Overview:

This alternative treatment benefits from the important interrelationship between electromagnetic energy and the human body.

Magnetic field therapy diagnoses and treats both physical and emotional pain; it relieves symptoms and retards the cycle of new disease. Magnets and electromagnetic therapy devices are now being used to eliminate pain, facilitate healing of broken bones, and counter the effects of stress.

All magnets have two poles, one positive and one negative. In 1974 Albert Roy Davis, Ph.D., noted that positive and negative magnetic polarities have different effects upon the biological systems of both animals and humans. Davis then concluded that negative magnetic fields have a beneficial effect on living organisms, whereas positive magnetic fields have a stressful effect. A positive magnetic pole, with prolonged exposure, interferes with metabolic functioning, produces acidity, reduces cellular oxygen supply, and encourages replication of latent microorganisms. Positive magnetic fields can increase pain due to their interference with normal metabolic functions.

Robert Becker, M.D., (Orthopedic surgeon) found that weak electric currents promote the healing of broken bones. He brought national attention to the fact that electromagnetic interference from power lines and home appliances can pose serious hazard to human health.

Kyoichi Nakagawa, M.D., Director of the Isuzu hospital in Tokyo, Japan, believes that the time people spend in buildings and cars reduces their exposure to natural geomagnetic fields of the earth, and may interfere with their health. He calls the condition that they subsequently must suffer from, magnetic field deficiency syndrome, which, he says, can cause headaches, dizziness, muscle stiffness, chest pain, insomnia, constipation, and general fatigue.

Static magnetic fields are produced by natural or artificial magnets. Pulsating magnets are generated entirely by electrical devices. According to William H. Philpott, M.D., of Choctwaw, Oklahoma, magnetic fields can stimulate metabolism and increase the amount of oxygen available to the cells of the body. Dr. Philpott pioneered the use of magnetic therapy for psychiatric disorders. The biological value of oxygen is increased by the influence of a negative electromagnetic field, and the field causes the negatively charge deoxyribonucleicacid (DNA) to "pull" the oxygen out of the bloodstream and into the cell. The negative electromagnetic field keeps a cellular buffer system (pH or acid-base balance) intact so that cells remain alkaline; pathogenic microorganisms cannot survive in a well-oxygenated, alkaline environment. Also, magnetotherapy can increase enzyme action because it fosters a favorable environment within cells (mainly a proper pH).

A negative magnetic field applied to the top of the head has a calming, sleep-inducing effect on brain and body functions, due to the stimulation of the production of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is antistressful, antiaging, antiinfectious, anticancerous, and has control over respiration and the production of free radicals (highly destructive molecules that are missing one electron, and readily react with other molecules). Free radicals can lead to decreased efficiency of protein synthesis.

Method:

There are no harmful side effects to magnetic field therapy if used properly. A magnetometer is used as a standard method of determining the poles of a magnet. With a compass, the arrowhead of the needle marked "N" or "North" points to the magnets negative pole. The strength of a magnet is measured in units of gauss (magnetic flux intensity) or tesla (1 tesla=10,000 gauss). The actual strength of a magnet at the skin surface is less than the manufacturer's gauss rating because the magnet's strength decreases with increasing distance from the subject. Two different conventions or "standards" for naming the north and south poles of a magnet have developed. One is called the "conventional" or "industrial" magnetic pole nomenclature, while the other is called the "magnetobiological," "biomagnetic," or "medical" convention. Unfortunately, they are opposite to each other: What the industrial convention calls north, the medical convention calls south and vice versa.

Large machines capable of generating high magnetic fields are used for treating fractures and pseudoarthritis, a joint affliction caused by nerve breakdown. Magnetic blankets and beds reduce stress and promote sleep. Ceramic, plastiform, and neodymium (rare earth chemical element) magnets are placed individually or in clusters above various portions of the head. In Japan, small tai-ki magnets are designed to stimulate acupuncture points, although no clinical studies have been done on these magnets as of yet. Small disc magnets (made or ceramic neodymium or iron oxide) are placed around the head to alleviate symptoms of panic, seizures, delusions, and hallucinations.

There are generally two different methods of magnetic therapy application, those who expose the body to only the north (negative) pole and those who use low gauss strength simultaneous exposure to both the negative and positive poles. Magnetotherapy practitioners who exclusively use the north (negative) pole suggest an exposure intensity of 2,000 to 4,000 gauss, an intensity not recommended for a dual or bi-polarity applications. The placement is generally simple and straight forward, with the magnet being placed directly on the area being treated, like applying a band-aide. In contrast, magnetotherapy practitioners who promtote the use of spatially alternating magnetic poles generally employ magnets that are made with some sort of spatial pattern of alternating magnetic polarity such as concentric circles or a checkerboard pattern.

The duration of treatment is very important. The longer a magnet is applied to the injured or painful area, the more quickly it heals and the greater the symptom relief. Close to twenty four hours a day application is sometimes suggested, if possible. The duration of treatment is dependent upon the persistence of symptoms.

Common cures:

Dr. Albert Roy Davis,Ph.D., found that magnets could be used to arrest and kill cancer cells in animals, and could be used to treat arthritis, glaucoma, infertility, and diseases related to aging. Magnets eliminate toothaches, eliminate periodontal disease, and eradicate fungal infections, like candidiasis. Magnets dissolve kidney stones and calcium deposits in inflamed tissues. Furthermore, magnetic therapy reduces swelling and edema.

A negative magnetic field can stop such symptoms as hallucinations, delusions, seizures, or panic without disrupting a patient's mental alertness. The negative magnetic field normalizes disturbed metabolic functions that cause painful conditions such as cellular acidosis (excessive acidity of cells), lack of oxygen to cells, and infection.

Application:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is slowly replacing x-ray diagnosis because it is safer and more accurate. In addition, magnetoencephalography is now replacing electroencephalography (EEG) as a preferred technique for recording the brain's electrical activity.

Magnetic devices are very popular in Germany because the use of certain devices is covered there by medical insurance. NASA eventually incorporated artificial magnetic fields inside manned spacecraft because of the realization that the earth's natural geomagnetic fields are probably beneficial and perhaps necessary to life itself.

Modern medicine's perspective:

With MRI and other magnetic field diagnostic techniques, magnets and electrical devices are beginning to gain mainstream medical acceptance as human diagnostic and treatment tools because medical equipment manufacturers and distributers are primarily driven by the profit motive to promote their products. Because magnets do not introduce any foreign substances to the body, this will make them safer over the long-term than aspirin or other over-the-counter medications.

The repeatedly observed benefits of magnetic field therapy, while intriguing, are too often not convincing to many Western medicine authorities and practitioners. In order to rule out placebo effects and convince mainstream doctors that magnetic field therapy actually does work, many scientific studies need to be done and published in reputable, peer reviewed journals. This means that placebo studies with both real and fake (placebo ) magnets must be done. As of now, there has been little funding for magnetic field therapy, an important area of science and medicine.

http://hre.com/totalhealth/magnet.html Health Resource Education Magnetic Field Therapy

Southwest Institute of Healing Arts 1402 N. Miller Road Scottsdale, AZ 85257 Website: http://www.swiha.org; e-mail: doyourdream@swiha.org

Permissions: