The PEMF therapy has been getting a lot of recognition and popularity in the medical world since the last few decades.
This has started to convince people to purchase a PEMF device for themselves.
However, there are a few factors which need to be considered before buying a PEMF device – frequency, waveform, and intensity of the electromagnetic waves emitted by PEMF devices.
This article will give a brief introduction about PEMF therapy, discuss the importance of frequency in this therapy, give a brief overview of different types of PEMF devices in the market, and also highlight some benefits of getting the PEMF therapy.
If you are someone who is suffering from a health problem and confused about which PEMF device to purchase in order to treat it, then you are in the right place.
This article will help you understand the importance of varying frequency and other elements in a PEMF device.
It will also help you understand how the frequency of a PEMF device varies according to the illness under treatment.
What is the PEMF Therapy?
The Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy is a treatment in which the human body is exposed to electromagnetic waves of various frequencies and intensities.
The purpose behind this exposure is to re-energize the cells of our body.
This helps to improve the healing capabilities of our body.
Electromagnetic waves can be harmful in certain forms.
But if these waves are delivered with the right amount of frequency and proper transmission methods, like the ones used in PEMF therapy, they can prove to be very beneficial for the human body.
The PEMF technology has been in use for many decades.
The PEMF therapy was first used by veterinarians in order to treat several health related issues in animals.
The PEMF device was originally designed in such a way that the patient had to be placed inside the magnetic field.
But nowadays, the devices are in the form of yoga mats and consist of flat spiral coils which are responsible for producing the electromagnetic waves.
Organizations like NASA have invested a fortune in this technology in order to develop their own PEMF therapy for the wellbeing of their astronauts.
What is PEMF Intensity?
In a PEMF system, the term intensity refers to the strength of the magnetic field generated by a PEMF device.
Magnetic fields vary in their strength and intensity.
The magnetic field strength of some PEMF systems is less than 1000 Gauss.
They are considered to be low intensity system.
Other systems produce a magnetic field varying between 1000 to 50,000 Gauss in strength.
This is why they are considered to be high intensity systems.
The intensity of electromagnetic waves in PEMF therapy is altered according to the requirements of the illness under treatment.
This is because all conditions react differently to different intensities.
Identifying which intensity works best for you by consulting a health professional is essential.
What are PEMF Waveforms?
Waveforms can be defined as the variations in the shape of a wave.
This represent the changes in the amplitude of the waves during a certain period of time.
The PEMF devices emit the electromagnetic waves in a variety of waveforms.
The sine wave is the most commonly used wave type.
Curves of equal amplitude appear repeatedly in this particular wave type.
Sawtooth and square waveforms are also commonly used in PEMF devices.
Due to its spiked nature, sawtooth wave can bring about an effective change.
This is why the sawtooth wave form is beneficial for the entire body.
The square waveform is used more for localized treatments because it has a very rapid rate of change.
What is PEMF Frequency?
The literal definition of the term frequency is “the number of waves that pass through a point in one second”.
In PEMF therapy, frequency is a means to measure the number of electromagnetic waves released from the PEMF device into the human body within the time span of one second.
Frequency is not kept constant throughout PEMF therapies.
Some PEMF devices have a lower frequency range between 1 and 100 Hertz, while others have a very high frequency range which can go up to 10,000 Hertz.
Importance of PEMF Frequency
Every organism and object present on earth, including you and I, generates and emits a wide range of frequencies all the time.
As an example, the cells of our body use frequencies as a means to communicate with other cells – both different and similar in nature.
Our brain is also a good example to understand the variation in frequency.
The human brain is divided into four distinct states based on the brain waves, namely Alpha, Beta, Delta and Theta.
Each of these sates make use of a distinct and individual frequency.
If those frequencies are matched with external electromagnetic waves generated by PEMF devices, then it is possible to impact and control the brain’s activity.
Some frequencies can be used to relax and calm the brain, while others can be used to excite it.
The selection of frequency in PEMF therapy is very subjective to the person under treatment.
This is because everyone’s body reacts differently to the PEMF therapy due to a difference in their biological makeup.
The frequency being used in PEMF therapy should be altered and changed over time by monitoring the response of the body.
Our body’s frequency range is very similar to the frequency range of the planet.
This is why many manufacturers of the PEMF device make use of earth based frequencies in their machines.
The illness under treatment also requires a variation of frequency in the PEMF therapy.
Different conditions require a different frequency range for their treatment.
Bronchitis, for example, requires a frequency of approximately 4 Hz at an acute stage.
However, a chronic stage bronchitis responds more effectively to a frequency of approximately 12 Hz.
The idea frequency range to speed up the recovery of bruises and acne is between 10 and 15 Hertz.
