Massage Devices Or Vibrators
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Personal Care & Safety Products · CPSC Code 1610
Up 88% over 5 years
The verdict
Massage Devices Or Vibrators carry a danger score of 52/100 (moderate risk), driven by roughly 4,048 ER-treated injuries a year that are rising by about 88% over the last five years.
- 52/100
- danger score (moderate risk)
- 4,048
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 23.7%
- end in hospital admission
- 25-34
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 1610 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 52/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for massage devices or vibrators - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume4,048 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)23.7%
- Fatality rate0.04%
- 5-year trend+88%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Massage Devices Or Vibrators (CPSC product code 1610, in the Personal Care & Safety Products category) generate an estimated 4,048 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 80,965 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 52/100 for this category (moderate risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are rising by about 88% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2023 (8,905 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2007 (1,439 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for massage devices or vibrators is foreign body to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 38,398 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by foreign body to the pubic region (14,475 cases). The 25-34 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 18,825 cases over the NEISS window, and females appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 23.7% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.04%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 106 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how massage devices or vibrators fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 895 | 421 | |
| 5-14 | 1,061 | 749 | |
| 15-24 | 5,555 | 7,960 | |
| 25-34 | 7,782 | 11,043 | |
| 35-44 | 7,099 | 5,828 | |
| 45-54 | 8,912 | 4,601 | |
| 55-64 | 8,609 | 2,339 | |
| 65-74 | 4,138 | 1,468 | |
| 75+ | 1,648 | 797 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Trunk | Foreign Body | |
| Pubic Region | Foreign Body | |
| Pubic Region | Other | |
| Lower Trunk | Other | |
| Pubic Region | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Neck | Other | |
| Pubic Region | Laceration | |
| Neck | Strain, Sprain | |
| Lower Trunk | Internal Injury | |
| Pubic Region | Hemorrhage | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Lower Trunk | Hemorrhage | |
| Lower Leg | Other | |
| Head | Internal Injury |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
58YOM PRESENTS TODAY FOR FOREIGN BODY.PT WAS USING A PERSONAL VIBRATOR & IT GOT STUCK & HE CANNOT GET IT OUT. DX: RECTAL FOREIGN BODY
24YOM REPORTS INSERTING A 6.25 INCH RIGID VIBRATOR INTO HIS RECTUM EARLIER THIS EVENING HE REPORTS LEAVING THIS DEVICE IN PLACE AND IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO COMING TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT DX: FOREIGN BODY IN ANUS AND RECTUM
44YOF WITH RECTAL FOREIGN BODY. SHE HAD A SEX TOY WITH VIBRATION ABILITY THAT SHE WAS INSERTED INTO HER RECTUM NOW SHE IS UNABLE TO REMOVED. DX: RECTAL FOREIGN BODY
23YOF BROUGHT IN BY EMS COMPLAINS OF RECTAL BLEEDING. STATES SHE WAS USING A DILDO IN HER RECTUM AND BLEEDING BEGAN. SOAKED 2 ABDOMINAL PADS EN ROUTE. PATIENT IS CONFUSED. ENDORSEES PAIN IN BACK. LACERATION REPAIR, 3 CM LACERATION TO INNER VAGINAL AREA. DX: INJURY OF VAGINA.
