ARTICLE
The healing properties of magnets have been understood for many centuries. The word ‘magnet’ is derived from the Greek town of Magnesia, where magnetic material was mined, also known as ferrous oxide, in its natural form. No evidence is available, but word of mouth suggests that the Chinese knew of and used magnets as long ago as 4500 B.C. Magnetic powder has historically been employed for medical purposes, such as in poultices, pills, or as an enema. Drinks thought to provide eternal youth and other qualities used magnetic powder as an ingredient. Poultices with magnetic powder were beneficial for injuries caused by accidents, headaches, or back and joint pain. It was also used for swollen or contused joints. The Roman Emperor Claudius had a reputation for healing his gout in a bath containing ‘electric fish’. It is now understood that these ‘electric fish’ were crampfish. They generate an electric current upon contact, which creates an electromagnetic field. Interest has recently been increasing and Magnetotherapy is becoming increasingly more common. Multiple medical instruments and devices have been devised and created. American sources have said that in 1996, "magnetic therapeutic devices at the value of 1,050 million dollars were sold. In 1999, the figure was over 3,000 million dollars.” There are currently over 200,000 scientists working in magnetism-related research in different countries. The description of the processes regarding the magnetic field is invariably linked to the description of the electromagnetic field. A changing magnetic field creates an electric field and vice versa. The intensity of the magnetic field H directly corresponds to the current flowing through the wire and is indirectly proportional to the distance from the wire, which expressed in units is (A/m). Named after the mathematician Friedrich Gauss, the unit of magnetic induction (force) in the international CGS unit system is called the gauss (G). Some time later, the tesla (T) was created (T = 10 000 G (1 G = 0.0001 T). In magnetotherapy, it is normally the millitesla (mT) that is employed (l mT = 10 G). The human body consists of several billion living cells. These cells have a slight electrical potential around them. Pulsed magnetic therapy creates optimal conditions to accelerate healing, reduce pain and generally regenerate the body. The analgesic, anti-inflammatory, regenerative and healing effects are widely used in medical practice. They are used for poorly healing surface wounds, as well as in the field of sports medicine. Permanent magnets are usually applied directly onto the body. A regular magnet produced from ferrite (the type commonly known from bulletin boards), at a distance of 1 cm from the surface, will generate magnetic induction ranging from approximately 30 to 70 mT (millitesla). This is a thousand times greater than the magnetic field of the Earth. A distance of approximately 30 cm from the magnet surface means the field is almost identical to the field of the Earth. Magnetotherapy is categorized as a contact-free electrotherapeutic technique. In the field of magnetotherapy, the electric component of the electromagnetic field in the tissues (the electric current and the electric voltage) is 100 times lower on average when compared to conventional contact electrotherapy. It is employed for therapeutic purposes because of the non-specific biological impact of the magnetic component of the electromagnetic field. A magnetic field is produced around each conductor where an electric current flows. The magnetic field may be alternating, pulse, or static. Magnetotherapy activates the production of an electric current in the nerve fibers due to magnetic induction. This disables painful pulses traveling from the source of pain, through the spinal cord, and into the brain centers. This along with mechanisms, such as myorelaxation, the suppression of swelling and inflammation, and enhanced endorphin production, results in pain relief, as does the regulation of calcium ions traveling through the cell membrane and the stimulated endorphin production also add to vascular dilatation and the analgesic effect. The analgesic effect provides general convenience and helps to solve neuralgic pains and insomnia. Particularly beneficial results have been reported with painful pseudoradicular and radicular syndromes such as sciatica and nerve oppression with different causes). The therapy makes acidic metabolites move away more efficiently. Perfusion is increased and the activity of lactate-dehydrogenase is promoted, which creates relief from painful irritation in the muscles and in parts that suffer from long-term inflammation. The pain is relieved and painful muscle spasms, also known as contractures, cease. Swellings are absorbed more efficiently within the exposed part or area of the body because the therapy causes the metabolism to speed up, which means the therapy performs effectively to reduce pain and inflammation. The low-frequency pulse magnetic field evenly stimulates the exposed tissue. It passes through every cell and a weak electric current is created. The cell surface potential is adjusted, which affects cell membrane permeability and promotes blood circulation, nutrition, and oxygenation. This results in the effective elimination of metabolic waste from the exposed tissues which is the essential prerequisite for any healing process. It is the increase in metabolism, the reduction of waste and detoxification that generate the recovery and healing processes. Low-frequency magnetic therapy greatly promotes the process of healing, triggers the formation of new tissue (efficient growth of calcification and bone tissue and calcification). Magnetic therapy is appropriate for most painful conditions. Its aim is the most efficient reduction of pain possible. It can be applied in painful conditions where the cause of the pain is known. For example, in post-traumatic, degenerative, and inflammatory conditions, and more. An application of low analgesic frequencies lasting one hour prevents the need for additional therapy, for example, corrective exercise. This can be repeated as necessary and is used where acute pain results in the limitation of mobility. Longer applications are needed to achieve the analgesic effect. All programs with extensive pain reduction will, therefore, have longer application times. These types of programs can be constantly applied for many hours. It stops the transportation of pain sensations from nerve fibers to brain centers. The enhanced production of endorphins creates analgesic effects. Spasmolytic, anti-swelling, anti-inflammatory effects are also achieved, along with the efficient removal of acidic metabolites from tissues. There are several therapeutic devices established on the utilization of an electromagnetic field where different intensities of electric current are applied. The spectrum of the electromagnetic rays created by these devices is wide-ranging. The resulting biological impact is also different. This should not be used in patients with severe abdominal pain with an unknown cause, or with possible myocardial infarction to reduce the concealment of any clinical symptoms and avoid missing early diagnosis of serious diseases. Sources: https://www.news-medical.net/whitepaper/20191004/Exploring-the-Therapeutic-Effects-of-Magnetotherapy.aspx https://www.news-medical.net/whitepaper/20191004/Using-Magnetic-Therapy-in-Pain-Management.aspx https://www.news-medical.net/whitepaper/20191004/Therapeutic-Devices-Based-on-an-Electromagnetic-(EMG)-Field.aspx https://www.news-medical.net/whitepaper/20191004/The-History-of-Magnetotherapy.aspx