Can magnets really help in therapy?

CAN MAGNETS really stop pain? I am sure that here in Jamaica there are a lot of believers in this old form of therapy which has regained popularity as a part of the growing trend towards natural remedies. My mother would say: "If is egg, we in the red" or, alternatively, "If is tirara we in the boom"! So since it is said that over 140 million people around the world currently use biomagnetic therapy, I know there are many Jamaicans using it or thinking about it.

Magnets are being touted as effective in treating a diverse number of ills. The following learned institutions have all carried out tests with magnets:

Test

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has tested the effect of bioflex medical magnets on the flow rate of 5 per cent aqueous saline solution...

"The overall purpose of this investigation was to determine whether or not the Bioflex magnets did influence the circulation of blood."

Result

The test showed that they did.

Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine:

Test

"A double blind study demonstrating therapeutic benefit in heel pain was carried out."

Result

"The patient group in all criteria showed a higher percentage of favourable results with the Bioflex medical magnets than in the de-magnetised pads."

Baylor University, College of Medicine:

Test

"Response of pain to static magnetic fields in postpolio patients...

Result

"It appears that magnetic field energy may be useful in the management of pain with other types of impairments."

How does it work?

A researcher at Baylor told a newspaper that he had turned to magnet therapy for his post-polio patients because controlling their pain "had eluded our best efforts." The absence of side effects - none were seen in the study - is another draw, he said.

He said he doesn't know the mechanism by which magnets might relieve pain. He offered the possibility that electromagnetic fields somehow change pain receptors so they don't process pain signals.

Another theory (this one expounded by a bio-magnet salesperson, so caveat emptor - let the buyer beware!) is that when you place the magnet on the afflicted area it will draw blood to the applied area. There are healing agents in the blood.

Exercise caution

Now, if you're like me, I couldn't care less how it works as long as it works.

Of course, as I always advise when discussing alternative therapies, please do not toss out all your prescription medicines. Check with your doctor if magnets can hurt you before you start shopping for your magnet of choice! I am pretty sure you can't use them if you have a pacemaker, for instance, and there are other instances in which they can cause harm. So please be careful.

Once the use of magnets is cleared by your doctor, (even if she expresses scepticism about the effectiveness of the therapy as many people don't believe in it) go ahead and give it a try. This may be just what you need. After all, belief kills and belief cures!

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