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DMcGowan
23rd June 2000, 14:36
My cousin, who is a nurse, came to me and ask me if I knew of any martial artist that have tried magnetherepy and what were the results (ie. benefits, more power, increased energy, etc).

Just courious.

Thanks,
Darrin

Barry
23rd June 2000, 16:20
i experimented with magnets to speed healing for a couple of years but found no difference. And I tried different kinds
and from differing manufacturers still no help from them.

DMcGowan
24th June 2000, 15:53
Gentlemen,
Thanks for the replies. I personally don't know the first thing about magnetherepy, but the way she talked, it has done wonders for her and her immediate family. Thanks for the input. Any others??

John Lindsey
24th June 2000, 18:59
Wasn't there a recent study by the AMA or some other group in which they found no evidence of magnets effecting healing?

I think a lot of the results that people see, are related to the power of suggestion working in one's mind.

Tony Peters
27th June 2000, 05:51
I am what is called pre-arthritic in my left wrist. I broke it about ten years ago and it ever has healed correctly. X-rays show that I am indeed developing calcium in the jounts so it's only time until it really starts to hurt (I'm not yet 34). That said I tried one of those Neoprene bands with magnets sew into it It seemed to help however that could have been the neoprene keeping it warm. about 6 months ago I decided to buy on of the (at present) trendy Zen bracelets (I do actually practice Zen Budhism) and since I had a choice of stone I chose Magnatite. Wow what a difference. I realy can feel it when I haven't been wearing it (I can can't while I'm at work because I work around electronics and I have no desire to get shocked) I don't really notice that it has removed any pain but my joint seems more pliable after I've been wearing it a while. Pain I've just gotten used to. YMMV however it it worth a try my braclet only cost $5 and it's so fashionably trendy :cool: as well;)

DMcGowan
27th June 2000, 12:57
Thanks for all of the input. I guess as long as it's "working", whether by power of suggestion or otherwise, a person might as well keep using them.

Thanks again for all of the input.

Bob Steinkraus
27th June 2000, 17:41
Magnetize water for bonsai plants? How does that work?

Magnet therapy is a rip off. The fact that some insurance companies reimburse for it should not be considered as evidence of endorsement. I am sure they would reimburse for voodoo if there was enough subscriber demand for it. There is no evidence that magnets have any effect on healing or the course of any disease.

The AMA is not biased against anything that can be shown to work. Magnets don't come under that heading.

For those of you who want to continue to harness the amazing power of placebo, simply total the amount of money you are paying for magnets, acupuncture, homeopathy, and astrology, and send half of it to me. I will harness the amazing power of my ch'i energy to reach out over the Internet and heal all your afflictions. You will save 50%, and get exactly the same results.

P.T.Barnum was right.

"We tried magnet therapy on my grandmother. I guess it worked, but now we can't get her off the refrigerator." - Ellen DeGeneres

Jerry O'Brien
27th June 2000, 19:17
Again it depends on the indication. Health care providors have had a fascination with magnets and electromagnetic field therapy for ages, and some effective uses have been identified. The most common application of magnets applies to diagnostics. How many have heard of an MRI scanner?

On the therapeutic side “Percutaneous Electromagnetic Field” therapy has been found useful in promoting bone and tissue growth. Bassett and his colleagues used a noninvasive PEMF to create small Faraday currents across the fracture void. He reported a child with a nonunion fracture of the tibia, who failed several operations over a 10-year interval, facing amputation of the limb. (Bassett CAL: Fundamental and practical aspects of therapeutic uses of PEMF. Crit Rev Biomed Eng 17:451-529, 1989)

PEMF stimulation has become an effective alternative to surgery for fracture non union. It is noninvasive, cost-effective, and free of complications. Success rates of up to 80% compare well with those of open surgical repair. The long-term follow up of fracture nonunions treated with PEMF stimulation is superior to that of placebo, and the technique is now well accepted.

This finding inspired much research leading to the development of the bone growth stimulators that were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1979.

The use of “static magnets” are enjoying popularity by alternative medicine practitioners, although more research is needed. "Hall voltage" may explain the clinical usefulness of static magnets for certain painful conditions, albeit with a smaller potential than the Faraday currents induced by PEMFs. In one study of 50 patients with chronic pain caused by the postpolio syndrome, the placement of static magnets over trigger points resulted in temporary relief of pain compared with placebo (Valbona et al: Static Magnets vs. placebo for post polio pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 78:1200-1203, 1997). Using the McGill pain questionnaire, improvement occurred in 76% of those exposed to a 300- to 500-G magnets compared with 19% who received the inactive device ( P < 0.001). Similar studies for more common painful conditions such as osteoarthritis are conspicuously lacking, so don’t go around with magnets taped to your knees just yet. Larger independent studies should validate the benefits of magnet therapy before recommending them to patients.


Gerald M. O’Brien, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Temple University School of Medicine

DMcGowan
27th June 2000, 20:59
I have to agree with Kent "Whew"
Thanks Dr. O'Brien for taking the time to respond.

DMcGowan
27th June 2000, 20:59
Sorry, double post.

Jerry O'Brien
27th June 2000, 21:26
Originally posted by W.Kent Bergstrom
Hi John,
Never heard of such a study but if the AMA has anything to do with it I would expect that the findings would prove it to be in peoples heads. Problem is a lot of the AMA's findings are anti eastern medicine prctices.
I must say I'm a little startled at your comment here.
Quackwatch and other "if western science can't prove it then it doesn't exist" organizations have fough tooth and nail against what is now termed "complimentary medicine".(used to be alternative) There are insurance providers that will re-imburse for magnet therapy and other modalities. The head is connected to the body in many more ways than we understand.
Conversly placebos don't always work either.
Please refer to :
http://www.garynull.com/Documents/magnets.htm#PEER-REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC STUDIES
Kent

Mr. Bergstrom:

I disagree! Alternative (or complementary) medicine is quite in vogue among primary care providers these days. We (well most of us) all have the same goal and that is to help the patient. However I do try to teach and practice “evidenced based medicine”. That means that if a therapy hasn’t been subjected to a randomized clinical investigation, then that particular therapy is experimental or at the very least unproven. Very little of what is commonly done in western medicine has been subjected to this rigorous clinical scrutiny. Therefore, I inform my patients of this and explain whatever the anecdotal evidence of effectiveness is when applicable. I think that we would also agree that the safety of any therapy is paramount.

With regard to the opinions of health care insurance providers….They often base their approval on cost effectiveness or simply cost. Remember the most cost-effective therapy is the one that results in death…no more costs. IMO their views are worthless and counter productive to good patient care.

With regard to the AMA…. The AMA is a self serving political organization that professes to speak for all physicians (!!!!!!!!!!). Most of the articles published in the JAMA have political overtones. IMO their views are tainted and in the past counter productive to patient interests.

Gerald M. O’Brien, MD