WHAT IS
MAGNETIC FIELD THERAPY?
WHAT IS
MAGNETIC FIELD THERAPY?
Magnetic field therapy is ideally suited for the treatment of many physical conditions and health maintenance. This modality is of great value because the person may continue treatment on her/his own over a long period of time if necessary. This decreases dependence on the practitioner, which is very important for ongoing self-care. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy can be used as the sole treatment in many cases but is often even better with other accepted modalities. Magnetic fields penetrate the body as if it was air. They are noninvasive and nontoxic, which makes them ideal for the gentle and gradual body rebalancing and healing. Magnetic fields work individually on the natural healing systems of the body but also work through the acupuncture systems. A whole body treatment with magnetic fields can be as strong as acupuncture in many cases. Treatment of the whole person requires an understanding of the underlying causes of the individual's difficulty. Magnetic fields, like other therapies, can help to rebalance the individual but full recovery is unlikely unless the cause of the problem is also managed.
What is a typical treatment like for your patients?
It is very difficult to say that there is a typical treatment. Every individual and problem is unique. Magnetic field treatments can be done with either permanent magnets or pulsating electromagnetic fields. I started out with the use of permanent magnets only. As I have learned more about pulsed magnetic fields, and started having access to these systems, I have begun combining them into a treatment program. They are combined since pulsed magnetic fields act more gently on the body and can frequently accelerate treatment faster. There are strong electromagnetic fields that are only used in the doctor's office, usually at the start of a course of care. Then, pulsed electromagnetic treatment systems can be purchased for self-managed home use. Treatments usually take between 8 to 30 minutes, once to three times per day. Pulsed magnetic fields may often be the only treatment required. Occasionally, permanent magnets may be used between therapeutic sessions, especially for orthopedic, musculoskeletal and soft tissue problems. If a rapid response is required, permanent and pulsed fields are combined. If the circumstance requires a more gentle approach, pulsed fields are usually the first to be used, the response is reviewed and if necessary static/permanent magnets are added. For acute problems magnetic therapy treatments could last from several weeks to months. For chronic problems normally long periods of time are required. A proper treatment course frequently combines nutritional supplements, possibly medications and other physical therapies.
How can magnetic fields help to maintain health and wellness?
Magnetic fields can also be used for lifetime health maintenance. Since stress is a continuous challenge in North American life, lifetime health maintenance with the daily use of gentle pulsed magnetic fields is now our reality and a major stress reducer. The primary actions of magnetic fields are to reduce muscle contraction. This means that the muscles of the back and shoulders can be relaxed at the end of every day. This is not to allow stress to gradually accumulate its damage in the body. Whenever there is muscular tension the blood supply to the tissues involved is diminished. This is a primary cause of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. Pulsed electromagnetic fields, using a whole body treatment mattress, can simulate the oxygen improving benefits of exercise. Therefore, magnetic fields can be a major anti-aging preventive care system. In addition, research is showing that magnetic fields have strong actions on bone, particularly in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. Many studies have also shown a benefit in treating arthritis, which almost everyone will get with age. One study has even shown that magnetic field treatment may reduce the development of arthritis in the first place. While individuals may use magnetic fields without consultation with a magnetic therapy expert, the best response and most specific individually tailored treatments would be obtained with this kind of consultation.
For what application(s) is the modality of magnetic field therapy best suited?
Because magnetic fields act on many specific physical processes, they can be used in almost any kind of illness, either as a prevention or treatment. The primary actions of magnetic fields include: muscle relaxation, increased circulation, pain reduction, reduced nerve irritability, enhanced tissue and bone healing, reduction in swelling, bruising and inflammation, decreased clotting, improvement in scars, enhancement of acupuncture and rebalancing of the sympathetic/parasympathetic system. The nervous system is particularly sensitive to magnetic fields.
