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?

Thanks.

Thanks again. I did run across a couple of these sites while researching, but many of them I haven't found.

I now have over 30 links in the bookmarks folder and many of these pages have multiple links on them(whew!). That's a lot of info. Unfortunately I have to work so I can't sit down and go through them all at once, but I am taking them as time allows.

From what I've read so far, things look encouraging. According to a couple of pdf's I read on the NASA study, it seems that the square wave is the most beneficial, just like the guy who treated me suggests. The biggest problem seems to be that most of the products use triangle or sine waves. At least that eliminates a few machines ;) to make the search easier.

Of course with over 30 links in the folder and links in each of the pages, it's easy to get lost ;)

Thanks again - working on it!

Just wanted to let you know Dr. Rowen is planning an article on pemf “in a future issue” of his Second Opinion newsletter. I'll get you an update when it comes out.

Thanks again.

OK, I bit the bullet and bought a (name withheld due to problems with the company) device, because after exhaustive research I found it is the only one with a square wave that was under $5,000. I really can't afford it, but then I can't afford not to take a chance on healing my ears, even if it is a long shot.

It seems that everybody sells the device for the same price. It might be a multi-level marketing business or just independent sellers here in the USA - I didn't investigate. But since a couple of the calls were people in their homes and since all the estimates were exactly the same price, I put one and one together.

After a few phone calls I got it from Canada because the guy on the phone was helpful and nice. I have no business relationship with him so this is not a paid plug.

I took delivery on April 12 and I'll update this from time to time to give results.

April 26, two weeks later….

Best result so far - my eyesight has improved - quite a bit. When I was going to the ‘clinic’ I noticed my eyesight was better but it rapidly reverted a few weeks after I quit going.

I'm far-sighted and even with my glasses I could not read fine print. It's been that way for decades. Especially with numbers, if the typeface is tiny, I need a magnifying glass.

I noticed it immediately on my android phone. Sharp text. I started testing. There hardly isn't anything I cannot read with my glasses on in good light. This is a remarkable improvement, as there was so much I couldn't read before without the magnifying glass AND my glasses.

In addition, the entire world seems sharper now. I'm really enjoying this. I haven't gone in for an exam so this isn't scientific, but I am absolutely positive about it.

The small of my back has been bothering me for years when I first get out of bed. Slight pain until it's used a bit. Improvement, from slight pain to simply discomfort. Not bad in two weeks.

I had plantar fasciitis a couple of years ago. Put the boot on at night, put arch support in my shoes and it mostly went away with some lingering pain if I stood for too long (and I stand at work). Improvement in this area as well. Much less pain and discomfort.

Now the ears - which is the reason why I bought the device in the first place. I've read in a number of places that nerve regeneration can take up to six months, so I'm not expecting overnight relief. And again, this is an act of desperation, there is no scientific proof that it will work.

My tinnitus is down. But my tinnitus is variable so this is not definitive. It comes and goes with something I've never been able to figure out.

So, I'm seeing the most remarkable results in vision, and good results in skeletal pain.

Most articles and books I've read say that this is a slow process of healing, and that it takes time, so the early results are encouraging.

After 6 months or so of treatment, I'll get an eye and ear exam to see how I'm doing. No sense doing that every few weeks, I don't make that kind of money.

Here's what I'm doing:

• I lay on the mattress 8 minutes twice a day.
• I use the pad on either side of my face for 8 minutes twice a day
• I use the probe on either ear twice a day.
• If I have the time I also put my plantar foot on the pad for 8 minutes
• If I have a little more extra time, I'll repeat something.

It's difficult do do anything else while treating myself because (1) I have to take my hearing aids and glasses off as they are affected by magnets (2) I can't use it near iron/steel objects for the same reason (3) I can't use it near electronic devices (They call the interference “electo-smog”. So I use the time for meditation. In my busy life it's actually good to have some “time out”.

I'll keep you posted from time to time. Feel free to ask questions if you are interested in details.

— Last Edited by BobbyBoomer at 2012-04-26 20:15:52 —

— Last Edited by BobbyBoomer at 2012-09-11 21:42:30 —

— Last Edited by BobbyBoomer at 2012-09-11 21:44:33 —

Thanks for all that checking and write-up.

Your investigation was great; as was your report - especially your own evidence (the best sort, in the end)

However, I'm not too convinced when I check things out. As an electronic engineer, some of the explanation the firm gives doesn't make sense - tho' that's not to say the device doesn't work only that they may not be too good at the theory/explanation.

I'll continue mulling this over.

I'd appreciate it if you give another update in a month or so.

