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Current List of Research Articles in PDF(Click on each link to view the article in PDF format) The Unified Theory of BiomineralizationLow-Frequency Magnetic Fields and Honeybee's Magnetic Planet Stimulation Magnetite Biomineralization in the Human Brain Magnetite Based Magnetoreception Magnetotactic Bacteria The Magnetic Sense and Long Distance Navigation by Animals The Physics and Neurobiology of Magnetoreception Articles and ResearchRead below to view other reports and findings on the science surrounding Magneurol6-S. Magnetic Field Deficiency Syndrome and Magnetic TreatmentTranslation of the article which appeared in the Japan Medical Journal No. 2745 December 4th, 1976 Kyoichi Nakagawa, M. D.
Preface> I. Advocation of the Magnetic Field Deficiency Syndrome Considering: 1. Facts gained from clinical studies, 2. The decreasing strength of the Earth's magnetic field and 3. The relationship between the human body and magnetism, I am of the following belief. The human body is under the influence of the Earth's magnetic field and is keeping some sort of balance relationship with it. However, under modern day living conditions, the effect of this field has decreased. Consequently, we can assume that for a certain human body, this lack of magnetism has caused some abnormalities. For this reason, by the external application of a magnetic field to the human body to supplement this deficiency, such abnormal conditions can be improved. In other words, I feel that there is a direct relationship between the decrease in the earth's magnetic field acting on the human body and the improvement of abnormal conditions of the human body by the application of magnetic fields. This is my reason for advocating the presence of the magnetic field deficiency syndrome in living bodies. It is not clear if a similar syndrome occurs in living bodies other than human beings. However, as from the clinical point of view I believe we can safely say that the syndrome does exist in human bodies, I refer hereafter to those only. II.Clinical Image of the Syndrome The symptoms of the syndrome are; "Stiffness" of the shoulders, back and scruff of the neck, uncertain lumbago, chest pains for no specific reason, habitual headache and heaviness of the head, dizziness and insomnia for uncertain reasons, habitual constipation, general lassitude, etc. Generally speaking, the specific cause of the illness is not noticeable or no specific relationship between the original illness and the derivative symptoms can be found. The symptoms neither improve nor get worse, no clue being gained from clinical examination. One or more of the above symptoms is usually noticed as the syndrome. Among those above-mentioned, there are, of course, some symptoms which accompany such illnesses as hypertension, diabetes, disease of the digestive organs, bone and nerve diseases, etc. However, as with the syndrome such symptoms continue even after the original disease has been treated or cured, any relationship between such symptoms and the original disease can be excluded. In other words, it is a syndrome in which no objective pathological findings can be noticed from routine physical and clinical examinations, but in which the subjective symptoms persist and are hard to improve, resisting various treatments but responding to the application of a magnetic field. An unbalance autonomic nervous system or part of such might be included in this syndrome. III. Basis For The Presence Of The Deficiency Syndrome Here, I wish to discuss the basis of the magnetic field deficiency syndrome. Firstly whether the application of a magnetic field to the human body is effective in improving such symptoms as mentioned in II, and secondly whether the magnetic field acting on the human body today is really in a deficient condition or not. 1. Treatment by application of a magnetic field to the human body Here I will deal with the cure of illnesses or improvement of symptoms by the use of a magnetic field. This is usually called magnetotherapy, and I will break it into two groups- research in Japan, and research abroad. a) Research in Japan During 1958 we (1-7), as part of the research on "Magnetism and Living Bodies", published the results of tests conducted to relieve stiffness of the shoulders. A reasonably high rate of success was achieved by having participants wear ferrite permanent magnet bands in the form of bracelets. The details of the tests were reported (6)(7) to the first symposium, Fujimoto(8) also reported finding the same magnetic bracelet effective in treating stiffness of the shoulders. Furthermore, Kimura et al. (7)(8) reported that by using two types of magnetic bracelets having surface flux densities of 470 gauss, improvement of subjective symptoms but no change in blood serum fat, blood serum protein and their fractions were noticed. Also, Nambu et al. (7) under the guidance of Kimura, by having 1,163 magnetic bracelets and for comparison 644 non-magnetized bracelets worn to treat stiffness of the shoulders, found a considerable difference between the two groups. Using hospitalized patients we (7) also tested foam rubber mattresses containing ferrite permanent magnets, reporting that improvement of subjective symptoms but no change in clinical tests was found. Tomizuka et al.(9)(10)(11), also reported finding magnetic fields effective in treating various diseases. In 1974, we (12-15) distributed questionnaire sheets with patch-on-the-skin type magneto-therapeutic devices used to treat subjective symptoms. By dividing the 11,648 cases into four groups and investigating from there, an over 90% effective rate was gained with a confidence coefficient of 99%, this being subsequently reported. Furthermore, we (13) reported an 82.1-96.3% effective rate at confidence coefficient 99% over a group of 120 cases using rare earth cobalt magnetic necklaces having a surface magnetic flux density of 1300 gauss. Also, we reported that at confidence coefficient 99%, no ill effects on the human body were noticed in various clinical examinations performed on the participants both before and after the two-week test period. Horie(16), in 1976 reported that in clinical tests of the magnetic ring, at the confidence coefficient 95% an effective rate of 76.3-97.3% was gained in treating stiffness of the shoulders. Using a blind test, he also found a considerable difference between magnetized and non-magnetized rings. Shimohira et al.(17) also tested the same magnetic ring in treating stiffness of the shoulders, finding that magnetized rings showed an 80.2% effective rate while non-magnetized rings showed a 6.3% effective rate. We (18), and Takahashi et al. (19) also reported a high rate of effectiveness in treating stiffness of the shoulders by using a magnetic necklace with a surface flux density of 700-900 gauss. At the same time, no ill effects on the human body could be found through clinical tests. In 1975, Ohta (20) reported that following four weeks usage, magnetized necklaces showed an effective rate of 65% while non-magnetized necklaces showed only 20%. Baba (68) also conducted research using the same necklace as Ohta, finding it effective in 14 out of 20 cases. Sugiura(14) also reported a noticeable difference between the effective rate of magnetized and non-magnetized necklaces, 78% and 17% respectively. Shimada(15) also used the same necklace in treating stiffness of the shoulders, the first week using a magnetized necklace, the second week a non-magnetized necklace and the third week the magnetized necklace again. The magnetic necklace showed an effective rate of 75% while the non-magnetic necklace showed only 24%. In 1976 Yamada et al (23) compared therapeutic effects of the magnetic necklace having a surface flux density of 1,300 gauss with another of 200 gauss by means of a blind test. Statistically, they noticed that the former was significantly more effective than the latter, and that both showed no disadvantageous side effects from the results of various clinical examinations. b) Research Abroad Magneto-therapy has a long history abroad, and the titles with a brief explanation of literature from past days are listed in the Bibliography of the Biological Effects of Magnetic Fields(24). In this publication, We find the thesis Eydam I. of 1843 on the application of a magnetic field to the human body for therapeutic purposes. I believe I can say that with the exception of Paracelas (25) or Gilbert(26) this is the oldest thesis on magneto-therapy. Following this in 1969, Maggiorani(27) reported that he gained effective and non-effective results in applying magnetism to the human body and that hysteria, ataxia and diabetes patients were most sensitive. In 1878, Charot and Renard(27) wrote of the effects of magnetism on hysteria and in 1879 Mueller(27) wrote that itchiness and pain were noticed when a magnetic field was applied to the human body. Westphal(27) and Gangee(27) reported in 1878 of abnormal skin feeling returning to normal on the application of magnetism. In the same year, Waldmann(28) announced his thesis on "Der Magnetismus in der Heilkunde". This was probably the first thesis concerning the application of a magnetic field to the treatment of illnesses. In 1879, Benedict(27) and Drosdov (27) reported that the application of a magnetic field reduced pain stemming from various causes. A thesis forwarded by Benedict, M. (29) in 1885 used the word Magneto-therapie, and in 1886 Quinan, J.R. (24)(30) announced a general history of the application of magnetism in medical science. As mentioned above, much interest was shown in the relationship between the magnetic field and the human body and it is thought that magnetism was actually used in clinical medicine as treatment. However, the application of magnetic fields in medicine had gradually faded, probably because of reports such as that of Peterson, F. and A.E. Kennelly(31) of the then influential Edison Laboratory who advocated that magnetism had no effect on the human body, and that of Hermann, L.(31) who reported finding no change in experiments using human beings and frogs. In 1902, Kurella, H.(24) published a report on treatment using magnetism, and Kuehn, W.(24) made public another on Heilmagnetismus. Also in 1902, Fere, C.(24) made public a report on the effect of magnetism on human physiological functions. Following that, under the title of "Heilmagnetismus", Moll, A.(24) forwarded his thesis on magneto-therapy. Payr, E.(24) in 1915 also wrote a thesis on the application of strong electromagnets in the medical field, and Kahame, M.(24) forwarded a thesis titled Magnetotherapie. As the above mentioned theses from abroad are very old, they are difficult to get in Japan and we have never read the originals only knowing them indirectly. However, judging from the titles of the theses, I believe we can safely presume magneto-therapy was tried and that it had quite a long history. Following this, during the 1920's, as far as I can ascertain only a few theses on magneto-therapy were forwarded. However, in 1928, Rosenberg(27) stated that "We must admit that until now no basis for acknowledging the effect of a constant magnetic field has been obtained." This appeared to become the established theory in western countries, and also appears to have been accepted in Japan. I believe it was because of this that research on magnetism in the medical and biological fields was deemed meaningless. In 1938, Hansen, K.M.