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THE MAGNET THEORY
Magnets have been used in different cultures over the years
by those who believe magnets worn on the body promote good health. One theory is
that magnet therapy may be beneficial by affecting the circulation of the blood
in the body. Increased circulation is beneficial because the body gets more of
the nutrients from the blood.
POLARIZED OPINIONS
...Magnets have become the latest craze in alternative
medicine -- though federal regulators said there's not enough evidence to show
they can help with any specific ailment....
Magnets have been touted for centuries for their healing purposes. In ancient
times, lodestones, which possess magnetic polarity and attract iron, were said
to have therapeutic powers. Cleopatra supposedly wore a magnet on her face to
maintain a youthful appearance. An advertisement in Harper's Magazine in the
late 1800s offered magnetic belts and insoles as a cure for sleeplessness,
hysteria, and indigestion
Promoters and researchers who think magnets work aren't quite sure how they do.
Some say they speed blood flow. Others say they scramble pain signals sent to
the brain., or they talk of pulling cells in some sort of equilibrium....
...The study most often cited in support of magnets is from Baylor College of
Medicine in Houston., where researchers tested one brand of magnets on 50 people
with post-polio pain and concluded they helped provide relief. Neither the
patients nor the researchers knew which magnets were real and which were
placebos.
"Based on our study, there is no question on the efficacy of magnets for the
control of pain in the population we studied, "said Carlos Vallbona, who
conducted the study. But before broad conclusions can be drawn, he said, the
study has to be repeated in other settings....
Justin Blum - Washington Post Staff Writer - Monday April 19, 1999; Page B01
Magnets have been used therapeutically to relieve pain and discomfort for
thousands of years, perhaps longer than acupuncture, which is over two thousand
years old. The first reported therapeutic use of magnets involved the grinding
up of a naturally occurring material called magnetite and the application of
this in poultice from to uncomfortable areas of the body.
Magnetite makes for a relatively weak magnet by today’s standards. But since the
earth’s naturally occurring magnetic field was far higher in the past (2 to 3
gauss as opposed to 1⁄2 gauss today), magnetite crystals may have been stronger
at one point in time. Still, this is a weak field by today’s standards, as one
can easily buy a magnet with an internal gauss strength of 10,000 (1 tesla) or
more. Such high exposures do not appear in any way detrimental; at worst, they
seem harmless and at best they appear to help a variety of conditions.
Exposure to the earth’s magnetic field plays an essential role in our health, a
fact clearly demonstrated when the first astronauts returned to earth sick.
Their illness was soon attributed to a lack of magnetism in outer space and the
problem was subsequently resolved when NASA placed magnets in their space suits
and spaceships.
It has been since discovered that in the absence of a magnetic field, the energy
level of atoms diminishes. Necessary nutrients become depolarized and unusable.
If this condition is permitted to continue, the body can become imbalanced and
function improperly. By restoring balance to an organism, biomagnetic therapy
can alleviate a number of health conditions……
…..To understand how magnets work to alleviate pain, it may help to look at pain
mechanisms in the body. Pain is transmitted along nerve cells as an electric
signal. While quiescent, the nerve has a small charge of about –70 mV. A pain
signal depolarizes a cell. Magnets appear to raise the depolarization, in
effect, blocking the pain. Furthermore, the ability of the nerve to send pain is
slowed by a magnetic field. These phenomena can aid in the relief of pain
throughout the body.
Pain relief may be enhanced when a magnet’s negative pole is placed over certain
acupuncture meridians. Research and clinical experience show that magnets
increase energy (qi) along these points. The combination of therapies works
synergistically, so that their combined effects are greater than the sum of
their effects would be if they were used separately. In addition, acupuncturists
like magnets because they are painless and allow the treatment to continue long
after a visit.
Null, Gary Phd. Healing With Magnets; pp 19-21; Copyright 1998; Carroll & Graf
Publishers, Inc.
ARTICLE FROM GALE ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
By: Kim Sharp
Magnetic therapy dates as far back as the ancient Egyptians. Magnets have long
been believed to have healing powers associated with muscle pain and stiffness.
Chinese healers as early as 200 B.C. were said to use magnetic lodestones on the
body to correct unhealthy imbalances in the flow of qi, or energy. The ancient
Chinese medical text known as The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Internal Medicine
describes this procedure. The Vedas, or ancient Hindu scriptures, also mention
the treatment of diseases with lodestones. The word "lodestone" or leading
stone, came from the use of these stones as compasses. The word "magnet"
probably stems from the Greek Magnes lithos, or "stone from Magnesia," a region
of Greece rich in magnetic stones. The Greek phrase later became magneta in
Latin.
