The use of magnets to treat arthritis

Please read all of this article before attempting any self treatment
The management of the pain caused by the condition known as arthritis is a concern, at least for some part of their life, for the majority of the population. Usually, but not exclusively, a problem for the over 50 age group.
Arthritis is a general description indicating pain in joints. The cause can be a whole range of things. Wear and tear, excessive repetitive damage, and more usually from long forgotten old injuries that have “recovered”. In these the repair tissue is often only 60 to 70% as strong as the original, thus this is the location of a weak point and the damaged and/or scar tissue will affect the joint and result in pain, that we call arthritis.
What can we do about it?

Magnetic bandages, straps, bandages or supports that contain magnets or magnetic strips, are best used, to improve the flows of healing nutrients to the damaged area. They can also be used to improve known areas of weakness. For wrists and fingers, the use of magnet bracelets can be very beneficial, there have been several published reports, some anecdotal and some more scientific, recently regarding this. From my own experience I would suggest that better results are obtained if the bracelet is close fitting—do NOT restrict blood flow by having too tight—and worn between the wrist bones and the hand. I acupuncture terms the magnetic band needs to be over heart 7and lung 9

Knees are another common site of pain and discomfort. The knees are a wonderful bit of engineering but they do suffer a great deal of wear and damage. Being heavier than your personal skeleton is designed to cope with, will add to the rate of wear generally and particularly in the knees.
I feel that there is far too much generalisation about weight. We are individuals and simple statistical variation from some hypothetical normal, is not a good basis for heath care. It may be a useful indicator that something needs to be checked but, taken on its own, it is not a basis for individual treatment. The design of the knees may be wonderful but it has limitations, especially when the load is at an angle to the upright and is heavier that the construction design strength. Keeping suppleness by doing regular- twice a week- yoga will help prevent so much pain but you must exercise care if the pain is already there. Controlled stretching has a very positive role in the treatment of many pains but it is even better as a preventative.

Use small self adhesive magnets to form a ring around the leg about 2 inches-5 centimetres- above the knee spacing then about an inch apart. Magnets do not; in normal situations, loose their magnetic ability and so even if the sticky plaster looses its adhesiveness you can use any other tape to hold them in place. In VERY rare patients you can find an intolerance to the adhesive used.
You can also buy knee supports which contain magnets. These need to fit well or that can be uncomfortable when you are active and the best ones have some adjustments to the fit. They do have an added advantage of providing physical support to the soft tissue around the joints.

The flux field of a magnet weakens at a ratio that is the square of the distance, so the closer to the skin it is the better BUT the idea is to improve blood flow so it MUST NOT be tight enough to physically restrict this blood flow. If the bracelets are worn in the position indicated above then they not only improve blood flow to the hands and wrists but also, by being influential on the acupuncture points, aid local healing energies.

In all cases of health care, especially self administered, you should check things with your professional medical doctor first. A great many will claim that there is no evidence for magnets being of use, but they mean they personally have not ever investigated the use of magnets and so they are not aware of the benefits.

If you have a pacemaker of other electro magnetic device within your body, or if you are pregnant you should not use powerful magnets.

To learn more about the use of magnets and or meridians of energy; please contact [email protected]