(32) reported that patients suffering from subjective symptoms of sciatica, lumbago, joint pains, etc. but showing no findings in an X-ray examination, found relief when the constant field from an electromagnet was applied. The report further stated that magnetism was also effective in treating acute inflammatory illnesses and chronic gingivitis. It does not give the strength of the field used, but we can assume it to be quite strong. With this therapy, the S-pole was applied to the body for periods of 10-40 minutes, this being repeated several or in some cases over 10 times. Hansen, in 1944(33) and 1949(34) also forwarded her research on magnetic fields applied to the human body, but as this has no direct relationship to therapy I will not elaborate here. She states that from those studies it is found that magnetism applied to the human body functions mainly on the autonomic nervous system. During the 1950's, research on the removal of strongly magnetic objects from the human body was made (35)(36), but as this also does not fall into the category of magneto-therapy I will not elaborate. In 1960, Freeman, M.W.(37) forwarded his thesis on "Magnetism in Medicine", however this also does not deal with the therapeutic effects of magnetism. Sinkarera, L.F. et al.(38) reported in 1970 that a constant magnetic field was found effective in treating inflammatory illnesses of the female genital organs. In 1972, Degan, I.L.(39) experimented with applying a constant magnetic field of 450-530 gauss to the hands of patients suffering from Dupuytren's contracture incurable by drugs. the treatment lasted for 15-40 minutes at a time, this being repeated from 5-40 times depending on the case. The treatment was found effective on first-degree symptoms, and also considerable improvement was noticed as well in cases with second degree symptoms. c.) Deficiency of the Magnetic Field acting on the human body The earth's magnetic field is of course a stationary magnetic field working constantly on the human body. For this reason, I wish to discuss here whether this field is actually in a deficient state or not. Kawai(40) stated that the strength of the earth's field has decreased a total of 50% during the last 500 years, decreasing 5% over the past 100 years. Furthermore, it is said(41) that the total moment of the earth's magnetic field has been decreasing at the rate of 0.05% per year. Along these lines, Rikitake(42) also states that the magnetic moment of the earth is decreasing quite rapidly, the rate of decrease having reached about 5% per one hundred years. He maintains that if this continues the earth's magnetic field will eventually reach zero in 200 years. Along with this decrease, the angles of the earth's magnetic field are also said to be changing. It seems certain we can assume that the earth's magnetic field is decreasing in strength, and we can well imagine that this could be the cause of disorder in the human body. Furthermore, we also consider that there are other factors as well, which could play a part in decreasing the effect of the earth's field acting on the human body. Living or working in steel frame or steel structure buildings is one of these. Iron is several hundred to several thousand times more permeable than air(43), and so can absorb a large part of the magnetic lines of the earth's field thus sheltering people from such. Automobiles, electric trains, and ships are, to some extent, also sheltered places, the latter being especially so. To confirm this point, it is necessary to actually measure the field strength on the spot, and we are at the moment preparing to do this. However, the actual process of measurement seems to be very difficult(42). As the human race has long been under the influence of the earth's magnetic field I believe, as I mentioned before(7), that any change in this field could cause disorder in the human body. Kawai's book (40) is subtitled "The Earth's Magnetic Field Controls the Weather", and if this is really the situation, the human body will be influenced by this change in the weather. This can be shown as follows: Change in the earth's magnetic field leads to a change in the weather which leads to an influence on the human body and consequent disorder of some kind. However, even if the disorder in the human body occurs along these lines, it does not fall into the category we claim to be the Magnetic Field Deficiency Syndrome. The reason for this is that such a disorder would be caused indirectly by the change in the weather, and there would be no change in such a disorder which could be gained by applying a magnetic field directly to the human body. We are left with the question of how magnetic fields (including the earth's field) directly affect the human body, and I wish to take this up in the next article. There is a difference between each human body, and one such case could be suffering from a magnetic field deficiency even if there was no decrease in the strength of the earth's field. However, the people with the stated above show improvement when a magnetic field is applied, and we believe that at least with these people, there is a magnetic field deficiency. To summarize, the earth's magnetic field acting on the human body has, for various reasons, been decreasing and this is believed to cause some sort of disorder in the human body. Therefore, when by some method a magnetic field is applied to the human body it is clear that the symptoms can be improved (see referential literature quoted), and this is the basis for our advocating the presence of the magnetic field deficiency syndrome. IV. The Relationship Between Magnetic Fields and the Human Body Research on magnetic fields and the living body has become very active in recent years, much literature(57)(58)(67) having been published. In this article I wish, through items other than those concerning the treatment effects of magnetic fields which I discussed in article III, to discuss the relationship between magnetic fields and the human body. What I will take up here is concerned with the functional order of a magnetic field on the human body. There has been some excellent research done on the objective effects of a magnetic field applied to the human body. One of these by Okai, et al.(44-47) confirmed by using animals that new electric current is generated by electromagnetic induction when a magnetic field is applied to the blood stream. Then, by putting the human chest between the poles of an electromagnet or by generating a pulse between two poles placed as such, they detected, by using electrodes fixed to the skin, electromotive force by the blood flow across the magnetic field. They named this Magnetoheography. It was the first time the electric change occurring when a magnetic field is applied to the human body had been confirmed. Similar studies utilizing animals were made during 1964, 1966 and 1969 by Beischer, et al.(48)(49)(58) with squirrel monkeys. That using a 100 kilogauss field from a super-conductive electromagnet showed a similar electromotive force as in previous experiments on the human body. However, the experiment by Okai remains the first conducted on the human body. From these experimental results, it is now clear that, in the case of both human beings and animals, electromotive force is generated by the external application of a magnetic field to the body. This phenomenon was first announced by Farbre, P. (1932)(50) and Kolin, A. (1936)(51) who studied the electromagnetic induction in living bodies by using the exposed blood vessels of animals. It is the phenomenon of a new electromagnetic flowmeter utilizing this phenomenon, this being applied in the fields of biology and experimental medicine to study circulation. The results of much research on this subject have been published, but as it is not the main theme of this thesis I will not quote details. Since their time, the research of Farbre, P. and Kolin, A. has been adopted in the scope of physics, it being used to measure flow volume or flow speed in various fields(7). This branch of physics is called Magneto-hydrodynamics and publications by Alfven, H. (55) and cowling, T.G. (56) are available on the subject. Barnothy, M.F.(57) states that the electromotive force generated by this method creates Polarization Current and Conduction Current, these causing Electrolytic dissociation of body fluid which acts on the human body as stress. It is clear that an electric change will occur when a magnetic field is applied to the human body, but this is not an insertion of electrical energy into the it is only a conversion of a part of the motion energy of the body fluid into electrical energy through the medium of a magnetic field. Therefore, we cannot consider it as an insertion of energy as the energy of the magnetic field is much smaller than other physical phenomena used for therapy today. For this reason, the function of a magnetic field on the human (living) body is helping only from the angle that it converts one particular form of energy which the system contains. We(7) believe it is a "physical, catalyst-like function". For these reasons, we(7) feel that if such an energy change is produced by applying a magnetic field constantly to the human body, some change will occur in the body. To this effect, we believe that the therapeutic syndrome explained in II. If this is the case, we must consider the mal-effects on the human body as the result of the application of such a field. This point will be covered in article VI. Other phenomena which we feel could occur to the living (human) body when a magnetic field is applied to it are the Thermomagnetic effect and the Hall effect. (For details please refer to books specializing in this field). Barnothy, M.F.