Sir William Gilbert's 1600 treatise, De Magnete, was the first scholarly attempt
to explain the nature of magnetism and how it differed from the attractive force
of static electricity. Gilbert allegedly used magnets to relieve the arthritic
pains of Queen Elizabeth I. Contemporary American interest in magnetic therapy
began in the 1990s, as several professional golfers and football players offered
testimony that the devices seemed to cure their nagging aches and injuries.
Many centuries ago, the earth was surrounded by a much stronger magnetic field
than it is today. Over the past 155 years, scientists have been studying the
decline of this magnetic field and the effects it has had on human health. When
the first cosmonauts and astronauts were going into space, physicians noted that
they experienced bone calcium loss and muscle cramps when they were out of the
Earth's magnetic field for any extended period of time. After this discovery was
made, artifical magnetic fields were placed in the space capsules…
…There are two theories that are used to explain magnetic therapy. One theory
maintains that magnets produce a slight electrical current. When magnets are
applied to a painful area of the body, the nerves in that area are stimulated,
thus releasing the body's natural painkillers. The other theory maintains that
when magnets are applied to a painful area of the body, all the cells in that
area react to increase blood circulation, ion exchange, and oxygen flow to the
area. Magnetic fields attract and repel charged particles in the bloodstream,
increasing blood flow and producing heat. Increased oxygen in the tissues and
blood stream is thought to make a considerable difference in the speed of
healing.
There are no special preparations for using magnetic therapy other than
purchasing a product that is specific for the painful area being treated.
Products available in a range of prices include necklaces and bracelets; knee,
back, shoulder and wrist braces; mattress pads; gloves; shoe inserts; and more.
The primary precaution involved with magnetic therapy is to recognize the
expense of this therapy. Magnets have become big business; they can be found in
mail-order catalogs and stores ranging from upscale department stores to
specialty stores. As is the case with many popular self-administered therapies,
many far-fetched claims are being made about the effectiveness of magnetic
therapy. Consumers should adopt a "let the buyer beware" approach to magnetic
therapy. Persons who are interested in this form of treatment should try out a
small, inexpensive item to see if it works for them before investing in the more
expensive products.
There are very few side effects from using magnetic therapy. Generally, patients
using this therapy find that it either works for them or it does not. Patients
using transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of depression reported
mild headache as their only side effect.
Magnetic therapy is becoming more and more widely accepted as an alternative
method of pain relief. Since the late 1950s, hundreds of studies have
demonstrated the effectiveness of magnetic therapy. In 1997, a group of
physicians at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas studied the use of
magnetic therapy in 50 patients who had developed polio earlier in life. These
patients had muscle and joint pain that standard treatments failed to manage. In
this study, 29 of the patients wore a magnet taped over a trouble spot, and 21
others wore a nonmagnetic device. Neither the researchers nor the patients were
told which treatment they were receiving (magnetic or nonmagnetic). As is the
case with most studies involving a placebo, some of the patients responded to
the nonmagnetic therapy, but 75% of those using the magnetic therapy reported
feeling much better.
In another study at New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York, a
neurologist tested magnetic therapy on a group of 19 men and women complaining
of moderate to severe burning, tingling, or numbness in their feet. Their
problems were caused by diabetes or other conditions present such as alcoholism.
This group of patients wore a magnetic insole inside one of their socks or shoes
for 24 hours a day over a two-month period, except while bathing. They wore a
nonmagnetic insert in their other sock or shoe. Then for two months they wore
magnetic inserts on both feet. By the end of the study, nine out of ten of the
diabetic patients reported relief, while only three of nine nondiabetic patients
reported relief. The neurologist in charge of the study believes that this study
opens the door to additional research into magnetic therapy for diabetic
patients. He plans a larger follow-up study in the near future.
As of 2000, a federally funded study is underway at the University of Virginia.
This study is evaluating the effectiveness of magnetic mattress pads in easing
the muscle pain, stiffness and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia.
Magnetic therapy is also being studied in the treatment of depression in
patients with bipolar disorder. A procedure called repeated transcranial
magnetic stimulation has shown promise in treating this condition. In this
particular study, patients with depression had a lower relapse rate than did
those using electroconvulsive therapy. Unlike electroconvulsive therapy,
patients using magnetic therapy did not suffer from seizures, memory lapses, or
impaired thinking.Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine.
Gale Group, 2001
IMPORTANT
Copper wristbands and magnetic products are considered to be unproven remedies.
Magnetic products should not be worn next to a watch. Do not use magnet products
during pregnancy, or if you have an electrical implant such as a pacemaker.
Consult with your doctor if you have any questions and continue with regular
medical care.
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