“Can I do electroacupuncture if I have titanium plates?”

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“Can I do electroacupuncture if I have titanium plates?”

I was considering electroacupuncure, but I have titanium screws and plates in my mandibule. Is it okay for me to have electroacupuncture with titanium plates?

35 Answers

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**Phavikone Sundara** Acupuncturist Kent, WA · Accepted Answer

Phavikone Sundara Acupuncturist Kent, WA

I would suggest avoiding electroacupuncture. Traditional acupuncture combined with massage and herbs will work much better in your case. I would be concerned about electric shock since you have titanium screws and plates.

**Catherine Rahm Coudray** Acupuncturist Laramie, Wy · Accepted Answer

Catherine Rahm Coudray Acupuncturist Laramie, Wy

I would say no

**Tara Foster** Acupuncturist Arcata, CA · Accepted Answer

Tara Foster Acupuncturist Arcata, CA

not on your face

**Kaiti Wang** Acupuncturist Baytown, TX · Accepted Answer

Kaiti Wang Acupuncturist Baytown, TX

no

**Ramona Whan** Acupuncturist Wildomar, CA · Accepted Answer

Ramona Whan Acupuncturist Wildomar, CA

Yes. I don't think electro acupuncture is dangerous unless you have an electrical device inside your body such as a pacemaker.

**Mr. Anthony James Lorenzo** Acupuncturist · Accepted Answer

Mr. Anthony James Lorenzo Acupuncturist

You certainly can elsewhere in the body. I don't personally use electrical stimulation, so I might not be the best person to answer this question for you. At worst, you can't do it around the implants. But I truly am not sure about this.

**Dr. Hongjie Zhu** Acupuncturist Lake Mary, FL · Accepted Answer

Dr. Hongjie Zhu Acupuncturist Lake Mary, FL

No.

**Mrs. Angela Kay Buckridge** Acupuncturist Seymour, TN · Accepted Answer

Mrs. Angela Kay Buckridge Acupuncturist Seymour, TN

It is not safe to needle in titanium plates.

Yours in Health,

Angie

**Elizabeth Perry** Acupuncturist Palm Beach Gardens, FL · Accepted Answer

Elizabeth Perry Acupuncturist Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Yes, absolutely!

**Susan Elaine Friedrich** Acupuncturist Everett, WA · Accepted Answer

Susan Elaine Friedrich Acupuncturist Everett, WA

No.

**Natalie Ramsey** Acupuncturist Montclair, New Jersey · Accepted Answer

Natalie Ramsey Acupuncturist Montclair, New Jersey

Personally I would not, especially around the plates, just to be safe.

**Diana Abramachayeva** Acupuncturist Queens, NY · Accepted Answer

Diana Abramachayeva Acupuncturist Queens, NY

As long as it's not on the same place where you have titanium plates. It should be okay (as long as there is no pacemaker).

**Mozart Paiva** Acupuncturist Baltimore-Nottingham, MD · Accepted Answer

Mozart Paiva Acupuncturist Baltimore-Nottingham, MD

To use EA in the proper place and use the correct way, it's possible, even if you have titanium screws and plates in your mandible.

Be well, be confident, we can help.

**lada komarova** Acupuncturist New York, NY · Accepted Answer

lada komarova Acupuncturist New York, NY

It depends, you need to discuss it with your acupuncturist

**Dr Duke Mansell** Acupuncturist · Accepted Answer

Dr Duke Mansell Acupuncturist

Generally, we avoid any electroacupuncture with any type of metal in the body.

**Dr. Sarah Faggert** Acupuncturist Mclean, VA · Accepted Answer

Dr. Sarah Faggert Acupuncturist Mclean, VA

Yes, it can be safe if you A) see a licensed practitioner and B) avoid the use of electroacupuncture from the neck up.

**Carolyn Shannon Sullivan** Acupuncturist Randolph and Stoughton, MA · Accepted Answer

Carolyn Shannon Sullivan Acupuncturist Randolph and Stoughton, MA

I have seen research pro and con for the use of electro acupunture. I would check with your surgeon and PCP to see if they feel it is safe. If you get the go-ahead, I would just tread lightly....very few needles and if there's no adverse effects, slowly add more spanning over several treatments. Good luck!

**Hong Ji** Acupuncturist Gaithersburg, MD · Accepted Answer

Hong Ji Acupuncturist Gaithersburg, MD

Hi Dear,

Usually, electrical should not be used on titanium plates. We can certainly work around it.

Hope this helps,

Xin Ma, M.Ac, L.Ac

**Snohomish Brown** Acupuncturist Los Angeles, CA · Accepted Answer

Electrostimulation with acupuncture may be applied distally without interfering with the titanium screws and plates in your jaw. It just means you will probably not have this kind of treatment directly on your jaw where the plates are located. Even in that location it might still be okay, it depends on how well you can comfortably receive stimulation of that nature. Talk to your acupuncturist.