Best wishes, Z

When I started going to the “clinic” last year, it was for my mother-in-law. She has Parkinson's and it is reported to help. My brother-in-law who is a word-famous osteopathic surgeon said, “It won't hurt” so we did it. I just did it myself while I was there.

The person who runs the “clinic” has invented his machines, patented them, and is looking for investors to bring them to market. The technology is proven but he invented the computer control of the devices and some of the finer points of application. He isn't allowed to use the machines as therapy, as they haven't been approved by the FDA (needs investors for that) so he takes donations in a tip jar (pretty weird, I know).
http://www.gausstek.com/ingles/indexenglish.htm

But they use the technology and similar machines on race horses and there are legitimate clinics using the magnetic fields for human therapy. In fact there are devices costing +20,000 dollars for use in medical clinics. BTW the FDA does approve it for mending of broken bones and who knows what else - I only have so much time to devote to this - I do have to work to make a living.

It's also approved in Europe for more therapies than it is in the USA.

Unfortunately, the problem my mother-in-law was experiencing wasn't due to Parkinson's, but a pinched spinal cord in an upper vertebra requiring surgery.

But when going to the clinic I did notice my eyesight got remarkably better so I figure something is going on. I never expected my eyes to get better, I was after my heel spur and injured finger, but after about a month at the clinic, I noticed how the display on my smart phone was so much clearer and that I wasn't magnifying things as often. That's when I started reading fine print that I couldn't read before to verify that.

Fast forward to the recent past…

In my research, I read quite a few things that indicate NASA and other space agencies provide low-frequency magnetic fields to the people in space, as they get unhealthy without them. Why? I don't fully understand. All I read is that the body is dependent on the earth's low-frequency pulsating magnetic field and that our bodies evolved with it and cannot work properly without it. Sounds logical, but who knows? Some things that sound logical aren't always what they seem. But since NASA even puts it in space suits and it's in the space station, it must be important - they don't put things in there frivolously.

I've also read in a few places that the earth's magnetic field has been growing much weaker (some say up to 50%) and that is why scientists suspect the poles might be getting ready to reverse again. That could be a long post in itself, so I'll leave that for you to google if you are interested.

OK, now I need to do some additions to my previous post.

First of all, I forgot to add that I put about 8 minutes on my hands every day plus when doing the side of my head, I put my hands on the opposite side of the pad, so I'm getting ear on one side, and hand on the other.

More unscientific observations:

1) Tinnitus is back. We've had a couple of all-day cloudy days, and frequently when this happens, my tinnitus is aggravated. This one is no exception. Never could figure out why, it isn't consistent, it doesn't follow barometric pressure or anything else we've tried to connect with it. So any effect on the ears is not evident. I read somewhere else that it takes about 6 months for damaged nerves to regenerate so I'll be patient and continue hoping.

2) I injured my left pinky finger years ago on a computer that had a defective shift key that would stick every now and then. I would then just try to force it. The smallest joint would sometimes pain me. I eventually bought a new keyboard but the joint has continued to bother me. This weekend, while playing guitar on the job, I noticed the joint wasn't in pain. Perhaps a little discomfort. That's nice.

3) More hands. The small joint on my right index finger (mouse button finger) has a click in it. Almost like trigger finger, but it doesn't get stuck. A small shot of pain, click and then OK. I noticed that the clicks are getting milder, almost like a chiropractic back adjustment, and no longer have pain associated with the click.

4) Eyes continue to improve. Last night we were in a restaurant in moderate light and I picked up a “Sweet And Low” package and could read every word on it (with my glasses on). Amazing! Even when my glasses were brand new I couldn't do that. The optometrist usually fills the prescription so that I can read about 6 point type at forearm level in very good light. I haven't been able to read the Sweet And Low pack for I'd say 10 t 20 years now. Will it get better enough for me to eventually ditch the glasses? I have no idea, but I'm thrilled at this much. My entire world is clearer now. It seems my eyes have an increased ability to adjust to different focal lengths.

5) Non-scientific again. I'm in my mid 60s and for the past few years I've had a noticeable increase of “Senior moments”. Nothing severe, but difficulty remembering names of people I haven't thought of in years and sometimes difficulty with a noun or two. This seems to be clearing up and I seem to be back to my normal amount of forgetfulness. Wishful thinking? I didn't expect this so it isn't a preconceived notion, but I wonder if I read it somewhere and it entered my subconscious.

Without tests, all improvements but the vision is difficult to say. I want to improve - I spent a lot of money that I really couldn't afford on it and I want to justify the expense - so even though I try not to let that influence me, I'm aware it might. Plus there is the placebo effect that could enter this. I don't want to fool myself so I'm trying to be aware of all of this and be conservative in my observations of improvement. In about 6 months I'll go for an eye and ear test to compare with last year's tests.

