The use of magnetic therapy to treat arthritis pain and other health conditions has been around since man discovered the first lodestone. Magnets purportedly give pain relief to arthritis sufferers without the need for prescription pain relievers. However, particularly problematic in studies assessing the efficacy of magnetic therapy is that results may be skewed due to study participants' blind belief in this treatment--otherwise known as the "placebo effect." Note that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved using magnets for treating any medical condition.
Magnetic Therapy Overview
The use of magnets in healing dates takes us back thousands of years to times when Greek physicians used magnets in rings to treat arthritis, according to information from the Vanderbilt University Psychology Department website. Magnets continued to be used in the Middle Ages to treat arthritis, as well as other health concerns, such as gout, hair loss and wound cleansing. Magnets first gained popularity in the United States when they were used during post-Civil War times to treat a variety of unrelated conditions-- paralysis, backaches, insomnia and liver problems, to name a few, says the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Bio-magnetic therapy, which is also called magnetic therapy and magnet therapy, continues to remain popular. Contemporary use of magnets is recommended for pain control that results from conditions such as fibromyalgia and arthritis.
How It Works
There are various theories about how magnetic therapy works, according to the Vanderbilt University website. Researchers and marketers assert that the application of magnets close to the skin can change the way your cells function, have a "balancing" effect on cell death and growth, increase blood flow and control the way your nerves allow you to perceive pain. Magnets are incorporated into consumer health care products, such as bracelets, rings, wraps for specific body parts and mattress pads.
Evidence Supporting Magnetic Therapy
Results of a study published in a December 2004 edition of the British Medical Journal supported the use of magnets for arthritis pain. Researchers in Devon, England had 194 study participants between the ages of 45 and 80 wear standard-strength magnetic fields, bracelets with weak magnets and "sham" magnetic bracelets. Results of the study indicated that the two groups of participants who wore magnetic bracelets of both strengths experienced more pronounced pain relief than those wearing the non-magnetic bracelets.
Evidence Against Magnets
A study published in the March-April 2004 edition of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine by Harvard Medical School researchers shows that the placebo effect may come into play when it comes to how study participants believe magnets effect arthritis pain. Twenty-six participants either wore a magnet sleeve or sham sleeve for pain associated with knee arthritis. Initially, those wearing the magnet sleeve experienced greater pain relieve than those wearing the sham sleeve. However, after six weeks, there was no statistical difference between the level of pain noted by the control and placebo groups. Additionally, researchers found that 77 percent of the placebo group thought they were wearing a magnet sleeve; 69 percent of the control group felt they were wearing a magnet sleeve.
Bottom Line
Problematic in assessing the benefits of magnets is taking the placebo effect out of the equation, says NCCAM. It's difficult to design a sham magnet for use in clinical trials. Scientific studies assessing the use of magnets as of June 2010 have yielded conflicting results, reports NCCAM, which goes on to note that there is "convincing scientific evidence to support claims that magnets can relieve pain of any type." More research is required to ascertain if magnets are of benefit to people with arthritis and other medical conditions.
Cautions
When applied externally, magnets generally pose no threat to your health unless you have a pacemaker or defibrillator, which can be affected by a magnet's presence close to your body. The Vanderbilt University website also cautions you against falling prey to marketing claims made by sellers of magnetic devices. These are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a safe or effective therapy for arthritis pain or any other medical condition. Speak with your treating physician before you use magnetic therapy for your health concerns.
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