PEMFt Pulsed Electro Magnetic Therapy - is it snake oil? What's the real deal. Does it really regenerate nerves? Is it anti-aging? Does it relieve arthritis? Might it help damaged ear cells?

By BobbyBoomer at March 26, 2014, 1:02 a.m., 58699 hits

A few months ago, we took my mother-in-law for PEMF Therapy to try to help her Parkinson's and it didn't seem to work. 3 days a week for a month. (Pulsed Magnetic Therapy - Pulsed Electromagnetic Therapy)

However,

My wife and I did it too, figuring it wouldn't harm us (a ‘real’ doctor told us we had nothing to lose - it wouldn't hurt us and it might or might not help).

I noticed a huge improvement in my vision - I'm farsighted and could actually read fine print. Well the PEMF place was 5 hours away (round trip), and although the treatments weren't that expensive (he took donations), the gasoline and time consumed was too much. So after a month of it not helping my mother-in-law's Parkinson's, we quit going - it's a 5 hour round trip and that's too much.

As time went on, my vision reverted to it's pre-PEMF state (Sadly the improvement wasn't permanent).

So I started looking on the Internet for these devices, and I see price tags of $3000 or so and claims of anti-aging, nerve regeneration, arthritis relief, and so on.

Of course, I'm skeptical, especially at those price tags.

So I'm wondering, especially about the nerve regeneration process. I had ear problems, and a couple of misdiagnoses and a couple of ENT doctors before the problem was solved.

The problem that was occurring with frequency hasn't reared it's ugly head in well over a year with dust mite protection in my home and daily low dose children's Dimetapp.

Layman's description - I have an allergy to dust mites (verified by a RAST test). The dust mite protein in my system caused a severe inflammation response. This cut off the blood supply to some of the cilia nerve cells (hair cells) in my inner ear - high frequency is most affected. This makes it difficult to understand what people are saying, even with the prescribed hearing aids.

So I know, I'm desperate for a cure, even when everything on the Internet says nothing can be done yet. They are talking about 5 years or more for stem cell human trials.

So my thinking is that PEMFt obviously benefited my eyes so it does something and IF (and I know that's a big IF):

1) There is a chance it might help my ears
2) There is a chance it might do other good things for me like anti-aging
3) Prolonged treatment wouldn't harm me

I might give it a try.

Does anybody know anything about this?

If it does work, I need to know all about it. One site says low power sawtooth waves are best, another says high power sine waves are best (etc.), and each manufacturer says their system is best and the other methods don't work.

If I can't get meaningful information from someone other than the manufacturer, I'm not going to spring for $3000 worth of placebo. If all it does is improve my vision, I can get new eyeglasses for much less.

Thanks

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Posts [ 68 ] | Last post March 26, 2014, 1:02 a.m.

#1 - Jan. 28, 2012, 10:54 a.m.

BobbyBoomer

I noticed 45 hits and no replies yet - if anyone gets good information, please post it.

Background info:

I have a relative who does investing consulting. He worked to get money for the person who does PEMFt. He is approved to use the machines but not yet approved to make medical claims so he takes copious notes on the people who come and accepts donations in a ‘tip jar’ until he gets FDA approval.

I have another relative who is a world famous doctor. He said “it won't hurt you” and thought it might or might not work.

My mother-in-law has Parkinson's and the guy who runs the PEMFt place has had good luck with Parkinson's people. It didn't help my mother-in-law but we later found out the problem she was going for was a pinched spinal cord - it was so bad that the surgeon had to peel the spinal cord away from the vertebra. So the PEMFt couldn't help that.

My wife and I did it too, just because we were down there and it couldn't hurt. I noticed in a few weeks my eyesight was markedly improved. I could read fine print, the 6s and 8s in crossword puzzles were definitely different, everything looked clearer.

I'd still be going if it wasn't 5 hours away.

I'd get a unit for myself if they weren't so expensive.

But in all the research I've done on the web, I come across a lot of people saying they regenerate nerve cells. So I'm thinking this might help my ears.

