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Magnet Deficiency
Magnetism is a basic force in nature: The Earth itself has a natural magnetic field and all creatures are born and live out their lives under the influence of this natural force. It protects life on the planet by shielding us from harmful radiation, and it is said to have a nourishing and beneficial effect on us.
Magnetic Deficiency: Many people believe that modern day mankind may be "magnetic deficient". This condition may be arising from modern life, the insulating effect of living and working in concrete and high-rise buildings. Added to this we are surrounded by a surfeit of electronic and electrical gadgetry. Both of these effects actually block our natural exposure to the Earths magnetic field. There is also a relatively recent decline in the Earth's magnetic field. If this 'magnetic deficiency' is true, it may be the cause behind many recent unexplained illnesses, and why the use of magnets can have a positive effect in so many conditions.
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How Does It Work? One Possible Theory
There are many viewpoints and theories, both new and old, as to how magnets work therapeutically.
Is it all in the Blood? Many commentators believe magnets have a significant effect on the blood mechanisms within the tissues. While it may be too simplistic to say that blood flow is improved under the influence of magnets, there maybe improvement in certain aspects of the bloods quality and function.
Improved Oxygenation? Magnetic therapy is based on the biological effects of magnetic fields on the living organism. When magnetic fields are properly applied (polarity, intensity and frequency) there is a reaction that is utilized in the treatment of illness, the alleviation of pain, and the general promotion of well being. A magnetic field penetrates every single cell being exposed to the field. This in turn is believed to influence the ion exchange within the cell, which improves the oxygen utilization of the cell. This is important for the healing and regeneration process.
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How Magnets Heal Our Bodies
Scientists are beginning to discover the wide-ranging effects of magnetism on the body. Further research is required, but specific physiological effects have been reported:
Magnets seem to improve the quality of the blood circulation. This can in turn increase the nutrient carrying potential of the blood. Blood flow is a key aspect in health and disease; this is probably one of the main healing benefits of using magnets. Improved blood quality results in a reduction in inflammation, reduced calcium deposits, lactic acid and other toxins. Tissues detoxify and the healing process begins.
It has also been reported that magnets can help block when nerve fibres are subject to a magnetic field, possibly producing endorphins, which are the body's own natural pain killers.
Magnetism can help heal nervous tissue and bones by speeding up the migration of calcium ions.
Melatonin production may also be influenced by exposure to magnetic fields; this hormone helps promote restful sound sleep.
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How Can A Magnetic Bracelet Help?
Magnets and Blood - the Essence of Life: One way in which magnetic bracelets are believed to work is via the magnetic influence over the blood flow at the wrist arteries. It is thought that the magnetism increases the electrical conductivity of the blood, creating a weak current and increasing the quantity of ions. The newly ionized blood circulates throughout the body improving oxygenation to cell tissue, thereby significantly contributing to the efficiency of the blood flow. Blood is essential to life. The quality and efficiency of its flow around the body has a major impact on our ability to heal; our health, fitness and vitality.
The Acupuncturist's View: The magnets stimulate key acupressure points on the wrist area to give relief from pain in the wrist or hand. Wrist acupressure points are used in traditional acupuncture to help with elbow, shoulder, arm and neck problems, as well as with other health issues including insomnia, stress, digestive problems and headaches.
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Magnetic Therapy in Complementary Practice
What health conditions can be helped? As an alternative complementary approach many conditions are treated. Millions of people worldwide use magnets for backaches, joint pains, chronic pain, poor circulation, insomnia, muscle aches, headaches, repetitive strain, carpal syndrome, swelling, low energy, sport injuries and many more, the list is endless. Although the use of magnets for these conditions is not normally recognised by medical science.
What ways are there of using magnets? We suggest three methods:
Locally: Use magnets, a wrap or other therapy magnet, directly over the problem area.
General Approach: This is where magnetic bracelets are often used. The magnets line up over the main arteries at the wrist. The improved blood circulating through can then have a beneficial effect on other areas of the body.
Dual Approach: In fact we suggest it is good to use both a local and general approach, as we believe this provides the best overall strategy to alleviate a problem. This approach is similar to the local and distal approach in Acupuncture.
How long will it take to feel some benefit from using magnets? Everybody is different and health problems vary considerably from person to person. Some people can feel benefits within hours, others it may take a couple of weeks.