(57) also maintains that these effects occur, but to what extent they are important as a cause of the influence of a magnetic field on the human body has not been proven. Furthermore, we could of course think of the molecular biological function as an explanation of the relationship between magnetic fields and the human body(57)(58), however, we(7) think that with the strength of the magnetic fields used for therapy today, we need not consider this. For this reason, I will not include an explanation of this. Next, I wish to discuss the question of a magnetic field emanating from the human body. Whether or not there is such a field has already been confirmed, its presence being found using Magnetocardiography and Magnetoencepholography. Much research has been conducted on this phenomenon, but Tanaka and Ushio(59) summarize the point well. I will explain here the contents of this phenomenon. A magnetic field, although weak, is formed around the human body by the active current within the body, this field changing as the active current changes. The purpose of Magnetocardiography and Magnetoencepholography is to record the change of this field from outside the body, and to utilize these findings for diagnosis. This recording is very difficult to make as an instrument which is capable of measuring to at least 10^-7 gauss is necessary for external recording, and above this noise prevention is also a problem. We are still testing the possibility but so far without success. On the other hand, the earth's magnetic field has about a 5X10^-1 gauss magnetic flux density, and is incomparably stronger than that emanating from the human body. Therefore, for even a small change in the earth's field that of the human body will be much affected. This may even affect the active current within the human body. Therefore, for even a small change in the earth's field that of the human body will be much affected. This may even affect the active current within the human body, and we can imagine that this could be the cause of disorder or change in the body. When a magnetic field is applied externally to the human body, a field with a magnetic flux density of 10^2-10^3 gauss can be easily and continuously maintained. Further, we can imagine that the magnetic field emanating from the body could be affected considerably. There are some theses(64) which claim that the influence on the magnetic field emanating from the human (living) body by an outside field is the source of the function of fields on the body. As the earth's magnetic field is to some extent always working on the body, and as the body fluid is always in motion even when the body is at rest, it must be that electromotive force is constantly being generated by electromagnetic induction. Also, when a man is in motion, he moves across the magnetic field and in the same way as a conductive material moving across a magnetic field it is also possible to consider that electromotive force could be generated. For these reasons, the electromotive force generated when a man moves East-West and North-South will be different, the speed of motion also causing a difference. Summarizing what I have stated in this article and the contents of II, III, we assume the function of a magnetic field on the human body follows the steps shown in Fig. 1&2. However, there are many things still not clarified, but we believe that an approach to the solution both following and opposite to the direction of the arrows in Fig. 2. will lead to clarification of the problem(14)(15). I will not elaborate on this here. V. Treatment Effect Of Magnetism An attempt to improve symptoms and treat illnesses by the application of a magnetic field to the human body is called magnetotherapy as mentioned in III. a) Features of Magnetotherapy Most of the magnetotherapy cases mentioned in article III 1)b) employ an electromagnet, research done by Hansoen, K.M.(32)(33)(34) also employing such. For this reason, treatment consists of a series of applications each lasting for a maximum of 30-40 minutes. Contrary to this method, what we (7)(12-15) have been doing since 1957 is to apply a permanent magnet to the body for treatment, this making possible continuos treatment over a long period of time. Because of the recent remarkable development of magnetic flux density (max. 3 x 10^3 gauss) to the human body. We believe that the effectiveness of a magnetic field applied to the human body varies according to the following six factors. (1) Strength of the field (2) Uniformity of the field (3) Direction (4) Range of the field (5) Operational time (6) Position on the body to which the field is applied. These points I have already detailed (7)(14)(15) and will not elaborate here. When the point of application of the magnetic field and the point where the effect is felt do not coincide, for example the use of the magnetic bracelets and rings to cure shoulder stiffness, this is referred to as the Remote Effect of the magnetic field. However, when the patch-on-the-skin type devices are directly applied to the area in which the symptoms are felt, the effect is referred to as the Local Effect of the magnetic field. We believe that magnetic fields can function in both ways. Magnetic fields can be roughly divided into two types- the Stationary and the Varying Field. The latter is further divided into Alternating, Pulsating, Rotating and Travelling fields. Both in Japan and abroad, the influence exerted on living bodies by varying magnetic fields (mainly alternating and pulsating currents) has been studied. That treatment using varying magnetic fields is effective has been acknowledged and we have also been working with such. However, we are still not certain if it is helpful in treating the magnetic field deficiency syndrome or not, and for this reason I will note elaborate here. There are present around us electro-magnetic waves and also stationary and varying magnetic fields emanating from various electrical appliances, but it is not certain what sort of relationship these magnetic fields have with the supply of magnetism to the human body. b) Types of Magnetotherapeutic Devices and their Features In Japan, magnetotherapeutic devices are registered under the Drug Regulations Act of 1961 as No. 81 on the list covering Devices and Machines. This implementing of regulations to control the manufacture and sale of magnetotherapeutic devices happened three(1) years after we first reported on such devices to a medical congress, two years after the symposium on magnetism and the living body(6)(8) was held, and two years after we proposed the establishment of such regulations to the Minister of health and Welfare (according to my diary). Since that date, it has become illegal to manufacture and sell magnetotherapeutic devices have been officially approved. Today, such devices as the magnetic wristband (bracelet), magnetic ring, magnetic stomach belt, magnetic mattress, magnetic necklace, magnetic arch plate, magnetic patch-on-skin device, etc., are being marketed. There are also some other types of devices available. Generally, these magnetotherapeutic devices apply a stationary magnetic field to the human body, but the magnetic arch plate will cause the magnetic flux density to vary with each step when walking, this producing a varying magnetic field. Especially when permanent magnets are attached to the bottom of shoes or sandals, the factor working as a varying magnetic field can be large. Necklaces will swing with motion of the body, and this could also possibly produce the characteristics of a varying field. However, in the case of necklaces the stationary magnetic field factor is substantial, and this is believed to be helping to supply magnetism to the body. We, in our routine medical practice, are using as a first choice suitable magnetotherapeutic devices as mentioned in II, and with such have been achieving quite high effective rates. Magnetotherapeutic devices have the following features: 1) They can be easily used. With the new magnetic materials which have been developed, the desired magnetic flux density can be achieved with a small size, and the users can wear them in the same way as other costume jewelry or accessories. Regarding continuous usage, I wish to say the following. By using magnetotherepeutic devices, the symptoms described in II can be improved within one week in the majority of cases. However, if usage is continued for two to six months, the symptoms will sometimes return. This, we believe, is caused by habituation in the human body, the same phenomenon being noticed with drugs. Therefore, once the symptoms disappear following use of the device, we suggest removal of such until the symptoms re-appear. By repetition of this procedure, the 'habituation' phenomenon can be prevented can be prevented and the device can be expected to remain effective over a long period of time. Furthermore, we suggest that the user himself decide when he will wear the device, for example only at night or only during the day, etc. We suggest he wear it so that he feels the least embarrassment while gaining the greatest effect. Regarding the magnetic flux density working on the body, Yamada et al.(23) report that from their studies magnetic necklaces with a surface flux density of 1,300 gauss showed a significantly greater therapeutic effect than those of only 200 gauss. We(60) also have compared the effectiveness of necklaces having a magnetic flux density of 700 gauss and 1,300 gauss, but found no significant difference from the point of view of effect. However, we did get the impression that the latter necklace required less time to take effect than the former. For this reason, I believe that to be suitably effective on the human body, a magnetic field with a flux density of over 500 gauss must be applied. I believe that even with fields having a magnetic flux density of over 1,500 gauss, the only change will be that the necessary time of application will be shorter. This should be no problem as such time is easy to regulate. Regarding side-effects, we could not detect anything serious but did have occasional reports of people feeling a 'rush of blood to the head' or a 'dull-headed' feeling. In our study(60), we had 4 out of 166 report such feelings. However, even with these people the stiffness in the shoulders was improved and I suggest that in such cases people accustom their bodies to the necklace by repeated intermittent usage of it. As stated in III 1)a), no change disadvantageous to the human body could be found by the clinical tests. The reason for the presence of only very minor side effects is that as stated in IV magnetic fields only cause a conversion of energy within the system of an individual body, the actual input of energy being very small. Regarding the pole of the magnet to be applied to the body, Davis, A.R. et al.(61) reported that the S-pole has a soothing effect while the N-pole has an exciting effect. However, there are no referential quotations or data given to prove this point, and nothing is really clear. We did hold discussions with Davis, A.R. et al. in their laboratory in Florida, U.S.A. during a four-day stay there in 1972, but we could not receive data to back up the point and could not agree with their idea. At the present stage, we believe that whether the N-pole or the S-pole is applied has no significant bearing on the effect of the treatment. VI. Magnetic Field Surplus Syndrome To be brief, it is not confirmed at present whether a magnetic field Surplus Syndrome exists or not. As stated in V, some users have experienced a rush of blood to the head, etc., on use of magnetotherapeutic devices and this could be such a syndrome. Regarding human bodies exposed to strong magnetic fields, Beischer, et al.