Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy.
It almost sounds like something from a science fiction novel, conjuring up images of crackling energy and wiry hair.
Despite its science fiction sounding name, however, PEMF therapy is far from a novel invention.
Derivatives of the therapy have actually been used for thousands of years in therapies that had their origins in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
What exactly is PEMF therapy? Why should you care? We will discuss the big questions below.
PEMF Therapy: A Definition and History
PEMF Therapy is an alternative therapy method that involves the use of targeted electromagnetic radiation.
That may initially seem harmful, problematic, or may lead you to imagine a cancer patient in a hospital setting.
However, the radiation involved in PEMF therapy is not the same as the radiation therapy used in standard cancer treatment, which often relies on radioactive isotopes.
Instead, PEMF operates on the basic assumption that the electrical impulses and energies in your body are capable of being manipulated to improve health.
This is achieved through stimulating the body’s cells, and encouraging effective and proper cellular function.
PEMF is an important therapeutic intervention, because cellular disorder is very often the root cause of disease.
Some studies have linked mitochondrial dysfunction to neurodevelopmental disorders, for instance, while cancer is actually a cell that has mutated beyond its necessary or typical function.
Cellular intervention has a long history of interest in medicine, but has also historically been complicated and elusive.
Because cellular manipulation requires fine-tuned therapies, and targeted approaches, many broad therapies involving pharmaceuticals have tried and failed to introduce cellular changes.
PEMF is a radiation therapy, which means that it uses electromagnetic pulses, that directly applied to the patient.
At its outset in traditional medicine practices, PEMF was conducted with magnets.
These magnets were applied to the human body in order to draw, shift and manipulate the electrical energies found in human cells.
Perhaps the most well-known (if often misunderstood) manipulation of energy for therapeutic purposes is acupuncture, another tenet of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Although PEMF therapy is not synonymous with acupuncture, they both operate from the same basic idea.
It is that the human body is comprised of pulses and impulses, which can be manipulated and shifted by outside sources to promote cellular repair and optimize health.
What Does PEMF Therapy Treat?
PEMF therapy can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions and concerns.
While many therapies focus intently on a single issue, or are concentrated around a specific set of conditions, PEMF therapy can be used in many different applications, ranging from maladies of the physical body, to mental illness.
Part of this is due to the basis of PEMF therapy, which is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
In this particular type of medicinal practice, the human body is not segmented into parts and pieces, as is common in western medicine modalities.
Instead, the body is seen as a whole, functional unit, with all of its parts and pieces interconnected and intertwined.
A backache, then, might be about tight muscles within the back, or could be about tension being held in the back following an emotional trauma.
PEMF therapy is able to treat many different maladies because it acknowledges the predilection for the body to present illness and difficulty in a number of different, seemingly disconnected ways.
There are some areas in which PEMF therapy is more widely accepted or used than others.
In mental health, for instance, PEMF therapy is more commonly used for depression, and in physical health, PEMF therapy has been utilized for assistance in diabetes treatment, and even cancer treatment.
PEMF is increasingly being considered for applications in developmental disorders and delays, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).
Potential Drawbacks to PEMF Therapy
Because PEMF therapy is a form of radiation therapy, it is vital to select an experienced, qualified and safe practitioner.
Using too high or too low a frequency when practicing can render the therapy entirely ineffective, which is the case with frequencies that are too low.
It can also be very dangerous, leading to the death of cells in the body, if the frequency is too high.
PEMF therapy should not used for any condition, major or minor, before a practitioner or device manufacturer has been thoroughly researched and evaluated.
Although it can be a powerful tool for healing when used properly, it can be a dangerous therapy if it is not used properly and effectively.
Although home devices are available, using them safely can be difficult.
This makes some people turn to other alternative therapies, such as acupuncture or acupressure.
Because it is also considered an alternative therapy, some insurance companies are not willing to cover PEMF treatment.
This can make the use of these devices expensive.
It is important to recognize that PEMF is very strong.
If the frequency used is too strong, it can destroy cells.
While this can be used for cancer treatment, it must be done by an individual with the proper training and experience to effectively target already damaged cells.
Two Important Factors: Frequency and Amplitude
Since PEMF is an electromagnetic therapy, the strength (or amplitude) and frequency of the magnetic waves being used must be taken into consideration.
These are two of the three controllable elements of the therapy.
They determine how PEMF interacts with an individual’s cellular makeup.
The frequency used in PEMF is measured in Hz, or cycles per second.
It describes the frequency with which wavelengths pass.
Electromagnetic measurements are typically recorded from 1 Hz to 10,000 Hz.
PEMF machines can utilize a frequency anywhere in this range, although PEMF will not typically deviate markedly from a lower frequency of 1-30 Hz.
A low frequency machine is typically considered the safest form of PEMF therapy.
However, it may not yield results as dramatic or fast as high-frequency treatments.
Low and high frequency treatments are also typically used for different ailments.
For example, cancer patients will typically utilize a higher frequency treatment option, while small wounds might necessitate a much lower frequency.
