Each patch consists of a hypoallergenic, self-adhesive plaster containing
high purity zinc and copper in a magnetic field. The magnetic field
is produced by a rare earth magnet (an alloy of neodymium, iron and
boron) that provides a field strength of 2000 gauss. The magnet is
coated with purified zinc and surrounded with tiny copper spheres,
with each element pre-aligned and attached to the self-adhesive, microporous
tape to ensure the correct magnetic (negative) pole is in contact
with the body. The patch is made from a hypoallergenic, microporous
material which allows the skin to breath and is particularly suitable
for sensitive skins.
Reproduced by kind permission of Acumed
Each patch works as a mini transmitter, emitting small energy fields
which have a soothing effect and stimulate the body’s natural
pain relief mechanism. Acumed patches generate three different electromagnetic
fields:
- magnetic - with the North (negative) pole touching
the skin, and the South (positive) pole facing away from the skin
- micro-electric - due to copper and zinc forming a battery bridged
by moisture from the skin
- induced electric current - due to the magnetic field acting on the
copper microspheres.
These fields interact to produce pulsations of energy that are more
effective than using a continuous signal.
Although their exact mechanisms of action is unknown, the electromagnetic
energy of magnetic patches is believed to interact with the energy
of your own electromagnetic field (aura) to help strengthen it.
Each patch should be applied to clean, dry skin near the site of
pain. If positioned over acupuncture points (especially tender tsubos)
associated with the painful areas the benefits may be even greater
(See page).
For small areas, or mild to moderate pain, only one patch may prove
necessary. If-pain is more extensive or severe, several patches may
be used to cover further acupoints as appropriate.
Acumed magnetic patches should be left on the skin, undisturbed,
for 5 to 7 days. They can be worn during all normal daily activities,
including bathing and showering. After 5-7 days, the Acumed patch(es)
should be gently peeled away and discarded. New magnets can be resited
as necessary - it is usually beneficial to “rest” for
one or two days before re-starting treatment however.
Theories on how magnetic therapy works
Boosting the Earth’s Electromagnetic
field
No-one knows exactly how magnetic therapy works,
but several interesting theories have been suggested that might explain
how it can reduce pain perception and
boost healing. Many theories of how magnets work are a variation on
what scientists call the Hall Effect. Since our bloodstream is filled
with positively and negatively charged ions, stimulating these ions
by exposure to a magnetic field generates a certain amount of heat.
The heat increases the blood supply to the area where the magnet is
located, and with the blood comes extra oxygen and nutrients, as well
as a flushing away of toxins.
How does magnetic therapy work?
The electric and magnetic fields produced by the magnetic patches
affect the flow of electromagnetic energy in parts of the body. In
particular, it frees imbalances and build-ups of electromagnetic energy
- often associated with tissue damage and inflammation - that irritate:
1 nerves - to cause pain
1 muscles - to cause spasm
Magnetic therapy can act on nerve and muscle cells to relieve pain,
relax tense muscles, improve the circulation and boost immunity through
a number of suggested mechanisms.
Possible mechanism 1:
Restoring electro-magnetic balance
Each cell acts as an electro-magnetic unit producing its
own magnetic field. During health, cells vibrate with their own characteristic
electromagnetic frequency. During disease, a cell’s electromagnetic
vibration changes. This effect is used to diagnose heart problems
for example, using a heart trace (electrocardiogram or ECG). During
health, the ECG will show a particular pattern generated by the passage
of electrical messages throughout the heart muscle as it alternately
beats then rests.
If cells lack oxygen due to reduced blood flow in coronary heart
disease, characteristic changes occur in the ECG that help to diagnose
the problem quite accurately. In the most simple terms, electromagnetic
therapy is believed to restore health by helping cells regain their
natural electromagnetic frequency.
Possible mechanism 2:
Boosting the circulation
Another theory is that electromagnetic therapy improves blood flow
– especially through tiny blood vessels known as capillaries.
Red blood cells are coated with a cell membrane which, like other
cells in the body carries a negative (water repelling) charge inside
the double layer, but has a variety of positive and negative charges
(water attracting) on the surface. These help to repel other red blood
cells, and also helps to keep them away from blood vessel walls, so
they don’t form unwanted blood clots in the circulation. As
a result, blood flow is improved - by aligning blood cells in an organised
manner which essentially has a blood thinning action. This is similar
in principle to the way that magnets applied to water pipes reduce
furring up of the pipes, and to the way that magnets applied to fuel
pumps reduces fuel consumption.
In the 1950s, it was discovered that when heated, magnetically treated
water was less likely to form scale in pipes than unmagnetised water.
A water molecule consists of two positively charged hydrogen atoms
(H+) and a negatively charged oxygen atom (O2-). Because of the electron
configuration of these molecules, the positively charged hydrogen
atoms of one molecule tend to attract the negatively charged oxygen
atoms of other water molecules. This results in the formation of clusters
which can contain anywhere from four to literally hundreds of water
molecules. Magnetisation is thought to break up clusters of water
molecules that surround lime deposits and other foreign molecules
so they remain in the water stream rather than being deposited on
pipe walls.
Red blood cells also contain the red blood pigment, haemoglobin,
which contains iron – one of the most easily magnetised substances
on Earth. In 1954, Linus Pauling received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
partly for discovering the magnetic properties of haemoglobin, each
molecule of which contains four atoms of iron.