(57) have tested a 20,000 gauss field, and from the results of this report that, with the exception of some cases of tooth-ache, no subjective symptoms were noticed when human beings were exposed to the field for a short time. We are also informed that people working within strong magnetic fields are in good health, and we plan to look into this point in the future. VII. Study The human race, having been living on this earth, has been influenced by at least two physical phenomena- gravity and the earth's magnetic field. The relationship between gravity and the human body and, in relationship to recent space travel, the influence of a no-gravity condition on the human body have been the objects of research. On the contrary, however, this is hardly true when it comes to the study of the earth's magnetic field on the human body. In the field of biology and field science, there has been some research done on the influence on test animals shielded from magnetic fields(58)(62), and during 1935-1976 research on the effects on the human body of being exposed to a very weak magnetic field for a ten day, one month and five year period of time was conducted(63). However, no reliable uniform information was forthcoming, and the relationship between the earth's magnetic field and the living body is still unclarified. We are well aware that the following definite steps are needed to confirm the magnetic field deficiency syndrome. 1) For the human body to be kept in a test room shielded from all magnetic fields, but maintaining the same living conditions as people outside. If the results of these studies are all affirmative in nature, then the magnetic field deficiency syndrome can be established. However, as any such study is virtually impossible, I advocate the presence of the magnetic field deficiency syndrome on the basis of what I stated in III. As a result of our research starting from the therapeutic effects gained by artificially adding and applying magnetic fields to the human body, we have reached the above conclusion. As Hansen, K.M.(34) stated in her report, the study of the relationship between magnetism and the living body as well as magnetotherapy was referred to in pre-1950 Europe as Magnetism = Mesmerism = Charlatanism. Because of this, when we first announced the results of our research in 1958, we were the objects of severe criticism and reproach(65)(66). Some so-called 'people of authority' in Japan, have in the past made, through the media of mass communication, negative or careless statements about the impossibility of magnetic fields having an effect on the human body. None of these statements were based on their own study or referential literature. These statements caused much annoyance to us and to this field of research, but as there was no basis for these statements I will not quote them here but will leave it until some other opportunity. In Closing I have stated here that we advocate the presence of the magnetic field deficiency syndrome, and also the basis for such a statement. The reason for my daring to put pen to paper and write such a thesis as this at this time is that if research in this field will be taken up my by many clinical doctors through actual application of this therapy, further data will be added to that available now and this will be established as a new field of therapy. What I have stated here about the therapeutic effects of magnetic fields is based on many study results, and I believe I can safely say that the contents of this report will not be contradicted at the present time. If, however, further studies are added to what I have stated, my belief might either be revised or supplemented in the future. However, I feel that when that happens, the total scope of the relationship between magnetic fields and the human body will have been clarified. Acknowledgement We wish to express our thanks to the authors whose reports are referred to in this publication. Research on "Magnetic fields and living bodies" has been collaborated by the following doctors and clinical examiners of our hospital. Dr. Yorito Hayashi, The late Dr. Kimito Takamatsu, Dr. Takamasa Nagano, Dr. Hiroshi Araoka, Mr. Akira Otake and Mr. Kenji Shimizu. Furthermore, this research has been supported by Professor Kaneyoshi Tanak, Lecturer Tadahiro Ushio of The Musashi Institute of Technology and Dr. Masaie Horioka, Ex-director of The National Institute of Electrics. The outline of this thesis was reported to The 3rd Conference on "Magnetic Fields and Living Bodies" held in Tokyo on Nov. 6, 1976. This English version was made possible with the assistance of TDK Electronics Co., Ltd., Tokyo Japan. Address of the author: c/o Isuzu Hospital, 26-10, Minami-Lhi6-chome, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 140 Japan. Magnetic Healing: What’s the Attraction?Laurance Johnston, Ph.D. “Magnetism is the King of All Secrets.” Paracelus Physical disability, such as spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis (MS), and post polio syndrome, often aggravates many ailments that are amenable to magnetic therapy, an increasingly popular alternative medicine modality. In the late eighteenth century, Franz Anton Mesmer used bar magnets and hypnotic “animal magnetism” (i.e., mesmerization) to treat patients. Due to the controversy surrounding this procedure, France’s King Louis the XVI formed a prestigious commission composed of pre-eminent scientists, including Benjamin Franklin, to investigate Mesmer. Although this scrutiny ruined Mesmer’s career, in a paradoxical twist of fate, commission member Joseph Guillotin’s invention later beheaded the King, as well as many other commission members. Mesmer died many years later. Until relatively recently, scientists believed that life was mostly a biochemical process. The idea that magnetic fields could significantly influence living systems seemed far-fetched. Perspectives have shifted rapidly, however, and many scientists now believe that at some level we are fundamentally electromagnetic creatures. This radical paradigm shift has profound medical implications because modern medicine has focused on biochemical processes. If these processes are influenced by our electromagnetic nature, any healing approach that focuses exclusively on them will ultimately be limited. Life’s Magnetic Nature Examples of life’s magnetic nature are now plentiful. Many creatures, such as homing pigeons, butterflies, and bees navigate using Earth’s magnetic field. Even humans can roughly sense magnetic direction. These abilities, in part, appear to be mediated through a magnetic substance called magnetite, which has been discovered in the tissue, including the human brain, of many living things. Researchers have found magnetite clusters near the brain’s all-important, magnetically sensitive pineal gland, which secretes hormones affecting the entire body. Not only are we affected by magnetic fields but we also generate them. For example, scientists can measure the brain and heart’s magnetic fields with instruments called the magnetoencephalograph and magnetocardiogram, respectively. Life’s magnetic potential is so great that we can even defy gravity under the right circumstances. For example, scientists can levitate frogs by using high-intensity magnetic fields. When subjected to such strong fields, spinning electrons within the frog align themselves to cumulatively create a small magnetic field. Like a compass needle repulsed by a bar magnet, the large external field repels the frog’s small field sufficiently to counteract gravity. History Magnetism has always been a part of mankind’s healing armamentarium. Many indigenous and ancient civilizations - including the Hebrews, Arabs, Indians, Chinese, Egyptians, and Greeks - used magnets for healing. According to Legend, Cleopatra wore a magnetic amulet on her forehead to preserve her youth; this placement put it near the brain’s magnetically sensitive pineal gland. One of the more influential figures in magnetic-healing history was the 15th century physician Paracelus, who helped to bring medicine out of the Dark Ages. Supposedly, the inspiration for Goethe’s Dr. Faustus, who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge, Paracelus had visionary insights on the role of energetic forces, including magnetism, in healing. These insights anticipated by nearly 500 years the underlying concepts of modern mind-body disciplines, such as psychoneuroimmunolgy and many holistic approaches. Basically, Paracelus believed that magnetic force could energize the body and promote self-healing. His work greatly influenced Mesmer. In America, magnet use soared after the Civil War. People could even order the devices through the Sears Roebuck catalog. Turn-of-the-century medical texts devoted chapters to the subject. However, as pharmaceutical approaches revolutionized medicine, magnetic therapy lost its appeal - until recently when the limitations of these approaches became more evident. The magnetic healing renaissance has been remarkable. Millions of people throughout the world now use magnets, sales total more than $2 billion a year, and cost-conscious, health-insurance companies cover the therapy. How They Work Magnetism is created primarily by the spin of electrons within a substance. If the spin of sufficient numbers of electrons is aligned, the substance becomes magnetic. Although iron is readily magnetized because of its many surplus electrons, virtually all substances can be magnetized. Natural magnets – lodestones - were created when iron-containing lava cooled and was magnetized by Earth’s magnetic field. Most magnets are now made by passing a strong surge of direct-current (DC) electricity through an iron bar. Their strength has been greatly increased by combining iron with other elements. Therapeutic Uses Magnets are available in a wide-range of materials, strengths, and shapes: tiny BB-size used by acupuncturists, dime-size, neodymium (a rare-earth metal) of extraordinary power, domino, rectangular block, and flexible magnets of any size and shape. Therapeutic magnets are often cased in ceramic or embedded in an elastic patch or flexible strip. They are incorporated in wrist and back supports, seat and mattress pads, jewelry, and clothing-related items, such as shoe inserts and belts. Many medical applications and scientific studies have used pulsed electromagnetic fields. In these fields, the electric current generating the magnetic field is turned on and off at a specified frequency. Because magnetic fields drop off quickly with distance, the closer the magnet is to the skin the better. Although effectiveness may wear off as the body adapts, magnets may be worn as long as desired. Strength A magnet’s therapeutic strength is a function of magnetic flux - measured in gauss - and physical size. For reference, Earth’s magnetic field is 0.5 gauss, a refrigerator magnet holding a shopping list about 10 gauss, and a cupboard-door latch magnet about 400. Therapeutic magnets range from 200 to over 10,000 gauss. Magnet size is also therapeutically important. For example, small neodymium magnets may have strength in excess of 10,000 gauss. However, because their fields can only penetrate a few inches into the body, they are used for treating localized conditions. In contrast, a large block magnet of much lower flux strength may penetrate through the body. Given the importance of size, the profound influence Earth’s small 0.5-gauss field has on life is more readily understandable. Polarity Although understudied, a magnet’s poles appear to exert different healing effects. The north one (the side that attracts the north-pole-seeking end of a compass needle) calms, sedates, and reduces inflammation. In contrast, the south pole stimulates and promotes healing, growth and activity. How Magnets Affect the Body Although not exactly sure how, scientists believe that magnetic fields perturb the body’s own magnetic energy, which, in turn, triggers more conventional biochemical and physiological mechanisms. Magnetic fields:
