Magnetotherapy or magnetic therapy is a treatment method in which the effect of the magnetic field on the body is used.
Two electromagnets are attached to the joint to be treated.
While current flows through the electromagnet, a magnetic field is created and magnetic energy is transmitted.
The human body contains many metallic substances: as is generally known, in the blood test there is the term “iron”.
The magnetic fields exert force on the magnetic iron materials, paramagnetic substances and diamagnetic molecules.
In the body there is a high number of ions, which are molecules with positive or negative electrical charge.
The devices for magnetic therapy are characterized by different frequency and intensity.
- In medicine, machines are used, the frequency of which is 30-60 Hz, because studies have proven that in this way the most energy is transferred to the joint. The magnetic field is not static, but must reverse the polarity to exert a positive effect on the disease.
- The intensity refers to the quantity of electric charges that pass through the electromagnet and is expressed in Gauss.
Devices that can be rented for home self-help are no stronger than 30 Gauss, while the devices in practices and clinics reach up to 100 Gauss. There are three types of magnetotherapy:
- static;
- with low frequency;
- with high frequency.
The “static” magnet attached to the painful joint or bone can hardly act effectively on the affected area because it only acts in one direction.
The effectiveness of static magnetic therapy has not been scientifically proven.
High or low frequency magnetic therapy develops a healing effect only if the duration of application is sufficient.
Scientific studies show that magnetic therapy can reduce healing times by up to half, especially in joint diseases (arthropathies) and bone fractures.
The application must be at least one hour daily for several weeks (at least 20 days).
Why is this treatment method so rarely recommended by doctors, although it can record such excellent treatment successes, which has already been proven by numerous studies from the 70s/80s?
Often, patients with fractures leave the emergency room without being prescribed magnetic therapy, which could reduce bone healing and consolidation times by half.
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What is the difference between portable devices and practice facilities?
The intensity of the device is measured in Gauss.
A portable device has a thickness between 3 and 30 gauss, a professional device with mains connection is stronger and is 100 gauss.
With a higher intensity, healing times and session duration are shortened. As a rule, the portable device should be used at least 8 hours a day; the patient can conveniently store it in a bag during the day or use it at night while sleeping.
If the intensity is between 50 and 100 Gauss, a session of 30 to 60 minutes is sufficient to have a healing effect on skeletal muscle complaints.
Magnetotherapy is not expensive because it does not require personal intervention from the physiotherapist.
How does the magnetic field affect the human body?
The magnetic field has the following effects on the organism:
- At the level of the cell membrane, depolarization can take place as a result of trauma, inflammation, etc. In this case, there is an accumulation of sodium inside the cell, which attracts the inflammatory fluid, thus causing edema or swelling. The cell membrane is repolarized by the magnetic energy and can now determine the correct amount of sodium in the cell. As a result, the permeability of the cell membrane improves, which allows an increased and faster exchange between cell and environment to take place.
- Cell metabolism increases, the energy contained in the energy molecules (ATP) is released and more oxygen is consumed.
- Anti-inflammatory (anti-phlogistic) and decongestant effect (drainage of joint swelling is favored).
- Muscle-relaxing effect, tension is released.
- As for blood vessels, magnetotherapy increases peripheral blood flow and thus has a trophic effect.
- Piezoelectric activity promotes bone formation (osteogenesis): binding of calcium in the bone and inhibition of osteoclasts (these are the cells responsible for breaking down bone substance).
- Increased production of collagen and its fixation with correct and parallel
- Orientation.
The magnetic current penetrates about 5-6 cm into the body, for deep joints, such as hips and knees, at least two electromagnets must be attached.
How long does a session last?
The treatment must be individually tailored to the complaints of the individual patient.
If the patient has a broken bone or suffers from osteoporosis, he must perform magnetic therapy for at least one hour a day.
For osteoarthritis and joint inflammation, treatment may be shorter, but a session of less than half an hour makes little sense.
Magnetotherapy does not use consumables, so it is relatively cheap.
What effect can be achieved?
The machine acts on the cells and thus helps in the regeneration of bone tissue, improves blood circulation and reduces joint inflammation.
Magnetic therapy has a scientifically proven benefit in terms of stimulation and absorption of calcium in bone, which is important for patients who have suffered bone fractures.
Treatment indications include recent fractures, delay in fracture healing (consolidation), osteoporosis, Sudeck’s disease, pseudoarthrosis, inflammatory and degenerative joint diseases, back pain, metatarsal pain (metatarsalgia), heel spurs; Contraindications, on the other hand, are pacemakers and pregnancy.
What are the contraindications?
Magnetic therapy should not be used in the following cases:
- in people with pacemakers or other electronic implants, as there could be dangerous interactions with the control electronics;
- in cancerous diseases, because it would accelerate their development.
Since magnetic therapy could also have a vasodilating effect, it is also not recommended in the following cases: coronary insufficiency, hematological or vascular disorders, epilepsy, various infectious diseases, hyperthyroidism, endocrine disorders, tuberculosis and pregnancy.
