by Audrey Frederick

Created on: May 03, 2008

How Does Magnetic Therapy Help with Arthritis?

How does magnetic therapy help with arthritis? This is a question where there are two sides to the answer. Hundreds of people will say it is a gift from the heavens and others will say it is a bunch of "bunk."

More people with arthritis are drawn to using magnetic therapy than any other group. With some the magnets work very well and with others, they find no relief at all.

Magnets have been in use for over four thousand years. The earth has a natural magnetic field and as humans we require this magnetic field to function normally. These magnetic fields make it easier for your body to do what it does and also helps your cells to work more efficiently.

Magnets have been used over the years to treat general fatigue, pain, to heal broken bones more quickly, and to help circulatory problems. This natural energy helps to release endorphins into our blood stream, which helps to kill pain.

The Space Program (NASA) used rats in many experiments in space and the rats that were not fitted with a magnetic field perished, and those that were, survived.

In 1976 Dr. Kyoichi Nakagawa, the founder of modern day magnetic health research, published in the "Japan Medical Journal," an article claiming that the strength of the earth's natural magnetic field has decreased considerably. Steel buildings, cars, high voltage power lines and other manmade electrical fields are further reducing that magnetic field.

As a result people and animals are suffering from such symptoms as fatigue, aches and pains, muscle cramps and insomnia, which he termed "magnetic field deficiency syndrome." He went on to further state that these symptoms could be alleviated by the external application of magnets to the body.

How does a magnet work and what is it made of?

Magnets are made of a combination of materials such as iron, cobalt, nickel, ceramic, aluminum and neodymium. They come in bars, strips and even beads. They are magnetized by placing magnets near a large coil of wire that has a great deal of direct electrical current being applied to it in brief pulsating movements.

There are two types of permanent magnets, both of which are causing researchers and therapists to argue among themselves as to which is the best to use.

The unipolar magnet is made up of bars or beads and has the North Pole on one side and the South Pole on the other side. The North Pole should be facing the body and the South Pole away from the body (the magnets are marked accordingly) when

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