Daily Health News - April 2005
Recent Research:
A
research team at Peninsula
Medical School (Plymouth, England) conducted a study that was
recently published in the BMJ (formerly named the British Medical Journal) on
the use of magnets to relieve osteoarthritis pain. The study included 194 people
with osteoarthritis in the hip or knee. They were separated into three groups --
one group wore a standard strength bio-magnetic band... a second group wore one
with weaker strength... and the third group wore a placebo band. After 12 weeks
of wearing the devices, the group wearing the standard strength magnets reported
significant reduction in pain versus those wearing the weak one or the
placebo.
How it Works
To get a better understanding of what bio-magnet
therapy is about, I spoke with neurologist Michael I. Weintraub, MD, clinical professor of both neurology and
internal medicine at New York
Medical College in Valhalla and adjunct clinical professor of
neurology at Mt. Sinai Medical
School in New York City. Dr. Weintraub has been studying magnet use for a number of
years, in particular for his patients suffering from the pain of diabetic
neuropathy (nerve disorders that can cause numbness, tingling and burning pain
in people with diabetes).
One problem in evaluating magnets, says Dr.
Weintraub, has been that past studies were poorly
designed, combining different types and strengths of magnets with different
ailments into a single study. Although initially a skeptic, Dr. Weintraub designed and conducted carefully controlled
studies with a placebo group on magnet use, including one with 375 people
suffering from diabetic neuropathy. The results were enlightening -- wearing
magnets relieved sensations of burning and tingling as well as
exercise-associated pain.
Dr. Weintraub says
that even though doctors don't know why magnets work, he is now convinced that
magnets often can be more effective in providing pain relief than even
drugs.
Confusion Abounds
Okay -- so magnets have worked in the lab.
How can you make use of them at home? Here's a primer on using
magnets...
Bio-Magnet strength: Magnet strength is measured in gauss -- a
refrigerator magnet is 10 gauss, while magnets used to treat pain go as high as
10,000 gauss or more. Dr. Weintraub explains that the
quality and strength of the magnet is critical to its success -- it must be
strong enough to penetrate the affected tissue, which might be quite deep or at
a distance from the site of the magnet. A basic magnet, one with about 300 gauss
to 500 gauss, can penetrate an inch or so, but Dr. Weintraub says that if, for instance, you are wearing a
magnet to relieve deep back pain from a disc problem, you are going to need a
stronger one. In that case, start with one that is well over 1,000 gauss and go
higher if you find that isn't strong enough to ease pain. For pain in the finger
joints, he suggests a wristband (not a bracelet that doesn't stay flush to the
skin) that is at least 350 gauss.
How long to wear it: The amount of time
you need to wear your magnet is another question. Wearing these isn't like
taking an aspirin -- you should plan to have a magnet on for some time. Dr.
Weintraub had his study subjects wear magnets 24 hours
a day for four months. He says this was an arbitrary decision, but the
effectiveness indicates that frequent wearing over a long period of time is
likely advisable. The good news is that magnets don't wear out -- the material
supporting the magnet may (such as in the shoe inserts), but Dr. Weintraub says the magnet itself will keep going and going.
Dr. Weintraub reports that some patients find that to
achieve ongoing pain control, they need to wear the magnets on a steady basis.
However, it is unclear if this is true for all conditions that magnets are used
for.
By eHow Health Editor
Just as humans may benefit from magnetic therapy in the treatment of various ailments and conditions, so may pets. The use of magnetic therapy to treat animals is an emerging trend that shows no sign of slowing down in the near future. Devotees of magnetic therapy believe that the application of magnets to injured parts of an animal promote better blood circulation and reduce inflammation, which may speed healing. This practice has been used in the horse racing world for many years. There are also many veterinarians who use magnets to comfort animals who suffer from debilitating conditions such as arthritis. Treatment is also economical, so pet owners can add this to other medical treatments without breaking the bank.
Difficulty: Easy
Step 1:
Have a veterinarian diagnose your pet's condition
before you begin any treatment.
Step 2:
Use the best quality magnets on your pets. Ask
your vet what the correct strength is for your particular animal's condition or
refer to "Complementary and Alternative Veterinary Medicine, Principles
and Practice" by Allen M. Schoen and Susan G. Wynn (see Resources below).
Step 3:
Choose a magnetic wrap for active pets who move
around a lot. Magnets can't help if they won't stay on.
Step 4:
Buy your smaller pet a magnetic bed or blanket to
sleep on at night. Consistent use of magnetic therapy improves the chances of
healing.
Step 5:
Select a magnetic rug for larger
animals such as horses. Large animals require greater magnet strength.
Step 6:
Supplement magnetic
therapy with acupressure, herbal remedies and prescribed medications.
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