This means that red blood cells can respond to an electromagnetic
field and even become magnetised themselves. Blood also contains copper
and dissolved ions (eg sodium, potassium, chloride) that make it a
powerful conductor of electric and magnetic currents.
As red blood cells pass through small capillaries in the skin under
an applied magnet, they travel through a magnetic field which is believed
to produce effects within the haemoglobin molecules that help them
carry oxygen to the tissues more effectively. As the charged ions
in blood pass through the magnetic field, they inevitably produce
a small electric current which will also boost blood flow and strengthen
the circulation. In some cases, blood flow is increased by as much
as three fold within five minutes.
Improved blood flow in turn increases the amount of oxygen, glucose
and nutrients available to cells, and flushes away cell toxins, helping
to keep tissues healthy and improving healing. Greater oxygenation
in tissues also increases resistance to infection.
Possible mechanism 3:
Boosting immunity
T-lymphocytes are immune cells that play an important role in the
body’s immune and inflammatory responses. In order to move easily
between other cells in the body’s tissues, T-cells polarise
themselves into tiny magnets (using positively charged calcium ions)
so they can move towards an electromagnetic field more easily. These
electromagnetic fields are formed in the body around damaged cells,
damaged nerves, and electric currents produced by pressure (piezoelectric
currents) where bones rub together in arthritic joints. T-lymphocytes
therefore accumulate wherever there are unusual electromagnetic fields
in the body. Once there, they release powerful chemicals (lymphokines)
that attract other immune cells into the area which tends to make
the inflammation and pain worse. Magnetic therapy is thought to have
a beneficial effect on T-lymphocytes so that they don’t over-react
and inflammation can resolve more quickly.
Possible mechanism 4:
Regulating enzyme reactions
Most metabolic reactions in the body depend on the activity of enzymes
– proteins that facilitate the interaction of two or more molecules
so that reactions that would otherwise occur at too slow a rate can
occur at an accelerated, yet controlled rate. Experiments have shown
that exposure to a magnetic field (strengths ranging from 60 gauss
to 20,000 gauss for up to 25 hours were used) increased the activity
of certain plant enzymes by amounts ranging from 20% to over 90%.
Other experiments have found that a magnetic field can also slow the
activity of some other enzymes by around 25% with different field
strengths having different effects. It is likely that magnetic therapy
can produce similar effects on human enzymes, by speeding up some
reactions (eg to do with healing) and slowing others (eg to do with
inflammation).
Possible mechanism 5:
Regulating the flow of calcium ions
Magnetic fields affect the chemicals bonds found within calcium bicarbonate
molecules, stretching and breaking them so that more is converted
into calcium hydroxide (+ carbon dioxide gas which is removed). Over
all, this has the effect of improving the alkalinity of extra-cellular
fluids. This both increases the amount of oxygen that can be absorbed,
and damps down growth of micro-organisms. It also allows mineral ions
such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc and chromium to move more
freely, ensuring improved cell nutrition and excretion. For example,
one magnetic polarity can help calcium move away from painful arthritic
joints, and the other magnetic polarity can attract calcium ions towards
a broken bone to hasten healing, especially where non-union has previously
occurred (See page).
Possible mechanism 6:
Boosting healing
Magnetic fields seem to stabilise human DNA, to enhance DNA synthesis,
and to activate a cell’s metabolic processes. These two effects
combined seem to boost the healing and repair processes.
Possible mechanism 7:
Producing analgesia
Magnets are thought to reduce pain by reducing inflammation (See 3,
page 66), by normalising the movement of ions and the flow of electric
‘messages’ in affected areas, which in turn damps down
over-activity of pain receptors, and by stimulating production of
the body’s natural painkillers, known as endorphins, to damp
down pain perception. When levels of endorphins were
measured in blood before and after exposure to a static magnet (3950
gauss) for fifteen minutes, endorphin levels were found to increase
by 25% one hour afterwards, and by 45% two hours after exposure. Some
researchers also believe that the effects of stress hormones cause
magnetic imbalances in cells, and that applying the negative pole
of
a magnet can stabilise or ‘repolarise’ affected cells
which may also reduce pain perception.
Possible mechanism 8:
Stimulating production of melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone produced within the pineal gland in the brain.
Melatonin has a variety of effects in the body, including helping
to regulate the body’s biorhythms and sleep-wake cycle and boosting
immunity. Exposure to electromagnetic fields emanating from 60 Hz
alternating current has been shown to reduce nocturnal melatonin concentrations
in electric utility workers, especially if they also worked in low
light levels. Another study of 12 men with low back pain also found
that exposure to a low-frequency alternating magnetic field for 3
weeks (20 min per day, 5 days per week) either at 10 o’clock
in the morning, or at 6 o’clock in the evening experienced a
significant reduction in the nocturnal melatonin rise that usually
occurs, regardless of the time of exposure although the percentage
of inhibition of melatonin secretion varied among individuals.
Magnetic therapy may therefore help to offset the effects of exposure
to harmful environmental electromagnetic radiation although this is
not yet confirmed.
Possible mechanism 9:
Boosting the Earth’s Electromagnetic field
The earth’s magnetic field has decreased by 50% over the
last 500 years. In the last 100 years it has decreased by 5% and is
continuing to reduce at the rate of 0.05% per year. Magnetic therapy
is believed by some to help boost a cell’s degree of exposure
to beneficial electromagnetic fields to help offset the fall in background
exposure to the Earth’s field thereby helping to offset the
effects of Magnetic Field Deficiency Syndrome
