Electromagnetic field therapy, an alternative therapy that employs the electromagnetic energy spectrum to prevent and treat illness, has diverse applications. It has had success in treating many conditions in various human body systems. Electromagnetic field therapy is used by practitioners for a multitude of ailments, but the technology has only two distinct branches, static therapy and pulsed therapy.
Static electromagnetic field therapy employs either natural or synthetic magnets. A magnet is placed directly on a body part that is experiencing distress, or several magnets are placed in strategic circular or checkerboard patterns across the body to produce the desired effect. The negative pole of the magnet is isolated in most applications, because the negative charge has been shown to be the most beneficial and best tolerated in clinical studies. The therapy is continued on a frequent basis until the symptoms abate. Static electromagnetic field therapy can be applied by a patient in a home setting with the use of magnetically charged devices such as bracelets and mattress pads.
The charge created by electromagnetic field therapy helps move highly oxygenated blood to the affected area. The blood aids in the healing process and also provides a voracious base to fight infections, because most pathogenic organisms cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment. The electromagnetic fields may aid in the production of different hormones, such as melatonin, that are often deficient in bodies that are healing. Free radicals, carrying a charged rogue electron, can be neutralized, delaying conditions related to aging. The therapy may even stop the proliferation of some cancers, and alternative medicine practitioners are conducting trials using magnets to stimulate pressure points that aid in healing and relaxation.
Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy employs a machine to produce electromagnetic pulses that can be directed at a target on or within the body. Its most famous application is in the field of orthopedics. When a weak electromagnetic current is introduced to broken bone structure, the time it takes the bone to repair itself is greatly reduced. Many mainstream hospitals in the U.S. and around the world are using PEMF technology in their everyday practice.
PEMF therapy is used in a wide range of settings. For example, it has been shown to help dissolve kidney stones and painful calcium deposits within musculature. Pain management patients are helped by the ability of electromagnetic field treatment to reduce inflammation and swelling. PEMF therapy is proving to be a breakthrough in the area of migraine and cluster headache treatment, and psychiatric practitioners are also beginning to use the techniques to treat panic disorders, hallucinations, delusions, and depression. More studies are needed in the area of electromagnetic field therapy before its overall benefits can be fully realized.
