spokesman for the heart association, said the solution is simple: "Keep your headphones on your ears and when they're not on your ears, you shouldn't put them over your chest or your pacemaker."

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[ziggidypoo]

Radio waves and Microwaves have the lowest frequencies in the EM spectrum. If they were harmful to you, your body would have killed itself long ago because your body gives off Infrared Radiation which has a higher frequency then Radio or Microwaves. Also, your body absorbs and reflects Visible Light, which has an even higher frequency then all of those so the sun would kill you. Its only when you get exposed to Ultraviolet Rays, X-Rays, and Gamma Rays that radiation hurts you because they have the highest frequencies. Gamma rays has the highest and will either destroy your tissues, or turn you into the Hulk.
So yes, I have a cell phone and a microwave.

I reckon I'm a martian - I must glow in the dark - cell phone lots now that seizures are active, Carey worries constanly and only contact w/out of state fam. Carey cooks in the microwave every night. PC does seem to affect me if I'm on all day. (I'm disabled and it's my outlet) In the old days, parents would say - back up from that TV or you will get radiation sickness??? So, if you need a flashlight at night, just look my way, and I'll be a widdle bitty glowworm for ya!!

[alivenwell]

Ya know, now that you mentioned TVs, my parents used to say the same thing about standing too close to them. But, I grew up with only 3 major TV networks, not hundreds of cable channels. We played outside 'cause TV wasn't really all that interesting except for the few hours of Saturday morning cartoons. And, neighbors actually came out at night and talked with each other instead of hiding out in their homes with their personal home theaters, PCs... and other technology.

[Shelley]

I have a cell that I seldom use. I have a nuke box for reheats and popcorn, and I have a laptop for school. I try not to stay on the laptop or cell too long. I only worry about the microwave when it beeps and it's time to take out the popcorn and eat. It just tastes better hot.

[tedwins]

This is an interesting poll. I use both.

The second seizure I had where my wife first witnessed my seizure all I remember is going to do something like take some leftover time off the timer. Next thing I can remember is waking up to my wife saying I think you need to go to the hospital and asking me if I remember throwing everything off the counter onto the floor.

I've always used a microwave and still do. Just happen to come across this and thought it was funny since a microwave was in the story.

[majormana]

I use both. The light is why some nero's tell some pepole to stand away from the microwave. I for fact that i'm a control signal because have a metal plate in my wrist so I have to stay back while micro's going and make sure before I switch phones that it dont cuase vibrations in my wrist with plate. I've been through 1 metal dedtor sence had put arm straight over head so wrist be as high as posible so i wouldnt set detector off. so use both with precautions

[paradise survivor]

OK, I must be an odd duck here but I use my cell fairly often and in my house it is lovingly reffered to as "the leash". As for the micro...guilty there too but I stand back as I can feel the waves (I swear) but then I also have a weird effect on radio reception. I walk into a room with a radio on and it gets all static-ky (is that even a word?) but it's true. Thank heaven it doesn't do it in the car..I LOVE MUSIC!!! I'm not sure if it is the electrical waves from my head or the radioactives waves from all the xrays,mri's,cat scans, pet scans....I am my own nightlight

[Melpier]

I use both on a regularly. I cook anything I can with my Micro and my cell is the only phone I have. I have family out of state and all so. I also have hand held gaming systems along with consoles although I don't really play any of those exept the Wii.

[epileric]

The report, released earlier this week by the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR), examines how electromagnetic fields may impact human health.

According to the report, there is some evidence to suggest that exposure to radio frequency influences brain activity or sleep patterns.

However, it is not clear how this may happen and previous research has not proven any adverse health effects as a result.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

[KelVarQ]

My primary doctor, who also embraces the holistic approach, told me that the standard cordless phones are actually worse and told me to get rid of them and go back to standard "cord" phones. I don't use the cell often and I've recently stopped using the microwave altogether.

[CathyAnn31]

Everything in moderation.