PEMF Science

Adverse Reactions to PEMF

  • The home based magnetic therapy is accompanied with mild reactions and the same holds true for pulsed magnetic field therapy systems as well. Whenever a treatment is initiated with PEMFs, it is not unusual to experience mild discomfort which can be ascribed to the enhanced metabolic activities at the cellular level. These adverse reactions occur about 5% of the time. Such reactions are also common in other therapies such as Jarisch-Herxheimer which is common with the use of antibiotics and inflammations in homeotherapy, acupuncture, deep tissue massage and so on.

  • The reactions are mild and impermanent most of the times. These reactions occur frequently in individuals with electrical hypersensitivity and magnetic hypersensitivity. It rarely happens that the treatment is discontinued because of the adverse reactions. The issue is usually resolved in bringing about minor changes in the treatment plan. Magnetic therapies have the potential to alter the rate of circulation, fuel cell and tissue repair, excite nerve cells, affect the blood pressure and heart rate, and increase the rate of nutrient absorption and much more.

  • To avoid any signs of adverse reactions, it is best to go slow during the treatments and then slowly increase the intensity of the magnetic fields the patient is exposed to. First, the intensity and then the exposure to the magnetic fields have to be incremented slowly on patients exhibiting sensitivity. The main goal of the PEMF treatment is to heal the patient by suitably managing and curing the adverse reactions that show up during the course of the treatment.

  • As soon as the exposure to magnetic fields happen, there is a sudden rise in the circulation principally in the ischemic tissues. Though it is desirable to have an increase in the circulation, it also enhances the oxidative stress. It is therefore necessary to stock up the antioxidants in the body by taking supplements. There may also be a rise in the inflammatory processes in the skin due to an increase in the circulation process. It should also be considered prior to the treatment, the possibility of aggravation of hives.

Pain

  • Improved circulation and the traffic at the nerve cells can cause the pain to be aggravated during the treatment. Patients already having scars or fractures experience more pain compared to others. The fractured sites when exposed to the magnetic fields may momentarily cause pain at the site. The event of “chasing the pain” results if there are blockages all over the body of the patient. What actually happens during this event is that when pain is experienced at a particular site, the other sites show no signs of pain. But as soon as the pain ceases in this particular site, the other sites starts aching.

  • Overall, this condition is not a huge problem. But it accompanies the magnetic therapy as a side effect. If there is any pain associated with magnetic therapy, which significantly is not seen in other patients undergoing the same treatment, then it may be an indication of an underlying other problem. In this case the medical supervisor should take due care and carry out examination once again. Magnetic therapy can also be used to detect other problems within the body.

Blood Pressure & Heart Rate

  • Magnetic therapies are known to improve the blood pressure conditions in the body. They even stabilize the heart beat rate. Elderly people are however at risk because their body is too fragile to adjust to the sudden changes taking place within the body during the treatment. The magnetic field treatments may not be suitable for elderly patients who are bedridden or who have compensatory vascular flexes.

  • There is a probability that these people could faint while changing positions. Hence, they have to be pretty careful while undergoing magnetic field therapies. Once the body gets used to the treatment procedures, then they will not have to suffer much.

Medications & Nutrients

  • The use of magnetic fields for treatments can affect the metabolism rate and the rate at which the nutrients are absorbed within the cells. During the therapies, it can be seen that the blood sugar levels fall. Research results have even proven that PEMFs can actually aid the chemotherapy treatments in killing the cancer cells with much ease. PEMFs can even change the clotting reactions within the body.

  • This is possible when the platelets adhesiveness decreases and fibronylsis increases within the body. People who are put on aspirin or anticoagulants are advised to be careful however. Magnetic fields can cause coagulation and thus interfere with other treatments. Close monitoring of patients undergoing magnetic field treatments has to be done to avoid any side effects aggravating the problem.

Sensitivity

  • People who are sensitive to magnetic fields have to be suspected of showing general adverse reactions. These adverse reactions can be anything like increased fatigue levels, increase in pain, weakness, dizziness, prickly sensations and palpitations. People who show the above mentioned symptoms can be considered to be to have systemic hemodynamic or autonomic disability.

  • This results due to chronic infections or environmental toxicities. Many patients show the signs of pain syndromes and chronic fatigue syndrome. The amount of sensitivity a patient exhibits during the treatments acts as the deciding factor about the levels of magnetic field a patient must be subjected to.

Fighting Adverse Reactions

  • Anticipating alone can help deal with the adverse reactions that show up during the magnetic field treatments. Possible explanations to these reactions can only be provided by the healthcare professionals, when a thorough background search is carried out in the patient’s medical history. The treatments should however not be stopped, as adverse reactions start showing up, because these are just temporary. The reactions fade out eventually when the treatment gains momentum.

  • The initial reactions exhibited by the patients are pretty important and it is on the basis of these initial reactions, that the intensity of the magnetic fields the patients are subjected to is determined. The optimal use and the duration are decided by the doctors, based on the initial reactions which show up. Individuals who show just mild reactions can however be put to treatments. Small changes can show up large adverse reactions in patients who have already suffered chronic pain or psychological disruptions. In such patients, the magnetic field therapy should be commenced by exposing them to the least intensity field possible.

  • Many practitioners have even proposed the idea of asking the patients to consume water treated with magnetic fields initially. This can be done prior to the commencement of the magnetic therapy sessions. The patients are usually advised to consume amino acid, mineral, antioxidant and vitamin supplements. Melatonin supplements are prescribed to the individuals whose melatonin level decrease gradually during the treatments.

  • There have been many cases where the adverse reactions have shown up after the treatments have progressed by up to 50%. Hence, in order to deal with such situations, the treatments which the patients undergo during the first week should be extended for another week. The main idea is to test the resistance levels of the body and decide on the optimum levels and the duration of exposure. The cases where extreme reactions occur, it becomes vital to check upon the external EMF influences on the patient’s body.

  • The exposure at home or at work has to be reduced or totally eliminated during the therapy. The day to day electronic appliances like the cell phones, electric stoves, television or wireless routers might have a significant influence on the patient undergoing magnetic field treatments. Residing adjacent to a cell phone tower or in a neighborhood which is significantly prone to wireless transmissions can as well affect the individual’s healing process.