| The idea of using magnetic therapy for therapeutic | | | | In the Journal of Alternative and Complementary |
| purposes started thousands of years ago in Greece. | | | | Medicine there was a study conducted by |
| It can increase blood flow and increase the oxygen | | | | researchers at the University of Virginia that looked |
| level in the body, which will alleviate the pain in the | | | | into the effectiveness of magnetic therapy on |
| treated area. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that | | | | patients suffering from fibromyalgia pain. People with |
| athletes such as Bill Romanowski and Steve Atwater | | | | fibromyalgia suffer from musculoskeletal pain, fatigue |
| have resorted to magnetic therapy to get some pain | | | | and multiple tender points. Two percent of the |
| relief. The American public has also decided to use | | | | population suffers from fibromyalgia. The 6-month |
| this alternative, non-invasive healing technique. One | | | | study was conducted on 94 patients suffering from |
| out of 1,000 American homes use magnetic | | | | fibromyalgia to test the effectiveness of magnetic |
| therapeutic products. Companies that sell magnetic | | | | sleep pads. They were randomly placed into 4 |
| therapeutic products say that American consumers | | | | groups. The first group used sleep pads with fake |
| will spend more than $500 million on these items this | | | | magnets. Another group was asked to stick to their |
| year. Some athletes are even endorsing brand-name | | | | normal treatment routine that didn't involve magnetic |
| magnetic therapeutic products. The use of these | | | | therapy. A third group used magnetic sleep pads that |
| products is even more popular in other parts of the | | | | exposed their entire body to a low, uniform magnetic |
| world. One out of 7 Japanese homes and 1 out of 10 | | | | field. The last group used magnetic sleep pads that |
| German homes use these products. There are many | | | | used magnets that varied in intensity. At the end of |
| magnetic products available that can treat many | | | | the 6 month study, it was determined that the two |
| conditions. A magnetic mattress pad can provide | | | | groups that used magnetic therapy did show |
| relief from insomnia, joint pain, muscle spasm and | | | | improvement in outcome scores of pain intensity |
| fibromyalgia. Magnetic insoles can alleviate painful | | | | level, number of tender points on the body and |
| inflammation resulting from bone spurs. Magnetic | | | | functional status. The other two groups did not show |
| wraps can be used to relieve lower back pain, | | | | the same type of improvement. |
| arthritic joints and inflamed tendons. Magnetic | | | | Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School |
| bracelets can be used to help with carpal tunnel | | | | conducted a magnetic therapy study on 194 patients |
| syndrome. There have been studies that indicate that | | | | with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. For 12 weeks, |
| there are positive benefits to using magnetic therapy. | | | | these test subjects were required to wear either a |
| At the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, a | | | | standard magnetic bracelet, a weak magnetic |
| double blind study was conducted to determine the | | | | bracelet, or a non-magnetic bracelet. The standard |
| effects of authentic magnetic devices and placebo | | | | magnetic group had a reduction in pain that was not |
| devices on the knee pain of 50 adult patients. The | | | | matched by the other two groups. The results for |
| knee pain was attributed to the poliovirus they | | | | the non-magnetic and weak magnet groups were |
| contracted when they were kids. This study | | | | similar. These results indicate that the magnetic |
| concluded that the 29 patients who used the | | | | strength of the bracelet is also important. |
| authentic magnetic devices had a greater reduction in | | | | But as of today, the U.S. Food and Drug |
| pain than the 21 patients who used the placebo | | | | Administration (FDA) has not yet approved of |
| devices. | | | | magnetic therapy. |