Magnetic therapy falls under the purview of complementary and alternative medicine. Understanding the likelihood that magnetic therapy will work for a certain health condition first entails examining the nature of alternative medicine. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, some complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, has clinical evidence to suggest that it's beneficial--while other treatments, such as magnetic therapy, leave many questions unanswered.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The NCCAM website describes complementary and alternative medicine as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered to be part of conventional medicine." An example of a complementary treatment may be using something like aromatherapy to ease a patient's discomfort during a cancer treatment, in which case it complements conventional medicine. Alternative medicine, on the other hand, is using a treatment in lieu of a conventional treatment. In the case of arthritis, for example, a magnetic ring or bracelet may be used in place of oral medications your doctor would prescribe for pain.
Magnetic Therapy and It's Place in CAM
CAM encompasses four domains, says NCCAM, which include: mind-body medicine, such as meditation; biologically based practices, which use herbs, vitamins and foods as a form of treatment; manipulative and body-based practices, such as massage and chiropractic treatments; and energy medicine, which involves manipulating the body's "energy field." Energy medicine is further divided into two disciplines: biofield therapies, such as therapeutic touch and Reiki; and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies, which encompass magnetic therapy.
Magnetic Therapy History
The use of magnets to treat illness and disease dates back to the time of the ancient Egyptians, according to the Natural Standard website. The Greek physician Hippocrates mentioned it in his fourth-century writings. In the United States, magnetic devices such as insoles, clothing, hairbrushes and magnetic ointments, became popular post-Civil War, usually in rural places without many doctors. Magnets were used to treat a disparate array of health problems, such as headaches, backaches, insomnia and liver and kidney problems, says NCCAM. Magnets are still used today and are suggested for chronic back pain, arthritis and fibromyalgia, to name only a few.
How It Works
Magnetic therapy relies on the use of magnetic devices, such as belts, jewelry and mattress pads, says integrative physician Dr. Andrew Weil. The Natural Standard further notes that magnetic wraps are manufactured for very specific body parts, such as the wrists, knees, ankles, shoulders and head. These products are available to consumers without a doctor's prescription. Typically, the magnetic device is placed on the skin over the problem area.Those who use magnets as a form of healing believe that how you interact with the earth's electromagnetic field has an effect on not only your body, but your emotions, states the University of Michigan Health System. Purportedly, magnetic therapy balances the body's electromagnetic field.
Scientific Evidence
According to NCCAM, the research that has gone into magnet therapy does not support it as a valid way to reduce pain. NCCAM goes onto say that the preliminary studies that have examined magnetic therapy on specific body parts, such as the back and hip, yielded conflicting results. However, the most rigorous clinical trials suggest that magnetic therapy is not beneficial for purposes of pain reduction. Weil indicates that most of the claims made by marketers of magnetic health devices are unproven and are "unlikely to do any good at all."
Cautions and Considerations
NCCAM states that magnets are generally safe when applied to the skin, unless you have an unhealed wound or a pacemaker, defibrillator or insulin pump, in which case the magnets may interfere with how these function. Some health conditions for which magnetic therapy is advised are quite serious. Please talk to your doctor before using a magnetic device to address your health concerns.
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