On the other hand, conditions like chronic blepharitis require very low frequencies, close to 2 Hz or less, for its treatment.
Generally, most of the conditions can be treated by using frequencies ranging from 0 to 32Hz, so owning a PEMF device with this range is sufficient for most people.
Different Types of PEMF Devices
There are a large number of PEMF devices present in the market.
Each of these devices vary in their prices and functionality.
Some popular brands available in the market are HealthyLine Platinum, Medithera Home System, Omnium1 PEMF Mat and iMRS 2000.
- HealthyLine Platinum: This PEMF device is relatively new in the market, but has managed to grow a lot in popularity because of its promising results. The frequency range of this mat is from 1 to 25 Hz. This means that it can be used to treat a large number of conditions. This machine uses the square and sine waveforms. This product is priced around $2000.
- Medithera Home System: This system was also introduced recently in the market. It is used in homes as well as clinics. The frequency range of this device is a lot more impressive than the HealthyLine one, ranging from 1 Hz to as high as 1000 Hz. However, this device only has sawtooth waveform. The price of this product is around $2495.
- Omnium PEMF Mat: This device was designed and created in Switzerland. It makes use of modern technology by incorporating an Android interface in it. This makes it very easy to use. However, it leans toward the expensive side with price starting from $2995.
- IMRS 2000: Intelligent Magnetic Resonance Stimulation is considered to be one of the best and most famous PEMF devices all over the world. It has a very ideal frequency range between 1 and 25 Hz. It makes use of both sinusoidal and sawtooth waveforms. This device also has an option for square waveforms. Since it is one of the most advanced PEMF therapy devices out there, it comes with a very steep price tag. The minimum price of this device is $3575.
Benefits of PEMF Therapy
Recharges the cells in our body
When the cells in our body run low on power, the PEMF therapy is a great method to externally provide the electromagnetic waves which help the cells function properly.
Therefore, it acts as a “charger” for our cells.
Helps treat joint problems
The PEMF therapy is used to treat several joint related problems such as the impingement syndrome.
A study was conducted in 2009 in which the test subjects were suffering from a problem of the shoulder joint called impingement syndrome.
The purpose of the study was to test whether or not PEMF therapy can be used to treat this disorder.
The results showed that there was an improvement in the condition of the test subjects after giving them PEMF therapy (1).
Treats psychological issues like anxiety and depression
The PEMF therapy does not only treat physical disorders, but it is also known for treating mental disorders like anxiety and depression.
This was demonstrated in a study conducted in 2000 where rats were used as test subjects.
Using the PEMF therapy on those rats helped improve their working abilities making them more productive and more relaxed mentally. (2).
Reduces Symptoms of Arthritis
PEMF therapy is also used to reduce pain and discomfort which are commonly recurring symptoms of joint inflammation conditions such as arthritis.
A study was conducted in 1998 in which the test subjects were suffering from arthritis.
After undergoing the PEMF therapy, the test subjects reported a significant decrease in pain and discomfort (3).
Reduces healing time of fractured bones
The PEMF therapy was initially used to treat the broken bones of race horses.
This is because PEMF therapy speeds up the healing process of bones.
In 1999, a team of Bangladeshi scientists conducted a study in which subjects with fractured bones underwent PEMF therapy.
The study was conducted to observe the impact of PEMF therapy on the healing process of our bones.
Results showed that PEMF therapy sped up the healing process significantly. (4)
Improves immunity
The PEMF therapy stimulates the genetic material present in human cells i.e. the DNA and RNA.
The stimulation helps to improve the immune system of a person.
This helps our bodies to fight of infections effectively.
Helps treat migraines
Migraines are repeatedly occurring headaches.
It is a very common problem amongst both children and adults.
42 migraine patients were made the test subjects in a study conducted in 1999 to see if the PEMF therapy helped reduce their headache.
The results showed that every single test patient felt a drastic improvement in their condition.
Their headache was reduced significantly. (5)
Repairing damaged nerves
The nervous system is an important part of the human body.
Any form of damage to the nervous system can result in a permanent loss of functionality in certain parts of our body.
In 1993, a study was conducted on rats with damaged sciatic nerves.
The purpose of the study was to determine if the PEMF therapy was able to repair and heal damaged nerves.
The results were very satisfactory because the treatment succeeded in healing the damaged sciatic nerves of the rats (6).
Flow of blood in the body is improves
The flow of blood in our body is directly impacted by the diameter of our blood vessels.
Choosing rats as the test subject, a study was conducted to test the impact of PEMF therapy on blood vessels.
The results showed the diameters of blood vessels to increase in rats which underwent PEMF therapy.
Consequently, this led to an improved blood flow (7).