So I read somebody says low-power triangle waves are best and high power sine waves don't work. Another says rectified high power sine waves are best and low power waves of any kind are worthless. Another says negative polarity square waves are best. And so on.

So not only do I not know if this will even work or not, but if I decide to plunk down $4,000 - I don't even know if I'm getting the right power, wave form, frequency, etc. So not only is this possibly expensive snake oil, but I wouldn't know which brand to buy.

But desperate situations call for desperate measures.

I had 3 severe ear ‘attacks’ (for lack of a better word) before the second EMT figured out why I was getting Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Each time I was on steroids, and much but not all of my hearing came back. The last time I was on steroids, escalating in strength and dosage for 3 months.

The result is after the first ‘attack’ I was left with mild damage in the high frequency area. Now after the third it's classified as ‘severe’.

I avoid conversations because without good hearing of the area where consonants reside, I have difficulty understanding words. P,T,B,D and others sound alike as do F,Sh,S,etc. Plus the consonants define the separation between words. So especially in a noisy or reverberant environment people speaking English may as well be speaking Dutch or Swedish.

Reading everything I can about hearing regeneration, I read clinical trials for stem cells are at least 10 years away. Even if it's 5 that's too long.

So I figure if there is a chance it could re-grow the cilia of an inner ear, it might be worth giving it a try. But square waves? Triangle waves? Rectified sine waves? High power? Low power? Or is it complete BS and snake oil.

I figure this is the place to ask.

#2 - Feb. 2, 2012, 12:21 p.m.

NurseVickie

I have also been researching various machines and I have not yet resolved which one to purchase. I know the frequency specific microcurrent treatment has been recommended by some practitioners for vision issues. Glad to hear you had great results with the pemf. It may seem like a simplistic answer but if you had good results with the machine you used, perhaps you should consider that brand of machine. And yes, $3-4000 does seem like a fair amount of money but you have already tried out the brand that worked for you, and you could probably use the machine for other problems as well. I have seen much higher prices for pemf machines. Good luck with your research!

#3 - Feb. 2, 2012, 7:12 p.m.

BobbyBoomer

The machine I used was at a clinic and not for sale :(

I would still be going there if it weren't for the fact that it is too far, takes up the better part of a day (5 hours round trip and another hour getting zapped), and a half tank of gasoline. Not to mention the frustration of driving with those idiots on the Interstate ;)

If you find anything definitive out, please share it.

I read where they use PEMF in space suits and in the space station. Supposedly humans get sick without at least the earth's natural PEMF field. Interesting.

#4 - Feb. 10, 2012, 4:35 p.m.

I believe this may be something similar to the Dr Robert Beck's Microbe Electrifier (http://www.dragonfly75.com/eng/BE-instr.html).

I bought one some time ago, hoping it would help with my cancer. I'm not sure whether it is doing that; but I am sure it is doing something else - enhancing my bladder.

I had been on Tamsolusin, a drug that frees up the urethra sphincter (which often closes down in older men, due to the enlargement of the prostate), making urination difficult. However, as with all drugs, it has unwanted side-effect.

Since using the Beck machine, I've had no need of the Tamsolusin (4 months now).

Beck made many strong claims for his machine. There is some orthodox medical research which uses similar electrical stimulation to enhance the efficacy of drugs, so it would appear there is supportive evidence - tho' not nearly as much as he claimed.

All that said, I agree that the use of the machine doesn't seem to have any harmful side effects - so little to use in trying it. The above ref company supplies these machines for about $100 or so. The look ‘home-made’ but do the business.

#5 - Feb. 10, 2012, 10:54 p.m.

NurseVickie

I still don't have a recommendation on a pemf machine but I did come across this article on mercola.com & thought I would post just fyi: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/26/zinc-improve-hearing-loss.aspx

#6 - Feb. 13, 2012, 6:41 p.m.

BobbyBoomer

I've had contact with the guy who treated us. He wants to market his machines and is looking for an investor, but can't sell them yet.

He did say that triangle waves are the weakest and square waves are the strongest and low frequencies are better.

So the search goes on.

Unfortunately I can't find a site that has a chart that compares wave forms, field strength and frequency.

