The
Pull of Magnets
Magnets have been used in eastern medicine for centuries to promote
healing. It is only recently, however, that scientists have begun to
rigorously study their ability to help heal injuries and reduce pain in
the arms, legs, and back.
The following were double-blind studies, meaning neither the
researchers nor the study subjects knew who was getting a real magnet and
who, a sham magnet.
This study involved twenty subjects recovering from liposuction
surgery. Half were given magnetic pads to wear on their
wounds. The other half received sham magnets in the
pads.
Those who got magnetic pads reported less black-and-blue discoloration
in the first three days, less swelling in the first four days, and less
pain in the first week than did the control group. Published in the Journal
of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Dec. 1999).
Chronic foot pain patients were given shoe inserts to wear--one
containing a real magnet, the other a sham. The neurologist
conducting the study found that almost all patients reported less pain in
the foot whose shoe had the magnetic insert. From the American
Journal of Pain Management (1998).
A study of fifty patients with post-polio pain found that seventy six
percent of those wearing magnets reported a decrease in pain after 45
minutes. In contrast, those wearing placebos reported only slight
improvement. Published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation (1997).
Scientists are not quite sure how magnets work. One popular
theory is that they increase blood flow to an inflamed area, causing
natural healing. Studies are underway to examine the impact of magnets on
varied types of pain: lower
back, carpal tunnel, and fibromyalgia.