How is Magnetic strength measured? The depth of penetration of a magnet depends on its actual physical size and gauss (or Tesla) measurement. Neodymium magnets are often high strength but are limited in size; Ferrite magnets have lower strength but can be made larger.
Is Magnet Therapy a cure all? No! But they do work on a reasonable percentage of people, some achieving remarkable benefits, others a noticeable improvement. Others with no change in symtoms. This is a personal opinion based on experience not research.
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Are Magnets Safe?
The World Health Organization (WHO): published a study in 1987 stating that the magnetic strengths typically used in magnetic therapy do not have any detrimental effect on the human body.
General Precautions: It is advisable that pregnant women or people wearing electrical or electronic medical devices (e.g. a pacemaker, insulin pump etc) or metal implants should not use magnets. Small magnets should also be kept away from children in case they swallow them. Magnets should not be used near fresh cuts or wounds.
-> Read an article on the use of Magnetic Therapy for Back Pain<-
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MAGNETIC THERAPY - BASIC TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Although MagnetIC Therapy is often quite simple in its application, there is a certain amount of technical jargon associated with magnets. To help with some of the magnetic jargon that is often used with these products we have summarised the main ideas below.
WHAT ARE MAGNETS?
WHAT ARE MAGNETIC POLES?
HOW IS A NORTH POLE DEFINED?
WHAT DOES UNI-POLAR AND BI-POLAR MEAN?
HOW STRONG IS A MAGNET?
SURFACE GAUSS READING vs MANUFACTURERS RATING
HOW IS GAUSS STRENGTH MEASURED?
IS THE HIGHEST GAUSS MAGNET THE BEST?
IS HAVING MORE MAGNETS BETTER?
ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MAGNET?
HOW CAN I IDENTIFY THE POLES OF A MAGNET?
HOW LONG WILL A MAGNET LAST?
What are Magnets?
A magnet is an object that has a magnetic field. The word magnet comes from the Greek "magnítis líthos", which means "magnesian stone". Magnesia is an area in Greece where deposits of magnetite have been discovered since antiquity.
In the modern sense, a magnet is any material that has a magnetic field. It can be in the form of a permanent (or static) magnet or an electromagnet. Permanent magnets do not rely upon outside influences to generate their field. Electromagnets rely upon electric current to generate a magnetic field--when the current increases, so does the field. The magnets normally used in Magnet Therapy are permanent.
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What are Magnetic Poles?
Poles apart! All magnets have two poles, a North pole and a South pole. Opposite poles attract each other (North attracts South), while like poles repel (North repels North, and South repels South).
The Earths Field: The Earth has a magnetic field with a North pole and a South pole. The strength of the Earths magnetic field is approximately 0.5 gauss. All life; human, animal and plant is born and lives out its life under the influence of the Earths Magnetic field, magnetism is a natural part of life like water and air.
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How is North Pole Defined?
There is much confusion around this issue mainly because there are different conventions or starting points about how to define a north pole. There is an engineering and scientific convention; but there is also a medical or magnetic therapy understanding.
Bio North: The magnetic therapy starting point says that the Earths geographical North Pole is a magnetic north pole, therefore whatever points to the north pole i.e. the end of a compass needle, is a south pole (as opposites attract). This is the common sense approach, i.e. the Earths North Pole is a north pole. A north pole from this point of view is often called Bio North or Negative North. The end of the compass needle with the N or arrow will point to the Bio North pole.
Science: Defines a north pole as the end of the magnet which points to the geographical North Pole, in other words it is actually saying that the Earths geographical North Pole is a magnetic south pole.
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What does Uni-polar and Bi-polar mean?
Uni-polar: means using just one pole of a magnet, this usually means that on one side of the magnet you mainly get one pole (e.g. north), while the other side of the magnet you get the opposite pole (e.g. south).
Bi-polar: means using two poles, north and south, at the same time, on one side of the magnet. But it must be noted that even with uni-polar magnets you still get a small percentage of the opposite pole on one side of the magnet as the magnetic field start to turn near the edge of the magnet into its opposite pole.
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How Strong is a Magnet?
Magnetic strength is not an easy or straight forward concept as it depends on several factors. In a magnetic device (eg a magnetic bracelet), the overall magnetic strength depends on three main factors: 1) the GAUSS rating of each magnetic, 2) the actual PHYSICAL SIZE of the magnets, and 3) the NUMBER of magnets in that device.