Best regards,

Snohomish Brown DACM, LAc, CMT

**Dr. Scott S. Lee** Acupuncturist Wheeling, IL · Accepted Answer

Dr. Scott S. Lee Acupuncturist Wheeling, IL

Hello,

You should not have electro acupuncture if you have any metals in your body or a pacemaker.

Sincerely,

Scott Sang In Lee

**Dr. Alexandre Yves Hillairet** Acupuncturist Ventura, CA · Accepted Answer

Dr. Alexandre Yves Hillairet Acupuncturist Ventura, CA

There is no contra-indication to have Electro-acupuncture performed if a patient has titanium plates and screws.

Alexandre Hillairet, DAOM.

**Qisheng Guan** Acupuncturist ventura, ca · Accepted Answer

Qisheng Guan Acupuncturist ventura, ca

Titanium is electrically conductive, so electric stimulation cannot go through the place with titanium or evening close to the place with titanium. Also, it depends on how important to use electric acupuncture for your condition. By the way, electric stimulation with titanium plates is not considered electric acupuncture (no needle involved).

**Elizabeth Lee** Acupuncturist Campbellton, FL · Accepted Answer

Elizabeth Lee Acupuncturist Campbellton, FL

As long as needle doesn’t touch titanium plates directly, it should be ok. But I would avoid electro acupuncture around your mandible area. Simple acupuncture treatment works as good as elctroacupuncture.

**Mrs. Ella Ashabi** Acupuncturist LAKE FOREST, CA · Accepted Answer

Mrs. Ella Ashabi Acupuncturist LAKE FOREST, CA

In the lower part of the body, yes.

**Long Vi Vuong** Acupuncturist San Diego, CA · Accepted Answer

Long Vi Vuong Acupuncturist San Diego, CA

Yes it is safe!

**ryan bishop** Acupuncturist loxahatchee, fl · Accepted Answer

ryan bishop Acupuncturist loxahatchee, fl

Yes

**Evan Marcus** Acupuncturist Boynton Beach, Florida · Accepted Answer

Evan Marcus Acupuncturist Boynton Beach, Florida

Yes but always have a copy of the medical records to give to the Acupuncturist so he/she has better idea of what to do and how to approach the problem. If you had a pacemaker or epilepsy, electro acupuncture, I would not perform because it could make things worse.

**Daisy Dong** Acupuncturist Denver, CO · Accepted Answer

Daisy Dong Acupuncturist Denver, CO

If the e-current is not connected directly to the area, it should be OK.

**Ms. Ellen D. Leonard** Acupuncturist Grants Pass, OR · Accepted Answer

Ms. Ellen D. Leonard Acupuncturist Grants Pass, OR

I don't believe there's any problem with that, but I would ask your acupuncturist just so they know where your plates are.

**Phranque Wright** Acupuncturist Chicago, IL · Accepted Answer

As long as your practitioner is a trained professional Licensed Acupuncturist, you should have no problems getting e-stim acupuncture. We are trained to avoid areas that can cause problems and we use proper amounts of the electric stimulation so as not to cause damage to our patients.

Go to someone who has good experience with e-stim and let them know your concerns so that you can work together more smoothly.

Good luck.

**Christie Luu** Acupuncturist Westminster, CA · Accepted Answer

Christie Luu Acupuncturist Westminster, CA

Please speak to your surgeons who placed the titanium screws and plates in your mandibule to make sure it is safe for you to have electroacupuncture.

**WenShuo Wu** Acupuncturist Diamond Bar, CA · Accepted Answer

WenShuo Wu Acupuncturist Diamond Bar, CA

You can still have electroacupuncture as long as the electricity does not pass through the titanium plates.

**Ms. Qin Milla Mu** Acupuncturist San Jose, CA · Accepted Answer

Ms. Qin Milla Mu Acupuncturist San Jose, CA

It's okay, no problem.

**Jeff Rippey** Acupuncturist Saint Joseph, MO · Accepted Answer

The answer somewhat depends on where/why you're considering electroacupuncture and the comfort level of your Chinese medicine practitioner. If you're wanting to use electrical stimulation to help manage jaw/tooth pain, some practitioners may be willing to do it and some won't.

I've used electrical stimulation quite successfully over metallic implants (knees, hips, plates used to repair fractures, etc.). There's no hard and fast contraindication just because you have metal components in your mandible.

Make sure you're having the procedure done by a board certified, state licensed acupuncturist (in other words: someone who went to Chinese medical school) and everything should be fine.

**Andrea Cillo** Acupuncturist Bay Shore, New York · Accepted Answer

Andrea Cillo Acupuncturist Bay Shore, New York

Electroacupuncture is not safe to use on or near any metal implants or devices such as a pacemaker. A practitioner can, however, use it in other areas of the body so long as you are comfortable with it.

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