Magnets and Magnetic Therapy

Helping your body heal itself with Magnets

What do you do when you are hurting…I mean really hurting? Most people reach for pain pills or some other form of pain medication. And if the pain is severe, and they are unable to get relief, they look to surgery. But what if there was an alternative solution to pills and surgery? For many thousands of years the people of Asia and Europe have reached for a magnet to deal with their pain, yet, they are almost unheard of here in the United States!

Magnets, did you say? Yes, magnets! And to the advantage of us “late comer’s,” modern science and technology has taken this age-old therapeutic technique to a new and even more effective level. Today, magnetic products are used to treat all sorts of ailments, from sleep problems to mending broken bones, and host of other health challenges. It is very likely that there is a magnet designed to treat what ails you…whatever it is that ails you.

Historical uses for Magnets and Magnetic Therapy:

• Magnets are being used to help the body heal broken bones and mend soft tissue injuries and are also great for osteoporosis, asthma, and for the toxic effects of chemotherapy
• Magnets can reduce the discomfort of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tennis elbow and wrist pain caused from tendonitis
• Magnets help relieve the agony of back injuries (especially the super-mini’s and back flex magnets)
• Magnets can help you relax for a more restful, sound sleep
• Magnets can help your body heal itself! There have been a huge amount of studies done over the years having to do with diabetics. Magnetic insoles have saved many a foot from being amputated
• 70-80% of people with arthritic pain are helped with magnets
• And, my personal favorite use, for trigger point release causing headaches and tight shoulders

In one controlled study, 76% of post-polio syndrome patients treated with magnets got pain relief, whereas only 18% treated with placebos had diminished pain.

Magnetic therapy has personally helped with back pain, achy muscles and joints and I feel it’s wonderfully grounding and relaxing. I’m a high-energy type of person. When I go away on a trip and am away from my own magnetic sleep system for more than two days, I really can feel the difference. I just feel frazzled and my immune system is weakened. I will have to tell you that we used to own a magnetic mattress but it was so hard that we got rid of it. We tried the softer version but it didn’t hold up. We now have the Far Infrared Comforter that has the magnets in it and we use that year-round.

Magnetic Therapy has been researched and tested at some of the most prestigious medical schools and by world-renowned scientists and physicians for many years. These studies show that magnetic therapy accelerates the healing time of soft tissue injuries as well as broken bones–up to 150 times faster! Magnetic therapy is used by some physicians to speed up healing after surgery, by athletes for injuries, and by a large and growing, number of individuals to treat a wide variety of common chronic ailments. It’s recommended that you do NOT use magnetic energy until after the body has healed enough so that there is no risk of bleeding as researchers feel it increases the circulation to the organs.

How Magnets and Magnetic Therapy Work:

The body was designed to operate optimally against the backdrop of the earth’s natural magnetic field. However, today the earth’s magnetic field has waned and we are surrounded by sources of electromagnetism that no life form has ever been exposed to before. For example, household appliances emanate 60Hz fields, AC currents (electric smog) produced from televisions, radio, radar, electric blankets, water bed heaters, x-rays, microwave ovens, telephone and power lines and other sources disrupt our normal electrical makeup of the nervous system.

Possible diseases from being around electromagnatism (EMFs) include:

• Chronic fatigue
• Fibromyalgia
• Headache
• Cancer
• Disruption of digestion and circulation
• Stiff muscles
• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Back/neck/shoulder pain
• Chest pain and
• Habitual constipation

While scientists and physicians may have differing theories for how magnetic therapy actually works, they seem to agree that it is the combination of increased oxygenation and blood flow that is at its core cause of effectiveness.

Considering that most disease is either a function of toxicity or deficiency, improved circulation would surely benefit our health. Because magnetic products increase blood flow, they allow the body’s own healing processes to be accelerated, as increased concentrations of oxygen and other vital nutrients are delivered to the cells.

Every illness is a sign that the cells have been deprived of energy, oxygen, and nutrition or that there is a buildup of toxins. When this occurs, the cell’s defense mechanism is weakened. Magnetic Therapy removes these blockages that get in the way of normal, natural healing, and helps your body to heal itself.

Magnets are non-invasive, reasonably priced and, in many instances, highly effective. These days, more and more people are reaching out to the time-proven healing techniques of the past. All holistic treatment modalities have one thing in common; they take all the processes of nature into account. Magnetic therapy, much like acupuncture, reestablishes order in the energy system and thereby allows healing to take place.

These easy-to-apply magnets enable anyone to target a specific area of their body and start stimulating the healing process immediately. Anyone, even small children, can learn to apply a magnetic pad just as they have learned to apply a Band-Aid.

Magnetic strength is measured in gauss units. Scientific studies show that each particular area of the body responds to slightly different gauss strengths. Because of this, you can be assured that the magnet you put on is always working, but it might not be effective because you haven’t figured out which strength you need.

Are there any contraindications for Magnetic Therapy?

Yes. Those people with these conditions should not use magnets:

• Cochlear implants
• Pacemakers
• Implanted Pain Modulators
• Insulin Pumps
• Pregnant women
• Bipolar patients should not use magnetic mattresses
• Open wounds–Magnets decrease the platelet stickiness so can interfere with the clotting process
• Withhold Magnetic Therapy on sprains or hematomas during the first 24-48 hours

Note: Credit cards and VCR tapes can be damaged by the magnetic field. Do NOT store strong magnets by your computer or any homeopathics remedies.

