While the final decision is still out in the medical community about the efficacy of using magnets for pain reduction and healing, the National Center on Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that some preliminary evidence is available that shows magnets do indeed help relieve pain and aid in healing. Check with your doctor before using the alternative treatment, because magnetic therapy can be harmful in certain situations. People with pacemakers or defibrillators, for example, may experience adverse affects from magnetic therapy.
History
Lodestones were the first natural magnets used by man, centuries ago, reports the National Center on Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Greek physicians used magnets to treat arthritis and to stop internal bleeding by prescribing magnetic pills as early as the third century A.D. Doctors in the Middle Ages used magnets to retrieve metal objects from the body and to treat poisoning, baldness and gout. After the Civil War, doctors in the United States started using magnetic therapy on a wide range of maladies, from paralysis to upset stomach and headaches. Magnets today are used primarily to treat pain.
Function
Magnets are made from metals or alloys and create a measurable magnetic field. The strength of magnets is measured in units called gauss, signified with a capital G. Magnets used for healing usually are much stronger than even the earth's magnetic field, which is about 0.5 G. Medical magnets typically range from 300 to 5,000 G. In comparison, a magnetic resonance machine (MRI) uses magnets that are closer to 10,000 G.
Effects
Proponents of magnetic therapy claim that healing magnets affect nerve conduction and block pain signals to the brain. Magnetic therapy, also referred to as biomagnetic therapy and magnetic field therapy, is used to treat circulatory diseases, stress, chronic pain, sleep disorders and certain emotional conditions, report doctors at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Expert Insight
Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, is a field of medicine that harnesses brief electronic surges and sends them to the brain for treatment of mental disorders. The Food and Drug Administration approved the therapy for treating depression. Doctors at the University of California, San Francisco report that the procedure holds promise for treating other disorders, particularly chronic pain.
Features
Most healing magnets are available for consumer use through health food stores and online retailers. Magnets often are sewn into sole inserts, bracelets, mattresses and pillows. Adhesive patches containing powerful magnets can be placed over a wound or painful area. Magnets are placed in wristbands and belts to provide all-day therapy while worn.
Member Comments