Healing Applications People have used magnetic therapy to treat many ailments. In Healing with Magnets, Gary Null provides an extensive list of not only these ailments but also supporting scientific studies (see Table). General uses include relief of pain and discomfort, reduction of inflammation, improved circulation, the ability to fight infections, reduction of stress, sleep promotion, correction of various central nervous system disorders, overall energy enhancement, acceleration of healing (especially bone fractures), and athletic performance enhancement. Because paralysis aggravates many ailments amenable to magnetic therapy, it may be especially relevant for people with spinal cord dysfunction (SCD). Studies have shown that magnetic therapy is effective in controlling pain, enhancing circulation, promoting wound healing, reducing carpal tunnel syndrome, etc. (For specific ailments, review the listed resources.) Pain Pain is a societal problem of enormous proportions. For example, 80 % of Americans have severe back pain sometime in their lives, 40-million suffer from arthritic pain, and 40-million have recurrent headaches. Chronic pain alone costs the economy nearly $100 billion a year. Painkilling drugs do not seem to be the answer. Their effectiveness is limited, the body builds up tolerance, and side effects hospitalize over 76,000 people each year. Because of the need, pain has been the most emphasized magnetic-therapy application. Numerous studies support its efficacy. Post-Polio Syndrome One of the more scientifically rigorous of these studies focussed on the pain associated with post-polio syndrome (PPS) (see Vallbona, et al., Archives Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. November, 1997). As is frequently the situation with SCD, individuals with PPS experience pain for a variety of reasons, such as over-use injuries or joint and muscle inactivity. This study used a double-blind design, the scientific “gold-standard” for showing effectiveness. The design eliminates the psychological placebo effect because neither physician nor subject knows who receives treatment or placebo control. Physicians strapped either a small, low-intensity magnet or inactive magnet (placebo) to the most sensitive sore spots of 50 subjects with PPS, who were experiencing arthritic or muscle pain. Overall, 76% of the subjects who received the active magnet reported a decrease in pain. In contrast, only 19 % with an inactive magnet felt an improvement. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Magnetic fields also seem to relief MS symptoms. Several double-blind and many case studies suggest that pulsed electromagnetic fields can ease pain and spasticity and improve bladder control, cognitive function, fatigue level, mobility and vision in people with MS. (see Richards, et al., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, August, 1998). Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Many people believe that electromagnetic energy will eventually play a paramount role in neuronal regeneration and restoring function after spinal cord injury. Animal studies indicate that pulsed electromagnetic fields stimulate both peripheral and spinal cord neuronal regeneration, as well as functional recovery. These fields influence 1) calcium influx through the neuronal cell membrane, which affects essential cellular functions; and 2) levels of key nerve growth factors, which affect regeneration. Furthermore, studies suggest that magnetic fields alter the physical matrix of the tissue scar that forms after spinal cord injury in a way that is less inhibitory to neuronal re-growth. Spinal cord injury clinical applications of magnetism are growing. For example, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the best ways to visualize the brain and spinal cord. A technique called functional magnetic stimulation enhances urination and defecation, prevents deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) by inducing leg contractions, and increases respiratory and coughing capability. And pulsed electromagnetic energy accelerates pressure ulcer healing. Finally, there are anecdotal reports of some function being restored in humans using magnetic therapy, which will be discussed in a future article. Conclusion It is predicted that electromagnetism will become the foundation of 21st century medicine or, at least, the mortar that integrates the biochemical concepts that have been so fundamental to the medicine of the last century. Already providing important clinical applications, as well as tantalizing insights into neuronal regeneration, as Paracelus said “Magnetism is the King of all Secrets.” Helpful Resources: For further information, consult: Magnetic Therapy: The Pain Cure Alternative by R. Lawrence, P. Rosch, & J. Plowden, Prima Publishing (1998). Healing with Magnets by G. Null, Carroll & Graf Publishers, (1998) Magnetic Healing by B. Payne, Lotus Press, (1997). The Pain Relief Breakthrough by J. Whitaker and B. Adderly, Little, Brown, & Company (1998). Magnetic Therapy: Plausible Attraction?Long considered only a component of quack medicine, magnetic therapy has received a boost from a recent study at the Baylor College of Medicine. Is it plausible? James D. Livingston A double-blind study at Baylor College of Medicine, published last November in Archives of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (Vallbona 1997), concluded that permanent magnets reduce pain in post-polio patients, and the results were heralded in The New York Times and on Bryant Gumbel's Public Eye. PBS's Health Week and Time magazine recently reported on the growing use of magnets by champion senior golfers and other professional athletes to relieve pain. Magnetic pain relief products are now sold in many golf shops, and ads for them appear in national golf and tennis magazines. Long a significant component of the health industry in Japan and China, magnetic therapy is becoming a more and more visible part of the alternative-medicine boom in the United States and Europe. Is it all just hokum, as many previously assumed, or is magnetic therapy becoming scientifically respectable? Early History For thousands of years, wonder and magic were associated with the mysterious forces exerted by natural magnets -- magnetite-rich rocks, today called lodestones. Many trace magnetic therapy back to Paracelsus (1493-1543), a physician and alchemist who reasoned that since magnets have the power to attract iron, perhaps they can also attract diseases and leach them from the body. Charles Mackay, in Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841), says of Paracelsus that "his claim to be the first of the magnetisers can scarcely be challenged." But Paracelsus was also aware of the important role of the patient's mind in the process of healing (Buranelli 1975). He wrote, "The spirit is the master, the imagination is the instrument, the body is the plastic material. The moral atmosphere surrounding the patient can have a strong influence on the course of the disease. It is not the curse or the blessing that works, but the idea. The imagination produces the effect." Paracelsus was apparently well aware of the placebo effect. The development in eighteenth-century England of carbon-steel permanent magnets more powerful than lodestones brought renewed interest in the possible healing powers of magnets, and among those interested was Maximilian Hell, a professor of astronomy at the University of Vienna. Hell claimed several cures using steel magnets, but he was rapidly eclipsed by a friend who borrowed his magnets to treat a young woman suffering from a severe mental illness. The friend was Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), and Mesmer's success with the "magnets from Hell" led directly to his widespread promotion of his theory of "animal magnetism." Although he first used actual magnets, he later found he could "magnetize" virtually anything -- paper, wood, leather, water -- and produce the same effect on patients. He concluded that the animal magnetism resided in himself, the various materials simply aiding the flow of the "universal fluid" between him and the patients. Mesmer became so successful in Paris that in 1784 King Louis XVI established a Royal Commission to evaluate the claims of animal magnetism, a commission that included Antoine Lavoisier and Benjamin Franklin among its members. They conducted a series of experiments and concluded that all the observed effects could be attributed to the power of suggestion, and that "the practice of magnetization is the art of increasing the imagination by degrees." Thomas Jefferson, arriving in Paris soon after the Commission report, noted in his journal: "Animal magnetism is dead, ridiculed." Ridiculed, perhaps, but not dead. Mesmer himself faded from public view, but "magnetizing" persisted in various forms. Many early magnetizers evolved into students of hypnosis and developed various forms of hypnotherapy. (The trance induced in many of Mesmer's patients is thought to be what is now called a hypnotic trance, and most dictionaries today list mesmerism as a synonym for hypnotism.) One American who became interested in magnetic healing was Daniel David Palmer, who opened Palmer's School of Magnetic Cure in Iowa in the 1890s. His ideas developed into the system of hands-on therapy known as chiropractic. Others focused on hand gestures without actual touch, an approach recently reborn as "therapeutic touch." [See "Catching Up With Eighteenth Century Science in the Evaluation of Therapeutic Touch, " by Thomas S. Ball and Dean D. Alexander, this issue, p. 31] Mary Baker Eddy was "cured" by a magnetizer, but she later became convinced that cures could best be achieved through prayer, and founded Christian Science. Most of these byproducts of mesmerism, like Mesmer himself, ceased to use actual magnets. But the development of electrical technology in the late nineteenth century impressed the general public with the mysterious powers of electric and magnetic fields, and therapeutic magnets had a rebirth, with many "doctors" promoting magnets to relieve pain, enhance sleep, and cure a wide variety of diseases. The most notable of these was Dr. C. J. Thacher, whom Collier's Magazine dubbed "King of the magnetic quacks" (Macklis 1993). His 1886 mail-order catalogue offered a variety of magnetic garments, and a complete costume contained more than 700 magnets, which provided "full and complete protection of all the vital organs of the body." In the twentieth century, materials scientists and engineers have developed stronger and stronger permanent magnets -- alnico magnets in the 1930s, ferrite (ceramic) magnets in the 1950s, and rare-earth magnets in the 1970s and 1980s. The latest rare-earth magnets, neodymium-iron-boron, are more than a hundred times more powerful than the steel magnets available in the last century to Edison, Bell, and C. J. Thacher (Livingston 1996). Both ferrite magnets and the latest "neo" magnets have had a tremendous impact on modern technology, but they have also restimulated interest in the use of permanent magnets for magnetic therapy. Most magnetic therapy products today, like most refrigerator magnets, contain inexpensive ferrite magnets, but many suppliers offer neodymium "supermagnets" in their top-of-the-line products. Magnetic Therapy Today Both ferrite and rare-earth magnets, unlike earlier magnetic materials such as steels and alnicos, have great resistance to demagnetization, allowing thin disks to be magnetized. (Earlier magnets had to be long and thin to avoid being demagnetized by the internal fields produced by the poles at the ends.) This feature allows modern magnets to be mounted in a variety of thin products that can be applied to the body with the magnetic field emanating from the surface. Some suppliers recommend applying magnetic patches directly to your aches and pains, while others recommend applying small Band-Aid-like patches to acupuncture points. Magnetic belts containing sixteen or more magnets are purported to ease back pain, and similar magnetic wraps are offered for almost any part of the body, including hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and feet (magnetic insoles are particularly popular). For headaches you can wear magnetic headbands, magnetic earrings, or magnetic necklaces. (One company marketing magnetic necklaces provides simple instructions: the necklace should be put on as soon as the headache appears and removed as soon as it goes away. Since most headaches come and go, following these instructions precisely will clearly produce persuasive evidence of the necklace's efficacy.) Many magnetic necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are formed from silver- and gold-rich magnetic alloys and promoted as both fashionable and therapeutic. One catalog claims magnetic earrings "stimulate nerve endings that are associated with head and neck pain," and magnetic bracelets "act upon the body's energy field" and "correct energy imbalances brought by electro-magnetic contamination or atmospheric changes." Larger items include magnetic seat cushions, magnetic pillows, and magnetic mattress pads, the last claiming to produce an "energizing sleep field." One supplier offers a PCD -- Prostate Comfort Device for older men. If properly placed while you sit watching television or driving your car, you will no longer have to get out of bed several times a night to relieve yourself! To avoid trouble with the Food and Drug Administration, most suppliers emphasize only "comfort" and usually specifically state "no medical claims are made." Some, however, are far less careful. One company in Kansas markets a book entitled Curing Cancer With Supermagnets. The authors of the book claim to have cured cancer simply by hanging a neodymium "supermagnet" around the patient's neck. The cancer discussed in the advertisement was a breast cancer, but they report that "the supermagnets influence the whole body" and "our method can cure all types of cancer." Many magnetic therapy products have alternating arrays of north and south poles facing the patient. Some have detailed explanations of why a circular pattern of poles is optimal, while others offer poles in checkerboard or triangular patterns. Nikken, the Japan-based firm that has used a multilevel marketing scheme to expand from an annual business in the U. S. of $3 million in 1989 to $150 million today, primarily offers products with alternating poles. One clear difference between such multipolar magnetic devices and unipolar devices (with only one pole facing the patient) is the "reach" of the magnetic field. The field from even unipolar magnets decreases very rapidly with increasing distance from the magnet, but the field from multipolar magnets decreases much more rapidly. If multipolar magnets really have any effects on the human body, they will be limited to depths of penetration of only a few millimeters. (Many refrigerator magnets are multipolar, which limits the thickness of paper they can hold to the refrigerator, but also limits the damage they can do to nearby credit and ATM cards.) Other suppliers offer only unipolar magnets, and some emphasize the importance of having only south-seeking poles facing the body. Contrary to common scientific usage, they call south-seeking poles north poles. Since opposite poles attract, they argue that a pole that seeks south must be a north pole. (Here practitioners of magnetic therapy are perhaps more logical than mainstream science, which calls the south-seeking pole a south pole, requiring that the earth's magnetic pole in Antarctica is, by the standard scientific terminology, a north pole.) Dr. Buryl Payne, in his book The Body Magnetic (1988), argues that south-seeking poles calm tissue but north-seeking poles stimulate tissue, and you should therefore never expose tumors or infections to north-seeking poles. When I suggested to one practitioner that different effects from different poles seemed to violate basic rules of symmetry, he assured me that the rules were reversed in the southern hemisphere. One of the most ardent advocates of magnetic therapy is Dr. William Philpott of Oklahoma, who publishes his own Magnetic Energy Quarterly. He is also on the board of the Bio-Electro-Magnetics Institute of Reno, Nevada, a nonprofit "research and educational organization" and an advisor to the NIH Office of Alternative Medicine. His wife happens to have a business selling "Polar Power Magnets." Dr. Ronald Lawrence of California is President of the North American Academy of Magnetic Therapy and reports that he has successfully used magnets to relieve pain in hundreds of his patients. He is associated with Magnetherapy, a Florida company that markets "Tectonic Magnets." Both Dr. Philpott and Dr. Lawrence favor unipolar magnets. The efficacy of magnetic therapy (or of any other medical treatment, mainstream or alternative) does not depend on our understanding the biological mechanism. Nevertheless most promoters of magnetic therapy recognize the need for offering some plausible explanation. The mechanism most commonly offered for various therapeutic effects of magnets is improved blood circulation, despite a lack of clear evidence for such an effect. Other suggestions include alteration of nerve impulses, increased oxygen content and increased alkalinity of bodily fluids, magnetic forces on moving ions, and decreased deposits on the walls of blood vessels. The broadest explanation was presented by Dr. Kyochi Nakagawa of Japan, who claims that many of our modern ills result from "Magnetic Field Deficiency Syndrome." The earth's magnetic field is known to have decreased about 6 percent since 1830, and indirect evidence suggests that it may have decreased as much as 30 percent over the last millennium. He argues that magnetic therapy simply provides some of the magnetic field that the earth has lost. Magnetic therapy is also prominent in the treatment of thoroughbred racehorses. An injured racehorse represents potential loss of a substantial investment, providing considerable incentive to try "alternative medicine" to supplement mainstream veterinary treatment. Magnetic pads for a variety of leg problems, magnetic blankets, magnetic hoof pads, etc., all get ringing endorsements from many horse trainers -- and even some veterinarians. One marketer of magnetic products for humans reports that he first became convinced of their effectiveness when he used them on his ailing llama! Enthusiasts argue that the placebo effect could not be effective on horses or other animals, but forget that it may influence the human who is interpreting the effect of magnetic therapy on the animal. The Baylor Study These examples and the centuries-old connection between magnets and quackery, have led many to consider modern magnetic therapy as total hokum, with the many testimonials for the success of magnetic treatments explainable by placebo effects. But the Baylor study, seemingly a careful double-blind study, has surprised many. The study was conducted by Dr. Carlos Vallbona on fifty post-polio patients at Baylor's Institute for Rehabilitation Research in Houston. Bioflex, Inc., of Corpus Christi provided both the magnets (multipolar, circular pattern) and a set of visually identical sham magnets to serve as controls. To keep the study "double-blind" neither the patients nor the staff were informed as to which devices were active magnets, and which were shams. Before and after the forty-five-minute period of magnet therapy, the patients were asked to grade their pain on a scale from 0 to 10. The twenty nine patients with active magnets reported, on average, a significant reduction of pain (from 9.6 to 4.4), while the twenty-one patients with shams reported a much smaller average reduction (from 9.5 to 8.4). This is a substantial difference, and if the double-blind study was successfully conducted, cannot be explained by a placebo effect. For a hardened skeptic, some doubts remain. Both Dr. Vallbona and his colleague, Dr. Carlton Hazlewood, had reported the successful personal use of magnets to relieve their own knee pains prior to the study, raising doubts as to their objectivity. Conscious or unconscious biases of researchers can have very subtle and unrecognized effects on the results of their studies, and a serious difficulty of conducting any double-blind studies with magnets is the ease of distinguishing active magnets from sham magnets (although the patients were reportedly observed during the therapy period to assure that they were not surreptitiously testing their magnets). Another difficulty of any studies of pain relief is the highly subjective nature of the data. Despite these various reasons for caution, the results of this study have altered the views of many physicians. Dr. William Jarvis, president of the National Council Against Health Fraud, had formerly dismissed magnet therapy as "essentially quackery." He now tentatively admits that it may have value for post-polio pain. More studies will be needed before magnetic therapy will be accepted by a majority of the medical community, and some studies are already underway. Last year the NIH Office of Alternative Medicine gave a million-dollar grant to Dr. Ann Gill Taylor of the School of Nursing of the University of Virginia to study the use of magnets to relieve pain. Among other things, she will be testing the effectiveness of magnetic sleep pads in relieving pain in patients suffering from fibromyalgia, a common disease involving joint and muscle pain. While we wait for the results of these and other studies, does what we know about magnetic fields and the human body make it plausible that magnetic therapy for pain might have a physical basis beyond mind/body effects? Magnetic Fields and the Body The electrochemical processes of the human body are extremely complex and incompletely understood, and physical effects of magnetic fields cannot be ruled out. Many thousands of papers have in fact been published on biological effects of electromagnetic fields, much of it focused on the effects of radio-frequency