PEMF therapy is a type of energy therapy that is growing in its scope, both in terms of popularity and research supporting its use. Despite its increasing prevalence in health clinics and legitimate health practices, there are may persistent myths that plague PEMF therapy. These myths can spread misinformation and prevent people from utilizing a truly powerful therapy with few side effects and a strong history of efficacy. Debunking these myths, then, is vital. What are pervasive PEMF therapy myths, and what is the truth?
PEMF Therapy is Dangerous
PEMF therapy does utilize electromagnetic energy, but that electromagnetic energy is not hazardous. Far from running the risk of burning, electrocuting, or otherwise harming your person, PEMF therapy has consistently been identified and proven to be a safe and effective type of therapy, running fewer risks than your standard, average pharmaceutical medication.
PEMF therapy is a unique therapy, in that it does not come along with a substantial number of side effects. Of all of the potential interventions to help with pain relief, arthritis, depression, and chronic illness, PEMF therapy is the intervention least likely to come along with substantial side effects.
High-Intensity PEMF Therapy Is a Harmful EMF
Harmful EMFs have been receiving a great deal of attention in the media, in part due to inaccurate conspiracy theories circulating the internet, and in part due to the very real hazard some EMFs can pose. The harmless electromagnetic field generated by PEMF therapy has often been inaccurately associated with the harmful EMFs generated by power lines and similar electrical objects. The association is false, however, as the EMF generated by PEMF therapy machines differs substantially from those found in power lines, power plants, and even the EMFs emitted by household items like cell phones.
High-intensity electromagnetic therapy differs substantially from harmful EMFs, primarily in the way that the two types of EMFs are generated. Harmful EMFs are, in part, harmful because they are generated as a byproduct of other electrical energy. The EMFs generated by power lines, for instance, are not created with copper or other pure metals, but are instead created through electromagnetic energy that is not safe for human exposure. PEMF therapy is generated using pure copper coils or mesh, and is generated specifically for use in human applications.
Only Specific PEMF Machines Work
PEMF therapy machines are all designed with the same basic framework: a copper coil, an applicator, and a controller, which are all required to generate electromagnetic fields. Although different machines may be more effective than others, and may involve therapies in addition to PEMF, it is not true that only specific PEMF therapy machines are able to deliver PEMF therapy.
This myth is largely perpetuated by machines interested in making sure you purchase their product and not their competitor’s, but is not true. All PEMF therapy machines that utilize the proper components, including pure copper wire, a delivery method, and a controller, and compile those components in a way that adheres to safety standards and procedures will successfully deliver PEMF therapy. Machines with higher-quality materials may last longer, but it is the intensity, waveform, and frequency of a machine that determines how effective it is, not merely the brand responsible for its construction and distribution.
PEMF Machines Can Only Be Used for Short Period of Time
There are many machine companies that promote a specific time frame to use PEMF therapy within. One such company is Bemer, which asserts that its machines are best used in two 8-minute bursts each day. Although adhering to a company’s machine recommendations is wise to maintain your warranty, companies like Bemer often base these recommendations on highly subjective research, and do it in part as a form of branding.
Despite what some companies would have you believe, there are numerous ways to use PEMF therapy, including a single 20-60-minute session each day, or even longer, depending on individual comfort levels and desired outcomes.
PEMF Therapy Can Only Be Used in Isolation
PEMF therapy used in conjunction with other types of therapy, such as infrared and crystal therapy, can be extremely effective in delivering not only PEMF therapy, but also other types of therapy. Because PEMF has been known to improve the efficacy of other interventions, many PEMF therapy companies combine different types of therapy in order to take advantage of the ability of PEMF therapy to improve other therapies efficacy.
FDA Approval Is Required for Individual Machines
The FDA approved PEMF therapy for use in several specific maladies as a technology, rather than approving specific company machines. For this reason, FDA approval is not necessary to find a PEMF machine that successfully delvers its therapy. That being said, it is wise to select a PEMF therapy machine that has been registered with the FDA, as FDA registration ensures that a machine is being held accountable to standard distribution practices in the United States. When selecting a machine, look for one that has been registered appropriately with the FDA.
Only NASA-Studied PEMF Settings Are Viable Healers
Although NASA studying PEMF therapy and subsequently utilizing the technology lent the therapy a certain element of reliability and legitimacy that people who are hesitant to use new therapies are more willing to listen to, the elements studied and evaluated by NASA are not the only elements capable of successfully delivering PEMF therapy.
To determine whether a machine is right for you, and capable of delivering effective PEMF therapy, focus less on NASA research, and more on individual brand and company research. If you are looking for a compounding therapy, search for a company that utilizes multiple types of therapy in a single machine. If you are looking for a targeted health treatment, search for a machine that has a history of use in that specific area.
Separating Myth from Fact
Separating myth from fact can be difficult with PEMF therapy, but there are tried and true methods to do so. Searching research journals is one way to effectively separate fact from myth, as is researching comparison reviews targeted different types of PEMF machines. Differentiating fact from myth is certainly difficult, but is not impossible, and the many myths surrounding PEMF therapy should not prevent you from utilizing this life-changing therapy in your own home or local clinic.