Like acupuncture, magnetic fields appear to act in a more obvious fashion when obvious imbalances exist, such as pain, scars, injuries, etc. In the presence of chronic health problems, sleep disturbance and mood disorder are common. Once therapy begins these problems are often the first to respond. Even if therapy is stopped during the course of care, healing often continues for some time after. Health problems from deficiencies, such as low thyroid, in hypothyroidism, low insulin in pancreatic dysfunction, anemia from lack of iron, will not be cured by magnetic fields. Only the missing substances can properly treat the problem. Magnetic fields cannot be used as a sole therapy for cancer. Often however they can be used to supplement traditional cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or surgery. The use of medications is usually enhanced with magnetic fields. This means that magnetic fields do not interfere with most medical therapies and in fact appear to enhance them. Magnetic therapy has saved numerous people from needing surgery, in selected circumstances.
Dr. Pawluk's philosophical statement.
Humans are souls with bodies -- not bodies with souls. Our legacy prior to and after this physical existence is much grander than can be imagined. True health only comes when the soul is balanced. Health does not equal happiness. Happiness does produce health. Newtonian physics is a physics of direct cause and effect, in a perceived "material" particle-based, molecular world. Newtonian physics clashes with quantum physics only for those who can't imagine a grander picture. Many complementary and integrative therapies are more quantum than Newtonian. The difference is like plowing fields by hand or using a large diesel tractor. Another example is like walking from Washington to New York vs. taking the Concorde. Surgery, which sometimes can be lifesaving, is savagery, whereas self-healing with imagery is elegant - Newtonian vs. Quantum. Both systems have their place. Neither one can discount the other. It takes wisdom, from both the individual seeking care and the practitioner, to know the difference. Complementary practitioners, like medical physicians, who know only one art may be very skilled at their art but can't speak from experience about others they don't use. The more disciplines, from very different orientations that a practitioner knows, the less tunnel vision there is and the more likely the treatment selected will be appropriate to the problem being treated. Square pegs won't get put in round holes by mistaken faith.
Magnetic fields can be as strong as surgery or as gentle as quantum fields. Ultimately, the soul and the body are electromagnetic. All magnetic fields interact. When the body (or the soul) is out of balance, the electromagnetic fields of the body (or soul) are out of balance. Magnetic field therapies can help to restore some or all of these imbalances. Before the body gets out of serious imbalance, unless there is a sudden trauma, it must go through progressive stages of imbalance, from energetic imbalance through physiologic imbalance to a pathophysiologic stage and then to a pathologic stage. This latter is organ or tissue death. Magnetic fields work best in the earlier stages of imbalances. With severe imbalances more drastic measures are usually required, such as surgery, chemotherapy, etc. Magnetic fields would be least obvious in their benefit in these latter stages but could still be very helpful in a complementary fashion.
Therefore, magnetic fields can be used across the spectrum of health states. Because of this, they can be dramatically helpful in preventing energetic imbalances from the day-to-day stresses caused by modern life. These cumulative stresses, often so small as to be unnoticeable, gradually accumulate and like grains of sand over time, can create a desert. Magnetic fields blow away the accumulating grains before there are too many.
The body/soul has its own wisdom and can rebalance itself if left alone and not overwhelmed. Inappropriate and unthoughtful use of magnetic fields can create imbalance, by not allowing the body to modulate itself homeostatically. This can be done by not selecting fields appropriate to the circumstance or overusing fields the body does not need. This is one of the reasons magnetic fields are not recommended for use with implanted electronic devices, such as pacemakers or defibrillators. Even the MRI, an extremely powerful magnetic field, has been found to do no harm if used appropriately.
In conclusion, individuals can become proactive in managing stress, doing long-term health maintenance and slowing the aging process with simple daily use of magnetic fields. Static magnets are already widely used. Now the introduction of European pulsed electromagnetic home systems are becoming available to the consumer. Europe that most of the worldwide research originates. Families have a new opportunity to manage their health from home.
Written by: William Pawluk, MD, MSc, Magnopro. Dr. Pawluk is an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins Medical School. He is a board certified family physician with training in acupuncture, nutritional/herbal medicine, homeopathy, hypnosis and bodywork. He has used magnetic therapies as part of his practice for over 10 years. He has published a book, "Magnetic Therapy in Eastern Europe: a Review of 30 years of Research". He uses a holistic approach to treating the individual and applies the modality or modalities most likely to help, whether individually or combined.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and is for educational purposes only. For any serious illness or health related disorders please consult your physician.
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