Gauss Rating: Magnets are given a Gauss rating, this is a unit of measurement that relates to the strength of a magnet and is connected with the density of lines of magnetic force coming from a magnet. You could say that this is like the pulling power of a magnet. In engineering and the physical sciences another unit of measurement is used, this is the Tesla, (10,000 gauss = 1 Tesla). In magnet therapy people tend to use the gauss rating.
Magnet Size: It must be noted that the pulling power or strength of a magnet is also related to the actual physical size of a magnet. Larger magnets have more mass than smaller magnets and so can store a greater amount of magnetic energy. So you could have a magnet with a very high gauss rating which will in fact have less overall strength that a much bigger magnet with a lower gauss rating. The size of the magnet contributes to the depth of penetration of the magnetic field into the body. Gauss rating alone is not enough to indicate the strength of a magnet.
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Surface Gauss Reading vs Manufacturers Rating (or Grade)
Quite often gauss magnetic strength is misquoted or exaggerated. One common misunderstanding is the difference between what is called the Manufactures Rating (or grade) and the actual Surface Gauss Rating of a magnet, as one figure is much higher than the other, and represents two different ways of measuring the strength.
Manufacturers Rating: Technically this is called the Magnetic Remanence (Br) of the magnetic material and is a property of the magnet when measured in the manufactures original magnetising equipment, in what's called a closed circuit. It indicates the magnetic field strength remaining inside the magnet (or at its core) and represents a grade of magnetic material. This measurement is much higher than the surface gauss reading.
Surface Rating: The gauss rating is measured on the surface of the magnet and represents the magnetic flux density generated outside the magnet body. Strictly speaking this is the rating which is most useful to a Magnet Therapist as it is more indicative of the magnetic energy that will penetrate through human skin and tissue.
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How is Gauss Strength Measured
Believe it or not magnetic Gauss strength is measured using a Gauss Meter (to measure surface gauss strength). These are quite complex instruments which cost several hundred pounds.
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Is the Highest Gauss Magnet the Best?
As mentioned above, magnetic strength is not only related to the gauss rating of a magnet but also to the magnets physical size. The size of the magnet contributes to the depth of penetration of the magnetic field into the body. Gauss rating alone is not enough to indicate the strength of a magnet.
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Is Having More Magnets Better?
Generally yes, having more magnets in a given product can improve the therapeutic outcome. But it will depend on what area of the body one is treating, the location and strength and size of the magnets. As an example a 6 magnet bangle is better than a 2 magnet bangle, simply because with 6 magnets the magnetic fields generated have a better chance of influencing the blood flow at the wrist arteries.
Some companies add up the gauss rating of each magnet in a given product and quote this as an overall gauss rating for the product. This is incorrect both technically and medically; magnetic gauss rating cannot be simply added in this way. The motivation of these companies is to try and present the product with what sounds like a huge gauss rating in order to achieve sales.
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Are there Different Types of Magnet?
There are several different types of material that magnets are made from. The main two types used in magnetic therapy are Ferrite sometimes called ceramic magnets and neodymium magnets.
Ferrite or ceramic magnets: are made of a mixture of iron and barium. They can be made into large shapes and hold their magnetic strength for many years.
Neodymium magnets: Is a more recent discovery, and are made of iron, boron and the rare earth neodymium. These magnets are very strong in comparison to their mass and also hold their strength for many years. Neodymium magnets have 10 x the power of Ferrite magnets. Neodymiums cannot be made very large.
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How can I Identify the Poles of a Magnet?
These notes correspond to the convention used in Magnet Therapy where North is called Bio North or Negative North, as described above.
Polarity can be identified using a compass, when the Geographical North end of a compass needle (often marked with an N, or with an arrow) points to a face or side of a magnet, that side of the magnet is Bio North.
The polarity can also be determined using another magnetic of known polarity, using the principle of attraction and repulsion.
Many manufacturers colour code the poles of the magnet, bio-north is often blue, green or white. Bio-south is colour coded red or black.
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How Long will a Magnet Last?
The effect of time on modern permanent magnets is minimal. Over a period of 10 to 15 years in normal use, a magnet will loose only a tiny fraction of its magnetisation. Magnets will remain magnetised for 100,000 years.
Disclaimer: We make no specific medical claims. It is always best to seek professional medical advice on an individual basis for your particular circumstances.
-> Read an article on the Complementary use of Magnetic Therapy for Back Pain<-
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