There are a large variety of magnetic therapy products that claim to help with pain relief and various other health issues. These therapies include bracelets, shoe inserts, rings, mattresses, and clothing. While some studies into these magnetic therapy items show that many do not do what they claim, the same may not apply to magnetic therapy in a more controlled environment.
Magnetic therapy has been used for a couple of thousand years. Research shows that magnetic therapy was widely used by healers in both Europe and Asia. Practitioners claim that magnets have the power to address a variety of health issues by drawing diseases out of the body.
Practitioners using magnetic therapy these days believe that magnetic therapy may alter your bioenergetic field, the energy surrounding and suffusing your body. This field is also referred to as your chi, energy flow, or life force. Practitioners of energy medicine such as Reiki, for example, believe that manipulation of your surrounding energy field may support healing. This is the same principle upon which magnetic therapy is based.
Interestingly, research into electromagnetic fields (EMFs) strongly show that our constant exposure to this form of energy may have negative, long-reaching effects on our health. Our microwaves, cellphones, laptops, printers, and other electronics emit these EMFs. Invisible lines of force created by electric charges, EMFs are just about everywhere. If electricity is present, there is an electromagnetic field.
Health issues commonly associated with EMFs include, amongst many others:
The thought behind magnetic therapy, as well as other forms of energy healing, is that its use may help to address the electrical imbalances in the body and their effects. These imbalances may be the result of constant exposure to EMFs.
Companies selling magnetic therapy devices claim that the magnets inside them may help increase the blood flow in the areas of the body where they are present. In turn, they say, this blood flow increase may help with tissue healing.
While the magnetic devices commonly sold may not have a high enough frequency to really make an impact, the idea behind them may be quite plausible. This is because your blood has iron. Magnets either attract or repel iron, depending on their polarity. The iron in your blood is bound to your hemoglobin. It is also not ferromagnetic. This means it does not have the kind of magnetism that a magnet commonly used to hold things onto an iron appliance have. And this is a good thing. If your blood was ferromagnetic, an MRI scan, for example, could make a person explode. The magnets in an MRI machine is thousands of times more powerful than the magnets commonly used in over-the-counter magnetic therapy devices.
For magnetic therapy in the healthcare field, the magnets used on the devices for addressing a patient’s healthcare needs are significantly stronger.
Your body has a natural electromagnetic communications system. Each cell in your body has an electron transport system that creates energy in the mitochondria. Electrons have a negative charge, and they also create a form of voltage difference between the intracellular and extracellular space. This creates an electromagnetic field that is in your brain, heart, and every cell in your body.
Both natural and artificial electromagnetic emissions react with your body on a constant basis. They influence your hormone system, organs, and cells. Your brain, especially, is susceptible.
Your brain is probably the most important organ in your body. It determines each action and reaction in your body, both voluntary and involuntary. Your brain constantly gives off electric impulses and, by neurotransmitters, communicates with every cell. In effect, the electrical impulse is the stimulation your brain needs for it to function.
Your brain’s neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that tell your body which action to perform. During times of stress, for instance, these chemical messengers or neurotransmitters, as part of your NeuroEndoMetabolic Stress Response, tell your adrenal glands to produce more cortisol and adrenalin. These two hormones start the response your body needs to react to the threat as needed.
External EMFs may, however, cause interference in your body’s own electromagnetic communications system. They also reduce melatonin. Brain health and function, as well as your immune system and heart health, are dependent on melatonin. The hormone is also a powerful antioxidant, ridding your body of free radicals and protecting your DNA.
Immune dysfunction may result in a buildup of toxins in your body. These, as well as environmental toxins, may result in multiple health issues.
The following health issues, amongst many others, are associated with a high toxic load:
Other health issues include:
Please note that many of the health issues mentioned, if not all, are also associated with many symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. Magnetic therapy has the potential of possibly working on your body’s own electric field to better manage neurotransmitter function and the cascade of events that follow.
Various studies on magnetic therapy and rheumatoid arthritis have shown positive results. According to these studies, magnetic therapy may reduce the pain in the affected areas and possibly also reduce the swelling associated with the condition. This could be due to the removal of toxins in the affected area through increased blood flow.
A 2006 study showed that magnetic therapy may be effective in extracting uranyl from the blood. The process involves an injection of certain compounds into the bloodstream, which are then removed with controlled magnetic therapy. A similar solution has been proposed for getting rid of metals in the body.
