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Magnet therapy involves using magnetic fields in certain ways to bring relief from pain and other ills to a person’s body. The reason it is thought to work is that the protein in the blood that carries oxygen to the body (called hemoglobin) has either diamagnetic or paramagnetic qualities that may react to the magnets.
The magnets are usually worn in jewelry around the ankle, wrists, as rings, or as necklaces. You can also get them as inserts for shoes, or incorporated into mattresses and blankets. There are creams and supplements, too. There are also ways to magnetize water. The way you use it depends on what your ailment is and what needs to be treated.
Many chiropractors and other alternative practitioners swear by the use of magnet therapy. However, current scholarly and mainstream evidence suggests that there is no proof that this type of therapy works. But, it’s not dangerous to try it, and many people do swear by its effectiveness.
Many anecdotes exist about the effectiveness of magnet therapy. The best thing you can do, since it’s not dangerous to try it, is to see if it works for you. Until more studies are completed there just isn’t any proof that it works other than trying it for yourself and the stories of thousands for whom it has worked.
If you want to try it, consider the following:
- Do not replace currently accepted practices with magnet therapy – It won’t hurt to try it but don’t replace conventional therapies for the magnet therapy unless you won’t be harmed.
- Try one thing at a time – Don’t go all in until you’ve tried one or two things. Try a bracelet or a blanket, but not everything at once to see how it affects you.
- Don’t use if you have a pacemaker – If you have a pacemaker or insulin pump or other types of devices, the magnets might interfere with the way they work.
- Let your healthcare provider know – When you do anything additional to treat any problem, make sure your health care provider is informed to ensure that you don’t do something that is going to make your issues worse.
- Understand how magnets work – They come in different strengths called gauss or tesla units.
- Ensure that you understand how the different strengths work for various conditions so that you get the right kind.
- Scientific results are mixed – It’s hard to do a double-blind test with magnets due to the fact it’s easy to tell when something is magnetized, so it’s hard to study this area. Therefore, understand that at this point in time there are no well-performed studies that prove they work. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t work.
- Buy from respected distributors – Be sure to find a well-respected place to purchase the magnets or supplements that you want to try, to ensure that you’re getting what you think you’re getting.
- Give it time – You’re not going to notice results in one day for anything you try for any condition you have. Give it at least 30 to 60 days to ensure you’ve tried it long enough. Try keeping a notebook of symptoms to ensure you’re getting a true picture.
Remember that magnet therapy is still an untested treatment and most people are completely safe other than those who have a pacemaker or insulin pump or other types of medical devices implanted in the body. Ask your health care provider before trying. For everyone else, it’s safe, and might be effective. You won’t know until you try.