and microwave fields or, in recent years, on fields at power-line frequencies (fifty or sixty cycles per second). Studies of biological effects of steady magnetic fields (reviewed by Frankel and Liburdy 1996) have concentrated mostly on high fields of the level encountered in MRI magnets, typically of the order of 10,000 gauss (1 tesla). Unfortunately, research has been very limited at field levels typical of magnetic therapy products, most of which are limited to a few hundred gauss, even at the magnet surface. (The earth's field is a bit less than half a gauss.) Viewed simply as inert material, the human body, like its primary constituent, water, is diamagnetic, i.e., weakly repelled by magnetic fields. In response to an applied magnetic field, the electrons in water molecules make slight adjustments in their motions, producing a net magnetic field in the opposing direction about 100,000 times smaller than the applied field. With the removal of the applied field, the electrons return to their original orbits, and the water molecules once again become nonmagnetic. (We perhaps should note that some promoters of magnetic therapy also promote "magnetized water." You can't magnetize water. Although water responds weakly to an applied field, the response disappears as soon as the field is removed.) Although the diamagnetism of water and most living things is very weak, a high-field electromagnet producing 160,000 gauss (16 tesla) at the center of the coil has recently been used to levitate not only water drops but also flowers, grasshoppers, and small frogs (Berry and Geim 1997), the "flying frogs" drawing worldwide media coverage. Since fields of that magnitude are required to balance gravitational forces, the much lower fields of magnetic-therapy devices can only produce diamagnetic forces that are thousands of times smaller than gravity. (The repulsive force will be proportional to the product of the field and the field gradient.) Some dubious literature suggests that magnetic fields attract blood, citing all the iron it contains. However, iron in the blood is very different from metallic iron, which is strongly magnetic because the individual atomic magnets are strongly coupled together by the phenomenon we call ferromagnetism. The remarkable properties of ferromagnetic materials are a result of the cooperative behavior of many, many magnetic atoms acting in unison. The iron in blood consists instead of isolated iron atoms within large hemoglobin molecules, located inside the red blood cells. Although each of the iron atoms is magnetic, it is not near other iron atoms, and remains magnetically independent. The net effect of the weak paramagnetism of the isolated iron atoms in hemoglobin is only a slight decrease in the overall diamagnetism of blood. Blood, like water, is weakly repelled by magnetic fields, not attracted. Although most components of the human body and other living things are weakly diamagnetic, many organisms have been shown to contain small amounts of strongly magnetic materials, usually magnetite (Fe3O4). The most extreme case is that of magnetotactic bacteria, originally found in mud collected from the marshes of Cape Cod. Each contains a long chain of magnetite particles that interact strongly enough with the earth's magnetic field to orient the bacteria along the field. Magnetite crystals have also been found in pigeons, honeybees, many mammals, and even in the human brain, but in proportionately much smaller amounts than in the bacteria. It seems very unlikely that there is enough magnetite within the human body to provide a possible mechanism to explain magnetic therapy. However, if magnetite particles were located at strategic places, they could locally amplify the effects of low magnetic fields and, for example, modify ion flow across cell membranes, of the type involved with electrical transmission in nerve cells. More likely mechanisms are those based on magnetic forces on moving charged particles, possibly including ions or charged molecules in flowing blood, moving across cell membranes, moving across synapses between nerve cells, etc., or those based on more subtle effects on biochemical reactions (Frankel and Liburdy 1996). Although no physical mechanisms for magnetic therapy have been established, the possibilities are numerous and complex. Only further clinical tests, carefully controlled to account for placebo effects, can confirm or dispute the results of the Baylor study and prove or disprove the claims of magnetic therapy. Some media reports have not sufficiently distinguished the Baylor form of magnetic therapy, based on modest static fields from permanent magnets, with a more accepted form of "magnetic therapy" based on high pulsed magnetic fields from electromagnets (Malmivuo and Plonsey 1995). Pulsed magnetic fields are very different from static magnetic fields, because, via Maxwell's equations, time-varying magnetic fields induce electric fields. Electric fields have pronounced biological effects, particularly on nerve and muscle cells, as we have known since the days of Galvani and his twitching frogs' legs. Many years ago the FDA approved the use of pulsed magnetic fields in "bone growth stimulators" for the treatment of fractures that were slow to heal, and research on "magnetic stimulation" -- pulsed magnetic fields applied to the brain or other components of the nervous system -- has grown rapidly in recent years. Transcranial magnetic stimulation, in which the patient receives hundreds of magnetic field pulses of 1 tesla or more, each only a millisecond in duration, has shown considerable promise as a means of treating depression. However, these forms of pulsed-field magnetic therapy are based on biological effects of induced electric fields, and are very different from the use of the static fields from permanent magnets. Conclusions Claims of therapeutic effects of permanent magnets should still be regarded with considerable skepticism. Most of the many testimonials to the effectiveness of magnetic therapy devices can be attributed to placebo effects and to other effects accompanying their use. For example, the magnetic back braces used by many senior golfers may help ease their back pains through providing mechanical support, through localized warming, and through constant reminder to the aging athletes that they are no longer young and should not overexert their muscles. All these effects are helpful with or without magnets. One British study of pulsed-field bone-growth stimulators, which were approved decades ago by the FDA, found that they were equally successful when the devices were not activated (Barker 1984), and concluded that their effectiveness resulted from the enforced inactivity associated with their use, rather than from the pulsed magnetic fields. The more extreme claims of magnetic therapy, such as curing cancer by hanging supermagnets around your neck, are not only nonsense but also dangerous, since they may divert patients from seeking appropriate treatment from mainstream medicine. Magnetic jewelry and most other magnetic-therapy products probably are harmless beyond a waste of money. Several years ago, a double-blind study found that magnetic necklaces produced no relief of neck or shoulder pain (Hong 1982). The results of the Baylor study, however, raise the possibility that at least in some cases, topical application of permanent magnets may indeed be useful in pain relief, a conclusion that should be regarded as tentative until supported by further studies. Any mechanism for such an effect remains mysterious, but an effect of static magnetic fields on the complex electrochemical processes of the human body is not impossible. My own guess is that inexpensive refrigerator magnets are as likely to provide help as the more expensive magnets marketed specifically for therapy. (But since human nature leads us to expect more from more expensive items, use of refrigerator magnets will probably decrease the placebo effect!) References
About the Author James D. Livingston now teaches in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was for more than thirty years a physicist at General Electric's Corporate Research and Development Center. He is the author of Driving Force: The Natural Magic of Magnets (Harvard, 1996), a popular-science book on the history, legends, science, and technology of magnets. Article: Medical Magnetic Fields - by William Pawluk, MD, MScMedical Magnetic Fields Just imagine, reaching into the body and healing an imbalance without touching anything. This is what medical magnetic fields do. This is the essence of energy medicine. These “waves” are the future medicine. Magnetic field devices that are even now becoming available to the public deliver medical fields that are “like a breeze in the trees”. The branches and leaves are moving but nothing is seen to be doing it. The body is like air to a magnetic field. The body is transparent to these fields. This is the magic potential of medical magnetic fields. The earth is a giant magnet, the soil and rocks are magnetized and normally there are strong magnetic fields in the atmosphere. Human biology, which developed and matures in this natural magnetic environment, is totally dependent on it. Magnetic fields have been found by accident over the eons, to help people. Rocks were reputed to be used by Hippocrates, the Father of Western Medicine, to relieve headaches. The Chinese wrote about how to use magnetic stones on acupuncture points in 200 BC. D’Arsonval in France used pulsed electric magnetic fields in the 1700’s to stimulate the body. In the 1970’s and 80’s in the west, scientists began to study the magnetic fields produced by the body itself. This new field is called bioelectromagnetics. We now know definitively that the body itself is a large electromagnet. We also know the body produces electric fields. Ask any engineer and you will be told that where there is electricity there is a magnetic field. You will also be told that when a magnet moves past an object capable of reacting electrically, you will generate electricity. The opposite is also true. When an object capable of reacting electrically is moved past a magnet, electricity will also be generated. What this means is that when the body, which is very magnetically active, interacts with specific medically designed magnetic fields, tiny therapeutically beneficial electric charges are generated. What does mean to you? It means that you will see magnetic fields that are energy medicine, being used more and more in the future to heal problems that medicines can’t or haven’t been able to do. Most medicines are used to relieve symptoms but don’t remove or heal the cause of the problem. They don’t help the tissues heal themselves. Most medicines were developed to deal with problems far along in their course. They can be very effective at this stage but often carry significant risks. Doctors and consumers must continuously weigh the potential risks and benefits. The risks of these medicines are greater than the benefits for preventing problems or when the problems are very early in their development. If this is so, what alternatives do we have? Let’s