I don't understand the mechanics of this myself. I've had some electronics training in college and was a Cable TV engineer for a while - (broadband, closed circuit, radio frequency electronics). So I know a bit about magnetic fields, and how they apply to electric currents (AC and DC theory plus lab, tons of math, and about 80 credit hours in electronics) - But that was a long time ago, when computers took up an entire building and people were encouraged to take the radio frequency option as who knows if there will be any jobs in computer science? Still I'm confident magnetism and it's relationship to electricity hasn't changed much.

The guy at the “clinic” says it works by releasing excess calcium deposits from where they collect. I strongly suspect that calcium is not affected by magnets, but don't know enough about the body to know if the calcium deposits have bonded with any of the body's iron in any way.

I do know that when my mother-in-law had neck surgery, they put a portable pulsing magnetic device on her neck for hours a day to speed the healing of the bones. It looked a little like she was wearing a huge Walkman all the time.

I also know there is a lot of iron in your blood, so could it be doing something via the blood? I read another place where it said it uses the blood to massage you internally.

Why would that make my eyesight better?

Unfortunately there isn't a lot of theoretical information out there in a form that a layman can understand. There is a lot of supposed clinical testimonial evidence to be read, but I take everything like that with a huge grain of salt. It's easy to print some doctor did this and had this wonderful result - give the doc a foreign name and before you know it, it's verified. And I don't have the time to research all these doctors. So I relied on the advice from my brother-in-law. “Could help, won't hurt.”

Plus I've read wild claims that are simply too good to be true, like ‘snake oil’.

So to summarize results up to now 2.5 weeks after delivery:
1) Eyesight - definite, remarkable improvement (delightful)
2) Joint pain - mild improvement, perhaps moderate
3) Senior moments - seem to be much fewer
4) Ears - the jury is out - so far nothing to report

I'll update from time to time

— Last Edited by BobbyBoomer at 2012-04-30 11:16:50 —

Thanks for that update Bobby.

Your various cautions/sceptical attitude in your write-ups give them credibility for me,

I have now found a supportive website doc:
http://www.cytotron.com/pdf/Therapeutic%20uses%20of%20pulsed%20magnetic-field%20exposure,%20a%20review.pdf

Best wishes, Z

So far if there is progress on my hearing, it's too gradual to detect. (I'm impatient)

Hands are somewhat better. Left pinky doesn't hurt while playing the guitar, right index doesn't click as often and actually sometimes goes an entire day without clicking.

Plantar heel acted up again and then went back to the recent improvement. I've read where this might happen. Other than the day of relapse, it's somewhat better. After a night's work it is much better than it has been. I guess time will tell on this one too. Is it time to heal? Or is it the PEMF. It's been bugging me for a couple of years now.

My wife has been using the machine as well. Last week I encouraged her to put the pad on each side of her face for 8 minutes per day. She doesn't have ear problems so she never thought of that (her problem is arthritis in her hands). After a few days her vision has started to improve as well.

I've read a lot of claims about the benefits of PEMF/PEMFt, but vision is not one of them. This is strange to me that the most immediate benefit for both of us is an improvement with vision.

After googling specifically for PEMF and Vision Improvement I found a couple of articles mentioning that it has improved vision in patients, but always as a sideline. Interesting.

Well I'm happy with the surprise vision improvement and I can take the Fresnel lens out of my wallet.

I'm continuing the treatment and will check back when there is more to say.

Update:

It's been a month and a half since the PEMFt unit arrived, and I use it daily. Twice a day most days, but at least once a day. It does take an hour or two out of my day, but so far it's been worth it.

• Arthritis in fingers are gone, and I'm doing a lot of computer work. This result is amazing
  
• Eyesight improvement is also outstanding. I still need my glasses, but with them I could read the tiniest print. I'm farsighted and my glasses have never been strong enough to read fine print, the eye doc figures reading length in good light is enough.
  
• The jury is still out on the ears. I did go through a week of no tinnitus, but that happens to me from time to time anyway. Unlike the eyesight, there is no benchmark for me to judge my hearing with until I get my next ear exam in a few months. So if there is a gradual improvement, I haven't noticed it
  
• Residual plantar in my heel is much better, but not all gone yet
  
• Brain is definitely clearer with many fewer ‘senior moments’
  

So all in all it doesn't seem to be snake oil. My wife had also had sight and arthritis improvements. Time will tell if it works on nerve regeneration as well. I'll keep you posted from time to time.