| Magnetic field therapy is one of several | | | | magnetized area is enhanced as iron in the blood |
| alternatives to conventional medicine that uses | | | | is drawn by the magnets. Overall, most health |
| magnets for health maintenance and treating | | | | experts and analysts still advise a physician-guided |
| disorders. The approach has already become | | | | comprehensive examination and treatment for |
| highly popular recourse for pain relief and healing, | | | | many conditions. |
| generating over $5 billion in sales on magnets and | | | | Among studies that found evidence of a positive |
| related products. The non-invasive therapy | | | | health effect is one presented during the |
| assumes that emotional and physical changes in | | | | American Association of Electrodiagnostic |
| human beings flow from the interaction of the | | | | Medicine's 51st Annual Scientific Meeting in early |
| body and the earth - both are natural sources of | | | | November 2004. The study established that |
| magnetic and electric fields. In addition, magnetic | | | | repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in |
| therapy assumes that good health is maintained | | | | stroke patients enhanced motor and brain function |
| when a person's electromagnetic field is in balance. | | | | and helped hasten recovery. The process involves |
| 1. History | | | | passing electric current through an insulater wire |
| The view that magnets offer medicinal benefits | | | | coil, leading to a magnetic pulse that stimulates |
| go back to Ancient Greece, with believers surging | | | | the cortex and either affects reflexes or makes |
| in the Middle Ages - 15th-century alchemist | | | | a hand, arm or muscle twitch. |
| Paracelsus was a proponent of the idea that iron's | | | | 5. Factors Against |
| attraction to magnets could be extended to | | | | On the other hand, a study published in The |
| diseases. | | | | Journal of the American Medical Association found |
| - Magnetic therapy is an external treatment - | | | | that the use of bipolar magnets failed to relieve |
| Magnets deliver an electrical pulse to the affected | | | | patients having chronic low back pain. Dr Edward |
| body part - Magnets are combined with | | | | Collacott, the lead author and VA Medical center |
| acupuncture needles | | | | physical medicine and rehabilitation medical director, |
| 2. Conditions Treated | | | | emphasized that he is not ready to concede that |
| - Arthritis - Other joint problems - Migraines - | | | | magnet therapy does not work despite the result. |
| Post-surgery pain - Chronic pain - Injured or | | | | Some experts share the view, adding that more |
| overstretched muscles, tendons and ligaments - | | | | research must be pursued before any definitive |
| Cancer - Depression | | | | stand on the therapy is made. |
| 3. Does It Work? | | | | One factor negating acceptance or a positive |
| Although magnetic therapy does not show any | | | | attitude towards magnet therapy is the |
| adverse side effects when applied with traditional | | | | proliferation of some sham products claiming |
| medical practice, the treatment is not advised for | | | | health gains from magnet use. Among these |
| small children and pregnant women because | | | | products are MagnaSlim, which reportedly relieves |
| studies into its safety and touted effects have | | | | stress and helps an affected individual avoid |
| remained mixed or not highly conclusive. Patients | | | | overeating as magnets and a special magnetized |
| with pacemakers and other implanted devices | | | | solution are set at certain acupuncture points on |
| should also avoid this treatment, as magnetic | | | | the body. This set-up was said to renegenerate |
| fields may affect device functions. Despite the | | | | one's life force energy, or chi, boost cell function |
| absence of strong evidence on their health | | | | and make a person more strong-willed in eating |
| benefits, different magnets and magnet products | | | | healthy. |
| continue to be a strong consumer item. Among | | | | These divergent findings highlight the need for |
| the more popular items are magnet wraps for | | | | more extensive research into magnetic therapy. |
| knees and other body parts, magnetic pads and | | | | The University of Virginia's Dr. Ann Gill Taylor has |
| mattresses, magnetic jewelry, and magnetic shoe | | | | received a grant of more than $1 million from the |
| inserts. | | | | National Institute of Health's Alternative Medicine |
| 4. Real Use Of Magnets In Medicine! | | | | office to pursue research into the impact of |
| Some of today's current mainstream practices | | | | magnets on chronic pain. Similar efforts are being |
| involve magnets, particularly magnetic resonance | | | | undertaken by Baylor College of Medicine, John |
| imaging. Magnetic pulse fields are now developing | | | | Hopkins, and the Massachusetts Institute of |
| as a factor in treating Parkinson's disease. The | | | | Technology. |
| belief is that blood flow and circulation in the | | | | |