#7 - Feb. 23, 2012, 11:23 a.m.

BobbyBoomer

Still looking. I read that they use PEMF in the space station and in the space suits as supposedly the body won't function without it.

They have very expensive machines they use on race horses.

They also have very expensive machines for human clinics.

But I'm still having a difficult time finding a site that compares the semi-affordable home units.

Any help would be appreciated

Bobby

#8 - Feb. 23, 2012, 9:11 p.m.

NurseVickie

Thought I would pass along the sites I have found on pemf. There are a variety of opinions of course. What brand of machine did you use? I have no real insight, just searching like you. You may have seen these sites but this is what I have come across so far: (Hope you find something useful.)

http://www.pemft.net/7-pemf-buying-tips.html

http://www.pemf.us/info/info/docs/PEMF_Presentation.pdf

http://www.pemft.com/electrosmog-generated-by-PEMF-devices/dangerous-pemf-devices

http://gordonresearch.com/docs/PEMF_specialreport.pdf

http://pulse4life.com/professionals/Dr._Garry_Gordon.php

http://www.curatron.com/

http://pemf.us/index.html

http://www.pemf.us/info/use/index.html

http://www.drpawluk.com/pemf-basics/basic-principles/

http://www.pulsed-electromagnetic-therapy.com/pemf-science/

http://www.earthpulse.net/alzheimers.htm

#9 - Feb. 24, 2012, 10:52 a.m.

BobbyBoomer

THANKS!!!!!!!!!

I'll check these out and add them to my current list.

To answer your question: I used machines built by a private person and he is currently in the testing phase. He has been using them for 7 or so years in his office, the first 4 on himself and family and now with other ‘volunteers’ (he has a tip jar). He is approved to use the machines but not to sell them or make health claims (FDA requirements).

He takes notes and logs test results. He is looking for investors to take the machines he put together to the market. He says if I have millions of dollars, he can turn it into billions. Unfortunately when I decided to become a career musician, I took a vow of poverty ;) (exaggerating for an attempt at humor).

I was skeptical at first, but my mother-in-law as desperate and plenty of info on the Internet was positive. A relative who is a world famous osteopathic surgeon says it won't hurt us to try it. Since I was taking her there, I gave it a try myself.

The benefit to my vision was remarkable, but sadly temporary. A few months after I quit going, it returned to it's previous state.

I'm desperate for a cure to my hearing disorder. As a musician, I've monitored sound pressure levels on stage, protected my ears with hi-fi ear attenuators (expensive ear plugs), and maintained only mild hearing loss until the day my immune system decided to no longer tolerate dust mites. Now the loss is severe in the high frequency range. I perform with ear plugs in and no hearing aids, so when someone comes up to request a song or something, I pull my ear plugs out, but without my hearing aids I can't understand what they are saying. Fortunately I have a partner who will step in.

Stem cells and other ways to re-grow the cilia in the inner ear seem to be a long way off. I have read that PEMF can regenerate nerve tissue, including cilia cells in other body areas, and I know it's a long shot, but at least it will help my eyes so I can read music easier (I'm recently a senior citizen).

So at the generous advice of the guy at where I took the ‘treatment’ (since that is what helped my eyes), I'm looking for something that emits square waves at low frequencies and at higher field strengths. This is my current evaluation, I may change my mind with more research.

These devices are expensive, and will use a lot of electricity, so I want to get what I need first time, because I really can't even that, getting one that doesn't work and learning from that to get a better one is not an option.

— Last Edited by BobbyBoomer at 2012-02-24 11:16:13 —

#10 - Feb. 24, 2012, noon

I forgot to m mention that Dr Robert Beck also invented a magnetic pulser. This operates at a much lower frequency than you may wish for, but has the advantage of being fairly cheap and so worth exploring.

He did present it as part of his cure-all. But it may be that it works for you, just as in my case that the Microbe Electrifier didn't cure my cancer but did cure my urination problems better than the previously prescribed drug (which had unwanted side-effects).

See: http://www.dragonfly75.com/eng/Bpulser.html

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