33YOM PATIENT REPORTS THAT HE PLACED A SEX TOY IN HIS RECTUM DX: FOREIGN BODY OF RECTUM
70YOM JUST GOT A BRAND NEW MECHANICAL FOOT MASSAGER FOR CHRISTMAS WHEN HE PUT HIS FOOT IN IT GOT TOO TIGHT FOR HIS FOOT NOW HAS RIGHT FOOT PAIN DX:FOOT PAIN
69 YOM C/O PENILE SWELLING, UNABELE TO REMOVE COCK RING FROM PENIS DX PENILE FB
25YOF PATIENT PRESENTS FOR POSSIBLE RECTAL FOREIGN BODY. SHE REPORTS PLACING A SMALL VIBRATOR IN HER RECTUM, SHE DOES NOT REMEMBER REMOVING IT AND CANNOT FIND IT. DX: RECTAL FOREIGN BODY
20YOF PATIENT PRESENTS WITH AN ANAL PLUG STUCK IN HER RECTUM. DX: RECTAL FOREIGN BODY
29 YOM PRESENTS WITH RECTAL AND LOWER PELVIS PAIN AND BLEEDING FROM HIS RECTUM AFTER SELF-ADMINISTERED DILDO USE IN THE RECTUM. DX: RECTUM INJURY, RECTAL BLEEDING
22YOM TO ER FOR PAIN OVER RIGHT ASPECT OF PENILE SHAFT,PT HAD A PENILE RING ON 1 MONTH AGO & EVENTUALLY STARTED TO HAVE PAIN OVER THE SITE & HAD ENGORGED VEIN AT THAT AREA THAT OCCURS W/ ERRECTION, PT SEXUALLY ACTIVE W/ MALE PARTNER & REQUESTING STD TESTING DX PENILE PAIN, THROMBOSIS OF SUPERFICIAL VEIN OF PENIS
52YOM WITH RECTAL FOREIGN BODY AFTER INSERTING SEX TOY THERE DURING SEX DX: REACTAL FB
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
a vibrator short circuited and electrocuted my wife
Purchased the Prosepra Electronic Pulse Massager, P-1-N43B250-B000XHNBLO from amazon.com; when received and began using, the electrical impulses were so severe and high as to be sever and painful, causing muscles and limbs to spasm wildly. Could hardly turn off was in so much pain. I am appalled such a device is so easily available to the public. I have used home TENS units for years, and never had an experience like this. Hope to spare others, whether this was a defective model and they are all like this. It is more like a torture device.
Electrical fire and unit was destroyed.
Was using the handheld massager and it all of a sudden made an exploding noise with a puff of smoke and the cords were almost fully detached at the base of the handle. No injuries were sustained, there was a black charcoal smudge on the hand that was holding it. We have the model PA-MH-THP. I went on Google to see if it has happened to anyone else and became aware that the product has been recalled for this very reason.
While using my homedics dual percussion massager tonight I experienced sparks, smoke and flames coming from the base of the unit at the cord and the ball of flames hit me in the stomach and burned through my shirt and burned my stomach. I jumped up immediately and turned it off and unplugged it.
I was using a Homedic handheld massager HHP-375H on my leg, heard a pop, saw a red flash, felt my arm tingly and numb, saw soot all over my arm and saw Id been burned. I do see now this product had been recalled last year, but I wasnt aware of it.
On September 4, 2017, a child was using a HoMedics massager, Model No. HPP-375H, in the living room of his home. His mother was using the massager on him when she got up to leave to turn off a timer in the kitchen. As she was leaving the room, the cord of the massager suddenly started to spark and flame while it was positioned on top of the child. The massager burned the child, causing 2nd degree burns to the childs abdomen. The massager was purchased from Bed, Bath, and Beyond with a debit card. The product had be recalled prior to the incident, but no effort was made by Bed, Bath, and Beyond to contact the consumer. Additionally, consumer followed Bed, Bath, and Beyond on Facebook and no notice of the massager recall was ever mentioned on the page.
Handheld percussion massager lithium battery exploded and started on fire while charging. It was then carried outside where is smoldered and another explosion happened. Countertop left with scorch mark, burn spots on the hardwood floor from ash.
Showing 8 of 106 reports.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to massage devices or vibrators on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are massage devices or vibrators?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, massage devices or vibrators have a danger score of 52/100 (moderate risk). An estimated 4,048 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from massage devices or vibrators?
The most common injury is foreign body to the lower trunk, accounting for approximately 38,398 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from massage devices or vibrators increasing or decreasing?
Up 88% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for massage devices or vibrators injuries?
The 25-34 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 18,825 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by massage devices or vibrators?
Of all ER visits involving massage devices or vibrators, approximately 23.7% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (76.3%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with massage devices or vibrators?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Personal Care & Safety Products
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 52/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 25-34 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