take an example. When you have a skin infection, and damage has already been done to the tissues, antibiotics will typically be prescribed to halt the spread of the bacteria. The antibiotics don’t heal the infection; they only stop the bacteria from multiplying further and doing more damage. The infection has progressed because the body wasn’t able to handle it completely by itself. When the bacteria stop growing the body then has a fighting chance to heal the tissues and kill the remaining bacteria. What does medicine do to help the body to heal? Most of the time, nothing. The doctor relies on the body doing the rest of the job by itself. What can you do to speed recovery and assure better repair? Traditionally, herbals, vitamins and minerals, rest, good nutrition and moist heat will help. Also, now medical magnetic fields can be used. Medical magnetic fields have been found in extensive research in Europe, in humans and all kinds of animal species, to have many positive actions in the body. The medical magnetic fields work by stimulating the acupuncture system, the immune system of the body, improving circulation and oxygen levels in tissues, relaxing muscles, stimulating tissue healing, healing fractures and strengthening bones faster, decreasing nerve irritability, removing swelling, decreasing clotting and improving cell metabolism. Some very strong medical magnetic fields can actually stimulate muscles and nerves – used for incontinence, rebuilding muscles, nerves and depression. How can something do all these seemingly different actions? The primary reason is because medical magnetic fields affect the movement of calcium ions and nitric oxide, recently awarded the title of the molecule of the decade. Calcium is not just in bones. It is involved in a large number of cellular chemical processes that are impaired tissue injuries. There are many other actions, too numerous to list here. What kinds of medical magnetic fields can people use to get these benefits? Medical magnetic fields are produced by both permanent (static) magnets and pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF’s). There have been many popular stories about permanent magnets and many are now available commercially – from various wraps, mattresses, shoe inserts, bracelets, pads and so on. Important distinctions among them are how much of the body they cover, the true strength of the magnet, the configuration of the field, flexibility and usefulness and length of time to be used. Some have more research available on them than others. These magnets have to be stronger than the earth’s field. Since the field drops off in strength very rapidly, consideration has to be given to the strength of the magnet and the depth in the body of the tissue to be treated. PEMFs are produced by special machines that generate specific electromagnetic signals found to have beneficial medical effects. Important distinctions among them are how much of the body they cover, the strength of the field(s), the configuration of the field, flexibility and usefulness, length of time to be used, frequencies and waveform. PEMFs can produce actions in the body even with fields that are much weaker than the earth. Actions of PEMFs can be expected to happen faster than with static magnets. These wave-like or resonance fields act like “throwing pebbles in a pond”. The action continues long after the field is removed. These fields were the first ones to be approved by the FDA in the 1980’s. The first were for healing fractures that didn’t unite after 6 months. New ones are used to stimulate muscles and nerves. Others are very high frequency and have been used to decrease pain, swelling and heal wounds. Static magnets and PEMFs can be used together. Since PEMFs are used for short durations, 8 to 30 minutes typically, additional benefit may be obtained by using static magnets in between PEMF sessions. Clearly static magnets shouldn’t be used at the same time as a PEMF session. Medical magnetic fields are very safe. Even the strongest magnetic fields, generated by MRI machines, have been found to be safe, except for very limited circumstances. Do not use medical magnetic fields, except under expert advice, when people have implanted electrical devices, like pacemakers and defibrillators. They are not advised to be used in pregnancy either, since safety has not been conclusively established. To summarize, more and more medical care will include medical magnetic fields in all sorts of applications to heal the body. They will be used in conjunction with conventional medicine and other complementary health techniques. Many medical magnetic fields will be able to be applied by people themselves with or without direction or order by a physician or other practitioner. This is possible today because more and more information about this new technology and more equipment are becoming readily available at affordable prices. An example of one of the leading pulsed magnetic field consumer products in the industry is the Quantron Resonance System. For information on this device please go to www.quantronmedicine.com. Note: all results and medical claims on this website originate from the research and experience of European doctors and patients. As yet, no medical claims are made or implied concerning use or application in the United States. William Pawluk, MD, guides QRS use. Through the guidance of William Pawluk, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins Medical School, initial work has begun to educate both physicians and individuals about pulsating electromagnetic fields as a treatment option. Dr. Pawluk is considered a leading national authority on the clinical application of both static and pulsed electromagnetic fields in the United States. Under his direction, Body Fields is also working to establish an evidence-based standard for use in education about pulsating electromagnetic fields in complementary treatment. As the importer of the QRS, Body Fields USA's purpose is to introduce this new healing concept into the United States. The beneficial applications of pulsating electromagnetic fields as a promising health solution is based on over 30 years of research out of Europe. Magnetic fluids offer hope for damaged retinasORLANDO, Fla., April 10 — Researchers at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg are developing injectable magnetic fluids to repair torn or detached retinas — a technique they believe could help prevent blindness in thousands. Their work was reported today at the 223rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society. Silicone fluid is currently used to push damaged retinas back in place. A magnetized version of the fluid would make repairs easier and more precise by allowing the fluid to be moved to areas of the eye that are hard to reach, according to the researchers. The treatment appears promising in laboratory studies, says Judy Riffle, Ph.D., head of the research team and a chemistry professor at the university. Animal studies could take place within a year and human studies could soon follow, she says. “We are the first to develop controlled magnetic nanoparticles that are appropriate to use in the eye,” says Riffle. Her lab has been developing the material for the past ten years. Tiny particles of cobalt or magnetite are enmeshed in a silicone-based fluid (polydimethylsiloxane). When exposed to an external magnetic field, the fluid can be maneuvered in much the same way that magnetic pieces are moved around in certain toys, Riffle explains. The retina is the thin, light-sensitive layer of tissue located at the back of the eye. When it becomes detached or torn, either due to disease or injury, impaired vision results. Blindness occurs if it is not repaired. The conventional way to repair this disorder is to inject silicone fluid or a special gas directly into the eye to push the retina back into place. In people with more severe damage, this treatment often fails because the material cannot reach certain areas of the eye, particularly the lower parts, says J. P. Dailey, M.D., an ophthalmologist with Erie Retinal Surgery in Erie, Pa., and a major collaborator in the study. In searching for a way to distribute the material more evenly inside the eye, Dailey came up with the concept of using magnetic fluids, which are known for their maneuverability. He discussed the concept with Riffle, a polymer chemist, who then designed the biocompatible, silicone magnetic nanofluids. “If it works, it will be wonderful,” says Dailey, who cautions that the technology still needs further safety testing. “This could be a major innovation in how retinal detachment repair is done.” “Our lab’s work may open the door for a whole host of new medical applications for magnetic nanoparticles,” adds Riffle. Similar fluids are being developed by her lab for use in targeted drug delivery. Riffle and her colleagues are developing magnetic, biodegradable microspheres that can be attached to specific drugs, such as chemotherapy agents. With the aid of a magnet placed outside the body, the medicated fluid microspheres could be directed to hard-to-reach tumor sites, such as the lung, prostate and brain. Riffle believes that a similar technique can eventually be used to deliver DNA to specific cells for gene therapy. Another possible use of magnetic fluids is magnetic hyperthermia. By passing an alternating magnetic field across a magnetic fluid, the particles will heat up, destroying tissue in their path. This method looks promising as a noninvasive means of treating brain tumors, the researcher says. There are still problems to be worked out before the fluids are ready for human trials, says Riffle. Due to the potential toxicity of cobalt, she is now experimenting with an iron-based material, magnetite, which is believed to be less toxic to cells. Riffle and her associates are also attempting to coat the experimental nanoparticles with silica material shells so that they will not lose their magnetism over time, giving them the potential to be permanently implanted, she says. Magnetic fluids have been used in industry for the past 40 years, most notably as a sound damper for stereo loudspeakers and as seals in motors. Riffle and Dailey were recently awarded a patent for the use of silicone magnetic fluid for eye surgery. Funding for this study was provided by the Carilion Biomedical Institute, the Hirtzel Memorial Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) / Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the Lord Foundation. The paper on this research, POLY 374, will be presented at 10:45 a.m., Wednesday, April 10, at Convention Center, Room 314A, Level Three, during the symposium, “2002 ACS Award in Applied Polymer Science Honoring James E. McGrath.” Judy S. Riffle, Ph.D., is a professor in the department of chemistry at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., and director of the university’s Macromolecular Science and Engineering Program. J. P. Dailey, M.D., is an ophthalmologist with Erie Retinal Surgery in Erie, Pa., and assistant clinical professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. |
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