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MAGNET
THERAPY
AIDS
THE HEALING PROCESS
Article by herbalist
Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
Magnets have
been used for thousands of years to treat numerous health
conditions. Most recently though they have been in the news
in regards to pain management, facilitating wound healing
and relieving stress. I have known about magnet therapy for
years but my first experience with magnets began when I
injured the ligaments in my left knee earlier this year. I
was amazed at how it helped to reduce pain and inflammation
almost immediately. I want to share this information about
how magnets work.
Let’s look at
the history first.In a Chinese text dating back to 2000
B.C., it describes how lodestone (magnet) applied to
acupuncture points could relieve pain. Ancient Indian and
Hindu scripture refer to the medicinal use of lodestone.
Early sailors used lodestone to steer their ships as a
compass. The term magnet originated from
magnes
lithos or stone from magnesia a region of Greece where mysterious stones
attracted anything containing iron. By the mid 1800’s
carbon steel magnets were being made and magnet mania was
sweeping Europe.
Franz
Mesmer a Frenchman reported
numerous cures with magnets. Magnets were used during the
civil war in America and their use has waxed
and waned since then. The popularity of magnets declined
with the onset of pharmaceutical drugs in the early part of
this century. In the last decade magnet therapy has had
a resurgence. Annual sales for
one U.S. company
were over 3 million dollars in 1989 but are currently
exceeding 100 million dollars today. There are over 2 dozen
manufacturers world wide and it equated to a 2 billion
dollar a year industry.
So how do
magnets work? Let’s first discuss magnetism and then look
at how to use them. The earth and we as humans on it are
magnets. We are surrounded by magnetic fields continually.
As Dr. Zimmerman reports “ the
healing potential of magnets is possible because the body’s
nervous system is governed, in part, by various patterns of
ionic currents and electromagnetic fields.”
There are
numerous forms of magnetic field therapy, including static
magnetic fields produced by natural or artificial magnets,
pulsating magnetic fields generated by electrical devices.
These field are able to
penetrate the human body and can affect the nervous system,
organs and cells. Scientific research documents the
following physiological effects of
biomagnetic therapy:
·
It
promotes blood and oxygen circulation along with the
nutrient carrying potential of the blood.
·
It is
able to affect the pH balance (acid-alkaline) which is
·
often
imbalanced in disease tissue
·
It
positively speeds up migration of calcium ions to
facilitate the healing of nervous tissue and bones.
·
It can
powerfully influence the production of certain hormones
·
from
various endocrine glands
·
It
stimulates and fosters enzyme activity.
All magnets
have two poles; a positive and a negative pole.
Or as some of you might know a north
and a south pole. In relation to therapeutic effects
it is important to know which is the north and
south pole due to how the poles
have an effect on its activity. The
north pole is considered the calming pole and tends
to help normalize. The south pole
is the activating or exciting pole and it can cause
negative effects. It can interfere with metabolic
functioning, produces acidity, reduced cellular oxygen and
encourages replication of latent microorganisms. If you
don’t know the proper pole a device called a magnetometer
is available to make this determination.
The strength of
a magnet is measured in units of gauss (a unit of measuring
the intensity of magnetic flux). Every magnet manufactured
has a gauss rating. This rating can be as low as 500g or as
high as 12000g. The actual strength of the magnet at the
skin surface is often much less than this gauss rating. An
example is that a 4000g magnet transmits approximately
1200g to the person.
Therapeutically
magnets are used to control pain, to stop infection, heal
bones and scar tissue, aid sleep, reduce inflammation and
reduce stress. According to dr.
Philpott magnets have helped
eliminate toothaches, periodontal disease, kidney stones
and calcium deposits and aid mobility. When using this
therapy for specific conditions it is important to consult
with an experienced professional trained in magnetic
therapy. When choosing this type of therapy the following
considerations are important:
·
The
magnet strength, shape and size
·
Duration
of the ailment
·
Severity
of the condition
·
Total
area to be treated
·
Whether
it is superficial or deep
·
The
person’s sensitivity
Magnets are
very safe but need to be used with awareness and
understanding. They are effective for approximately 75 %
of the conditions and people using them. The following
cautions are recommended:
·
Don’t
use them on the abdomen during pregnancy.
·
Don’t
sleep on a magnetic mattress pad for more than eight to ten
hours.
·
Wait
sixty to ninety minutes after meals before applying to the
·
abdomen.
It can increase peristalsis
·
Do not
apply the south pole unless
under medical supervision. It can produce seizures,
hallucinations, insomnia, hyperactivity,
stimulate tumors and promote addictive behavior.
·
Do not
use if history of epilepsy, wearing a pacemaker, or metal
implants.
·
Do not
use strong magnets on young children.
There are
numerous forms of magnets available. Mattress pads, knee
and elbow wraps, bracelets, insoles, and small circular one
on Band-Aids. Ask for specific information about the
companies product when
purchasing and get written documentation as to strength and
polarity.
For more
information read Biomagnetic
Handbook by Dr. Philpott,
Williams and Taplin, Sharon,
Choctaw or Cross Currents by Robert Becker Md.
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