The exact frequency being utilized can also depend on the severity of a given condition.
Although a wound may be small, it if is chronic and unresponsive, it could require a higher frequency.
Therefore, tailoring PEMF therapy to each individual is essential to achieving optimal, consistent results.
The amplitude of PEMF therapy is measured in micro-teslas.
This identifies the strength of the wave being applied.
Similar to frequency, lower amplitudes are typically associated with lesser requirements, while higher amplitudes are associated with greater requirements, such as chronic conditions and cancer.
Similar to frequency, very low amplitudes are likely to be ineffective, while very high amplitudes can be dangerous, and cause serious damage.
The ideal amplitude range is between 30-60 micro-Teslas.
These amplitudes function in the same way as the human body.
There may be some instances in which a practitioner or physician might suggest going higher, because the risk of damage is less than the potential reward.
Cancer, chronic illness, deep wounds and severe pain are all potential reasons for the use of higher amplitudes.
Frequency and amplitude are critical for PEMF therapy.
They are the mechanisms that make the therapy effective.
The frequency and amplitude determine how the therapy works synergistically within human cells.
They function as a guide by jolting cells back into proper functioning.
However, with high-frequency or high-amplitude applications they have the potential to cause apoptosis, or the death of cells.
The PEMF target will determine the strength (in terms of depth) of the frequency and amplitude.
It is also influenced by the severity.
Chronic illness can determine how high the frequency and amplitude are.
However, the depth of the tissue being treated can also determine the frequency and amplitude.
Deep tissues may require higher frequencies, while shallow tissues may require lower frequencies to provide effective results.
Speaking with a practitioner and first identifying all fears and concerns is the best way to make sure you are receiving the strength and duration of treatment to meet your needs.
The Third Component: Biorhythm
When we talk about frequency and amplitude and how they impact cells, we are actually discussing the interactions between one source of energy and another.
PEMF therapy uses electrical impulses to communicate with the body’s electrical impulses.
There is a third component to this process that is not adequately covered by a discussion of amplitude and frequency, which is biorhythm.
The term biorhythm is likely not entirely new.
There are the circadian rhythms your body follows to become alert during the day and sleepy during the evening.
In addition, there is the rhythmic nature of all of the body’s processes, including circulation and respiration.
As a result, biorhythms are widely covered in both the medical literature and therapies.
They play a significant role in the administration and efficacy of PEMF therapy.
Using frequencies and amplitudes that correspond to your unique genetic makeup and your unique biorhythm, will ensure that you get the best possible results from your sessions.
Measuring and evaluating biorhythms may seem complicated.
However, it can be as simple as measuring and evaluating the rhythmic changes found in nature.
Just like the human body follows a natural rhythm (high frequencies and amplitudes during periods of wakefulness, and low frequencies and amplitudes during periods of rest—which can typically be translated into high frequencies during the day, and lower frequencies during the evening), nature follows a natural rhythm of high and low frequencies each day.
Altering PEMF application to coincide with the body’s natural electromagnetic shifts, will ensure that the therapy is functioning optimally, and not interfering with your body’s natural rhythm.
Research and Results from PEMF Therapy
Although new therapeutic interventions can take years (if not decades) for adequate research and subsequent approvals, PEMF is already a widely-used intervention that has shown promise in the treatment of depression, diabetes, breast cancer, circulation, inflammation, pain, developmental disorders, sports injuries and even wounds and bone breaks.
Human trials reveal the efficacy of PEMF therapy.
Equine and other animal investigations have also revealed the usefulness of PEMF.
Horses, dogs and livestock can all accelerate healing through the use of PEMF therapy.
Why You Should Care About PEMF
Why should you care about PEMF therapy?
It is because it is such a powerful and versatile therapy modality.
PEMF has applications for both minor and major issues, ranging from small tissue damage to mutated cells eventually leading to cancer.
PEMF can be completed at your own pace.
Treatment times can be as short as 10-15 minutes per day, one to three times per week.
Whether it is performed in an office, a hospital, or a dedicated PEMF practice, PEMF can yield impressive results, without a major investment of time and energy.
Cellular repair is one of the most challenging aspects of modern medicine.
PEMF seeks to bridge that gap, by using the electrical impulses already found in the human body.
The ultimate goal of PEMF is to restore health and vitality to the body, by bringing its electrical functions back into alignment with how they are supposed to behave and interact.
Although it is regarded as an alternative therapy, the foundations of its therapeutic techniques have existed for thousands of years in cultures as diverse as Egyptian medicine and TCM.
While PEMF is not identical or synonymous to magnet therapy and therapies involving bodily meridians, it was an outgrowth of those practices.
PEMF is considered an alternative therapy method.
However, it is not considered to be junk science or a questionable practice.
It actually has an impressive research background, with demonstrated applications in breast cancer, mental illness, wound healing and pain management.
PEMF is a union of science and tradition.
It acknowledges the wisdom of thousands of years of traditional medicine, while using tools that incorporate modern technology.