Magnetic therapy may also help normalize melatonin production. Melatonin, a hormone manufactured in your pineal gland, handles your sleep-wake cycle. But this is not this hormone’s only role. It is a powerful antioxidant found in all cells in all organs in your body. Interestingly, your gastrointestinal tract may have a few hundred times more melatonin than in your brain. This may allow for easy release directly into your bloodstream and, from there, for it to spread to all parts of your body.
Besides fighting free radicals, melatonin also plays a role in upregulating antioxidants in your body, while downregulating pro-oxidant enzymes. Furthermore, it helps to improve mitochondrial metabolism and enhances the effect of other antioxidants.
Antioxidants play a large role in getting rid of free radicals, supporting liver health, and thus helping with your body’s detoxification process.
As previously mentioned, external stimuli may hamper your brain’s melatonin production due to interfering with its electrical impulse frequency. Magnetic therapy may help to stabilize these electrical impulses, thereby improving your melatonin production. This bodes well for people suffering from depression and various conditions that may result from a buildup of toxins in the body.
While magnetic therapy may not completely resolve any health issues, it may enhance your body’s inherent ability to take care of itself more effectively. It may do so by increasing the energy available for your body's needs and helping to balance your body chemicals to restore its natural healing process.
While much research shows positive results for the use of electromagnetic therapy, not much research has thus far focused on fixed magnetic therapy. Electromagnetic therapy makes use of electrical currents through a magnetic device targeted to address certain health issues. Magnetic therapy, on the other hand, makes use of fixed magnets. There is no evidence to suggest that success with the latter is not possible by adjusting the frequency, as is the case with electromagnetic therapy.
A school of thought with regards to magnetic therapy that started in the 1930s suggests that the two poles of a magnet have different effects on your body. The following describes the believed effects of the two poles of a magnet.
Effects of the positive pole may:
Effects of the negative pole may:
Several studies show the truth of some of these claims. Others are as yet unconfirmed due to not enough studies focused on the topics. This is not to say that the claims are unfounded, however.
Interestingly, with regards to magnetic therapy in certain types of cancer treatment, results seem promising. The findings show that it could potentially improve the efficiency of current treatments and recovery time in some cancer patients.
Other practitioners suggest you may be able to get rid of toxins and help your liver with magnetic therapy by placing the magnetic therapy device on your abdomen near your liver. The magnetic energy may then support your liver function, helping it eradicate toxins.
If your body has too many toxins, liver congestion may follow. The buildup of toxins is often the result of a compromised detoxification circuit and linked to adrenal fatigue and its many impacts on your body. One of these is a compromised detox function. This results in added strain on your adrenals. The added adrenal strain, together with the many symptoms that appear if you have adrenal fatigue, could result in an adrenal crash or worse.
The answer may be to go on a detoxification regime that will help your body get rid of these toxins while giving your liver some much-needed support. On the other hand, going through a process of detoxification may also put extra strain on already overtaxed adrenals. If you have adrenal fatigue or other chronic conditions, it is important to consult a healthcare specialist before starting on a detox program. Magnetic therapy is one such detox program.
Commonly considered safe, everyone can use magnetic therapy. However, no conclusive research on its use on pregnant women has come to light. It may have a negative effect on the health of a fetus. Also, it may not be suitable for use for anyone who has an implanted electronic device like a pacemaker. If you are pregnant or have an implanted electronic device, it is best to first consult a healthcare professional about where and how to use a magnetic therapy device.
Some people also report side effects when undergoing magnetic therapy. These include dizziness, headaches, and nausea. Although these side effects are rare, it is best to stop the therapy and consult with a healthcare professional who may be able to guide you about any further use.
Research into whether magnetic therapy could be an effective way to boost your body's energy and healing abilities is still in progress with new applications constantly verified. So far, things look promising, with much progress shown in this field. Many people claim to feel the benefits of this type of therapy thus far. Looking into it as a means of managing your own health issues may be to your benefit. If you keep the precautions in mind, you may have nothing to lose and much to benefit.
© Copyright 2020 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
With regard to certain types of cancer therapy, studies are positive. Magnetic therapy may speed up your recovery time and increase the efficacy of the treatment you receive and also help with the side effects that you might be facing from cancer treatments.
