If you suffer from a chronic medical condition such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine headaches or chronic fatigue syndrome, you may consider using magnet therapy to help alleviate some, or all, of your debilitating symptoms. Magnet therapy is an alternative health practice that uses magnets to facilitate healing and alleviate pain throughout the body, according to MagneticTherapyFacts.org. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that magnet therapy does not have any medicinal value and that your use of magnet therapy as a stand-alone treatment for serious illnesses such as cancer can be severely detrimental to your health.
Identification
Magnet therapy uses strategically placed thin metal magnets of varying sizes and strengths to alleviate symptoms of disease and relieve bodily pain, according to the American Cancer Society. You can wear therapeutic magnets as necklaces and bracelets, in belts around your waist or in bands that you can tie around your problem areas such as your lower back, elbows, knees, ankles and feet. You can also wear magnetic insoles in your shoes or purchase therapeutic magnetic-filled blankets and mattress covers for your bed.
Theories/Speculation
Tissues and cells in your body give off electromagnetic impulses, states the American Cancer Society. Magnets contain metal alloys such as iron, cobalt and nickel that attract numerous types of metallic particles, according to MagneticTherapyFacts.org. When you place therapeutic magnets onto your skin, the fields of the magnets penetrate your body's magnetic field and attract the iron in your blood to the magnet's metal alloys. This occurrence increases activity in your bloodstream, which accelerates blood, oxygen, nutrient and endorphin flow throughout your internal organs and issues, which stimulates healing and decreases your pain, according to the Magnetic Therapy Council.
Uses
Therapeutic magnets may be used to treat a wide variety of ailments, including fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine headaches, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure and PVD, or poor circulation. Therapeutic magnets may also be used to treat sciatica, insomnia, R.S.I., or repetitive strain injury, spondylosis, or spinal osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, anxiety, depression, stress and epilepsy, states MagneticTherapyFacts.org. Some people also believe that magnet therapy stops the spread of cancerous tumors and speeds up the healing process for infections and broken bones, states the American Cancer Society.
Considerations
There are many different types of magnets used for healing. The Magnetic Therapy Council recommends that you use neodymium magnets. Neodymium magnets, also known as NIB, are the strongest magnets available, are lightweight and can withstand temperatures up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit.
Warning
Although the FDA considers magnetic therapy a generally harmless alternative health practice, the governmental agency warns that you may experience adverse reaction to therapeutic magnets if you have a pacemaker, infusion pump or defibrillator.
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