As innovative as a pacemaker it is, patients must proceed with caution. Here are a few of the things that pacemaker patients should avoid:

Tattoos

A quick search on Google returns countless postings in forums about getting and giving tattoos to people who have implanted pacemakers. While there are some artists who claim that air-powered guns are able to safely deliver tattoos to patients who are looking for a MedAlert tattoo, most medical experts agree that tattoos, especially tattoos to cover the implant site for a pacemaker, are not safe.

According to Dr. Bennett Werner, a cardiologist and commenter on HealthTap.com, the guns used in most tattoos can run the risk of shocking a patient, which can interfere with their pacemakers or, even worse, reprogram them. The gun used may also have an electromagnetic current that’s not safe for your device. Be sure to discuss any plans for a tattoo with your cardiologist. If you still insist on getting a tattoo, let your tattoo artist know you have a tattoo if you decide to move forward with body art.

Physical Activities

People living with pacemakers will find that most of their physical activities are perfectly acceptable to resume, although after having the device implanted, doctors may advise a period of rest following the procedure. For some athletes, lifestyle changes may mean that they are unable to continue with certain sports, especially those that involve full contact. These types of activities can damage your device or dislodge the wires that have been implanted to control your heart rate. Heavy weight lifting or activities that require prolonged upper body motion, such as tennis, may do the same thing.