Using magnets for pain relief and to speed up the body’s innate healing mechanism can sound a little “New Age” to some. But, regardless of one’s belief system, this powerful technology is worth consideration when faced with many health conditions, in particular injury. I hope you’ll listen to my story, which begins on an outdoor expedition years ago.
The instant I stepped down awkwardly on to the rock and felt my knee “squish”, I knew there was trouble.
Quickly, the knee swelled and stiffened. Thankfully, it was the last day of vacation.
After a week of self medication with Advil, I gave up and went to an orthopedic surgeon. He expressed concern about the meniscus and prescribed me a 6 week course of a potent anti-inflammatory. The pain improved and the swelling subsided. But, an unnerving twinge continued to plague me with certain movements. Stepping on the clutch in my standard transmission car continued to be particularly bothersome. A few days after finishing the treatment, the pain returned and then worsened.
At my follow up appointment, the surgeon offered me a choice of physical therapy, another round of anti-inflammatory medication, or arthroscopic surgery.
Back at my work desk, I hopelessly weighed my options. That’s when my colleague, a physician in the next work station, cautiously asked if I was “open minded” and if I would consider an “alternative treatment?”
Intriguing… I thought. “Tell me more.”
This rebel of the medical establishment handed me two metallic discs and explained that his wife was a distributor for a Japanese company called Nikken that manufactures magnets. It sounded like a “woowoo” treatment, along the same line as snake oil. But, I had nothing to lose, so I let him tape the two discs onto my hurt knee.
I kept those magnets on for the rest of the day. It wasn’t until I was halfway home that I realized I hadn’t felt any twinges of pain while shifting gears.
“Hmm,” I thought. “That’s interesting?!”
I continued to wear those magnets for two months.
No weakness. No pain. No medication. No surgery.
And, today, 25 years later, no arthritis.
A True Believer
Since that fateful day, I have used magnetic products over and over again on myself, family, and friends. In fact, a whole shelf in my medicine cabinet is dedicated to this technology. I have accumulated an assortment of sizes and strengths of round magnetic discs, wraps, insoles, jewelry, and even spinning varieties that penetrate deeper into the body. My first mode of first aid is usually to tape a magnet onto an injury. From experience, I have learned that this will almost always speed up the recovery time and often without the need for other medication.
The trick is to know when to use magnets for pain relief and when to go to the doctor for a more formal evaluation. That, unfortunately, cannot be taught on a blog post. If one hears a noise during an injury, the suspicion should be raised for the need of a professional medical assessment. Tendons snap, ligaments pop, bones crack.
Visible deformity, numbness, and severe weakness should also direct one to seek a medical professional at an emergency room or urgent care center. An inability to fully move a joint due to a sense of “locking” or a feeling of “instability”, will also more than likely require a doctor’s evaluation, but not typically as an emergency.
Most strains, sprains, bruises, and other localized injury, even lower back pain, can often benefit from the application of magnets. I have even observed fractures heal much more quickly than expected following the application of magnets to a cast.
How Do they Work?
Nikken’s magnetic products penetrate and infuse the body with a magnetic grid. Blood flow improves and… the rest is seemingly magic. I imagine that the magnetic framework helps the body to heal itself, similar to scaffolding workmen use to repair a damaged edifice. I have no experience with other brands of magnetic technology and therefore cannot comment on their effectiveness. It is important to understand though that magnets aren’t “medication”. In fact, the FDA forbids magnet manufacturers from claiming that these products heal or cure.
Despite not clearly understanding how they work I can tell you unequivocally, as an orthopedic radiologist, that these strange discs from Nikken help the body heal, and often without any additional medication or treatment.
Sustainable
Magnets for pain relief function as an anti-inflammatory with no side effects. No needed prescription and no concern for refills. In fact, unless you lose them, they seem to last forever.
Do you have an open mind?
See also: How to avoid the painful clots and stones of winter stagnation