Some believers in alternative medicine allege that can be obtained through the use of magnet therapy. Also called bioenergy therapy or magnetic therapy, magnet therapy involves applying magnets to the body to alter the bodies energy. Magnet therapy has been suggested as a pain relief option for everything from standard pain relief to migraine, arthritis or cancer pain relief. However, claims regarding the effectiveness of magnet therapy are largely unproven, and the FDA does not endorse its use as pain management or medicinal therapy.
History
People have believed in pain relief with magnet therapy since the 16th century when a doctor named Paracelsus used magnets to treat patients. Paracelsus believed that the property of magnets to attract iron could help relieve pain and cure disease. In the middle ages, magnet therapy was primarily used to treat gout, poison exposure and arthritis. In the 1970s, magnet therapy reemerged as a popular theory, touted by a researcher named Albert Roy Davis. Since the 1970s, proponents have believed that magnet therapy is useful in treating a number of ailments, as well as in relieving pain.
Use
Magnet therapy is alleged to facilitate the healing process. It is stated that it can boost blood flow and blood oxygen levels. It is recommended by proponents to treat many sorts of pain and disease, including arthritis, headaches, migraines, broken bones, circulatory issues, stress, degenerative diseases and cancer. The pain relief and disease curing properties are believed to stem from the magnets' ability to interact with the electromagnetic impulses produced by the body. A healthy body produces a certain type of electromagnetic impulse, which becomes distorted with pain or illness. Strategically placed magnets are believed to correct that distortion, restoring a healthy balance in the body.
Process
Magnet therapy involves attaching one or several magnets to the body. The magnets can be attached with adhesive bandages. They can also be worn in jewelry or on belts. They can be wrapped around the body, placed in bedding or worn as shoe inserts. Magnets may be applied for a few minutes, or for a few weeks, depending on the type and extent of pain relief desired.
Evidence
The American Cancer Society states that the majority of evidence surrounding magnet pain therapy is anecdotal and unproven. The FDA also does not endorse magnet therapy as an approved method of pain relief, and the FTC has pursued false advertising complaints against those who have alleged that magnet pain therapy has a proven effect. One medical study, conducted by the Baylor College of Medicine, suggested that magnet therapy was effective at relieving lingering pain from polio in recovered patients, but this study has not been widely accepted within the medical community.
Risks
Magnet pain therapy has few known risks or side effects. Certain medical devices, including pacemakers, infusion pumps and defibrillators, can be adversely affected by magnetic pain therapy. Furthermore, delaying or avoiding conventional treatments in favor of magnetic pain relief is not recommended and may prove detrimental to health.
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