Temporary Conditions You May Experience With The Initial Use of Magnetic Products:

Increased discomfort: This is not a bad or negative reaction. You may have to work back through the discomfort you have experienced in the past. This usually takes less than four days and results normally begin shortly thereafter. It is suggested that you use the magnetic products and work through the discomfort or remove the magnet for a short period of time, and then replace them, until you have passed this discomfort point.

One of my relatives had quite a bit of pain when she tried a magnetic mattress. She swore she’d never use magnets again. I felt so badly for her, but just KNEW they would help her. After two years of offering a magnet for every sign of pain she had…on her own…she finally worked through the issue in her own mind. She now wears a magnetic back belt for several hours a day which allows her to cut back on her pain medication for her scoliosis and back arthritis caused by bone spurs.

Chasing discomfort: You may apply a magnetic product to an area of discomfort only to find that, after a period of time, the discomfort has moved! Don’t panic, just move the pad or add another spot magnet. Don’t be afraid to keep moving those magnets during this chasing process.

I see this often with back pain. It seems that when I muscle-test where the magnets should go, they usually want to be placed on one or two energy meridians, and usually on two different acupuncture points. When I push my finger on those spot, the client winces, because that is where a trigger point is being aggravated. The next day, I retest, and the magnets need to be moved an inch or two above or below the original placing. After three days of this, the back pain is usually gone. I think it’s miraculous! The process never ceases to amaze me.

It is recommended that when chasing discomfort, in general, it’s most effective to move the pads toward the center of the body. It is not unusual to find that the origin of the discomfort is not where the discomfort actually is being felt. The source may be located at a different place on the body, particularly when working with the extremities. I can’t begin to tell you how often I detect irritated trigger points between the shoulder blades on each side of the spine that are associated with carpal tunnel syndrome or elbow pain. A couple of well-placed spot magnets can create a serious miracle.

Medications: Using the sleep system, in particular, often times enhances the effect of medications. If your medication would normally make you drowsy, anxious, have a dry mouth, etc., these symptoms may be exaggerated by the use of the sleep system. DO NOT stop your medications, but do have your physician reevaluate the effects and dosages you are taking.

I often recommend that the client get a copy of an over-the-counter book on the side effects of prescription drugs, look each drug up that they are taking, and make a list of the side effects they are experiencing before going to see their doctor. If the client asks to cut their dose in half or even discontinue the medication, often their doctor will listen to them.

Indigestion: It is recommended that during the initial time you begin using the sleep system, that you do not eat a full meal and immediately go to sleep. As your body becomes accustomed to the sleep system, you may be able to sleep immediately after eating.

Foot Tenderness: When using magnetic insoles, it may be necessary to start on the low stimulation side (no bumps–some insoles have them) or use insoles that are cushioned (especially for diabetics with diabetic neuropathy). Do not jog or take lengthy walks if you notice tenderness when you first begin to use them. I recommend drinking extra water during the first 72 hours to help flush out bodily toxins that may have accumulated over the years. If you swell when you drink water (you know it if you have that problem,) add 10% raw fruit juice to your water. By doing this, it tricks the kidneys into thinking this water is actually a food (the molecular structure has been changed,) and your body will flush toxins out with greater ease and efficiency.

Fluid Loss: Magnetic insoles often help the body to remove excess fluids. I’ve also noticed this when the client uses two magnetic knee braces at one time because the kidney meridians run directly behind the knee. Persons who normally experience water retention and swelling will often notice that they will urinate larger volumes for a few days. This is an added benefit of using magnetic insoles. Remember to drink more water for the first 72 hours after you start to wear them.

Restlessness: Most people drop off to sleep more quickly than normal when on a sleep system. However, using a sleep system for the first time may result in a feeling of restlessness, nervousness, or inability to drop off to sleep. I experienced this myself when I first purchased my magnetic mattress.

If this occurs, it is recommended that if you are using a sleep pad, to place the pad under your mattress for a few days to give your body time to adjust. If you have purchased the mattress, then sleep on it for a few hours a night before changing to a different bed or couch for a week or two so that your body will acclimate.

Other people experience much deeper sleep than they are accustomed to. My husband, Michael, fit into this category. For years he was only sleeping a three to four hours a night. Once he got on the sleep system, he spent quite a bit of time catching up on sleep and continued to sleep 6-8 hours a night for several more years.

Do Magnets always work?

If you don’t experience some change or relief in your discomfort as a result of using magnetic therapy, it is because:

• You haven’t been using them long enough
• You have the magnet in the wrong place
• You haven’t got the correct gauss strength matched to the correct area for optimal magnetism

Closing note! Magnets are NOT all created equal. The most effective magnetic therapy design is one offering repeating clusters of triangles or rectangles with alternate poles in a checkerboard-like pattern. One of the key elements in magnetic product quality is coverage.

My Personal Experimentation with Magnets:

Since 1994 I have experimented with quite a few of these magnets. You will hear lots of testimonies on these products, but the only sure way to figure out if they will work for you is to try them for a three-month period (for chronic pain).

I noticed that if a client needs a knee replacement, and there is bone-on-bone contact, that magnets won’t take that kind of pain away. I’m sorry, but sometimes it is just better to have the prosthesis surgery. You can, however, use the magnets after the surgery to cut down the healing time and the length of rehabilitation.

I often tell my clients, “One thing is for sure…they don’t work unless you use them!”

Helpful Links and References for Magnets and Magnetic Therapy:

• Far infrared page: https://naturalhealthtechniques.com/far_infrared/
• High Quality Magnets: https://www.nikken.com/na/