PEMF Intensity: What Intensity Is and Why It Matters

When beginning to evaluate PEMF therapy and whether it will work for you, you are likely to run across several unfamiliar terms, not the least of which is the term “intensity.” Most PEMF therapy companies will tout their particular intensity as the best available intensity (whether that is a specific intensity, or a larger range of intensities), but those same companies often fail to disclose exactly what that means. To fully understand what PEMF therapy intensity is and why it is important, it is important to first understand precisely what PEMF therapy is, how it works, and how intensity plays a role in healing.

What Is PEMF Therapy?

PEMF therapy is a type of energy therapy that began seeing widespread use in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and has continued to gain traction since. In this particular form of therapy, the body is penetrated with pulses of electromagnetic energy. These pulses deliver energy directly to the body’s cells—energy that the body creates from food, but that may be lacking in individuals with chronic or acute health issues.

The energy delivered to the body’s cells is the reason for PEMF therapy’s efficacy; the human body requires plenty of energy to carry out its daily tasks—think breathing, circulating blood, and thinking—in addition to the other tasks people carry out each day. In a standard, healthy body, there is a baseline of energy needs and production that is followed and managed by the body’s cells. In someone who is currently or has previously been plagued by illness, those energy needs increase, and the ability of the body to successfully utilize and produce energy may be impaired.

While many medications and therapies seek to modify the body’s systems, or introduce foreign elements to mimic the body’s natural functions, PEMF therapy targets the body’s natural processes. PEMF therapy, then, is therapeutic in its ability to support the body’s natural function, rather than creating a dependency on an external source.

What Is PEMF Intensity?

PEMF Intensity is one of three internal components of PEMF therapy that is used to describe the most likely use of a particular machine. The intensity of a PEMF therapy machine is the strength of the machine’s energetic field and corresponding energy delivered to the body. PEMF intensity is measured in Gauss, with standard ranges of 0-1,000 Gauss (low intensity machines) and 1,000 to 50,000 Gauss (high intensity machines). The Gauss of a machine delineates its intensity, and also corresponds to its ability to deliver powerful pulses of energy to the body’s cells.

Intensity Versus Frequency

The terms “intensity” and “frequency” are often confused with one another, or used interchangeably, but they actually describe two different components of PEMF therapy; the intensity of a machine describes the strength of its pulses, while the frequency of the machine describes the number of times that the pulses are administered to the body in a given second. Both are often described in terms of “high” and “low,” but high frequency PEMF machines do not necessarily always correspond to high-intensity PEMF machines. Instead, intensity and frequency are two separate components of PEMF machines, and are used to manipulate the energy being delivered to the body independently.

Why Is Intensity So Important?

The intensity of a machine is vital to how effective it is because it is the power delivered by the machine. Think of it this way: the intensity of a machine describes the proverbial voltage of the machine. A low-energy machine will operate differently than a high-energy machine, though both have their place. A strong battery is not necessarily better than a weaker battery, but is better in certain contexts, and the same can be said of a weaker battery. It is the same for PEMF intensity: low-intensity machines are not necessarily worse than high-intensity machines, but they are typically used for different applications. PEMF intensity is important because it can determine the best use of a machine, and the likelihood of a machine’s ability to effectively treat a condition.

The intensity of a machine is also important because it can denote different types and classes of PEMF machines. Low-intensity machines are most often found in homes, while high-intensity machines are most often found in clinics and other professional spaces (though the referee can certainly be true). Only a handful of PEMF machines designed for home use utilize high intensities, as these intensities are more often used to treat intense, acute, or highly dangerous issues, and many of these issues are primarily treated under professional supervision and intervention.

Standard Low-Intensity Use

Low-intensity PEMF machines are most often used to treat chronic conditions, perform as general health maintenance devices, and assist with superficial wound healing. Low-intensity PEMF machines are out commonly found in home PEMF machines, because they are usually used for far longer in individual sessions and as a whole. Low-intensity PEMF machines are most often used in machines that combine several different therapy modalities, and are identified as being extremely safe devices, because they do not impart a large amount of energy to the body, and do not run any risk of heating or damaging cells.

Typical High-Intensity Use

High-intensity PEMF machines are typically used in clinical settings and therapy offices, as these devices may require shorter bursts of use, and may be used in situations that require more intensive or heavy intervention. High-intensity PEMF machines may be used more often as supplemental treatments for cancer and in applications involving acute issues, such as targeted pain treatment. High intensity PEMF therapy might also be used in machines that suggest use beneath a mattress or other surface, as the intensity of a machine decreases substantially the further away from a body it is.

PEMF Intensity

Determining whether to use or purchase a PEMF therapy machine with high or low intensity can be difficult, because different companies will provide different authoritative views on whether low intensity or high intensity machines are preferred. Intensity is important, because it denotes how much success a PEMF therapy machine is likely to have for a given condition. High intensity PEMF therapy is typically used in clinical applications with short use durations, while low intensity PEMF therapy is most often used at home for chronic illness. The importance of PEMF therapy cannot be understated, and a clear understanding of intensity will help determine which machine is right for you.

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