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HEALTH TOPICS
Arthritis
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Pathophysiology
Pain,
edema, joint stiffness, decreased mobility, decreased
strength, thickening around joints, loss of cartilage,
inflammation, osteophytes.
Two main
forms of arthritis: degenerative and inflammatory.
Inflammatory
causes, particularly autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid
arthritis, psoriatic, lupus, etc. Are more complicated to
manage and are often more damaging. These types are also more
prone to wax and wane based on emotional, environmental,
nutritional and infectious stresses. So, daily stress
reduction is critical for repair and decreasing progression.
They are also more likely to benefit from supplements
supporting anti-oxidant functions.
Wear and
tear (repetitive stress) or load causes joint stress and wears
out the cartilage. The body tries to repair it by inducing
inflammation and swelling with bone or calcium build up at the
joint margins. This results in nodules in the joints -
especially seen in the hands. This type is usually very slowly
progressive. Injuries involving joints often years later will
result in arthritis.
Allergies,
infections or deposits of crystals cause other forms of
arthritis, such as in gout.
Anatomy
All joints
in the body can be involved. Depending on the cause, some
joints are more likely than others to be affected.
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Clearly the
cause should be addressed or progression may not be halted.
The magnetic field treatments will then be competing for which
cause will dominate. As with all magnetic therapy, appropriate
basic treatment is still needed. The MF treatments will work
at the energy level, on the acupuncture system and systemic
levels as well as directly on the cells themselves.
The primary
goals are to reduce
· pain,
· edema,
· joint
stiffness,
· thickening
around the joints,
· loss
of cartilage,
· inflammation,
· osteophytes
and
· increase
mobility and
· increase
strength.
The
secondary goals are to assist with
· sleep,
· depression,
· irritability
and
· stress.
As a result
dependence on medications should be less and make the
likelihood of surgery less.
The
expected time interval for seeing these benefits will depend
on the cause and
its removal, how much arthritis there is in the body, how deep
it is, the severity and duration it was present and adherence
to other good treatments.
 Recall the
layers of a disease or condition
to get some
sense of how it might take to get a benefit. Unrealistic
expectations will lead to
a wrong conclusion of lack of benefit. The condition
didn't get there over night and won't go away over night.
Medications that give relief don't usually produce reversal of
the arthritis. MFs, especially, PEMFs, that are strong enough
to go all the way through a joint and, that stimulate tissue
repair, have a chance of reversing the arthritis, in addition
to giving symptom relief.
Remember,
treatment is a long-term process. There are no magic bullets.
Even joint replacements eventually fail and there is a limit
to how many joints can be replaced. Starting magnetic
treatments early in the course of arthritic change stands the
best chance of stopping or slowing the arthritis. Slowing of
progression or development has been demonstrated dramatically
in research in dogs (Rogachefsky). Some research in humans
indicates that early treatment can recover joints in some
circumstances. The challenge in research has been lack of
studies of long-term use. Short term randomized controlled
studies in humans have shown signs of improvement in knee
osteoarthritis (Pawluk).
Medications
and supplements can and should be used together in a
comprehensive treatment program. Other modalities such as
acupuncture, massage, manipulation and physical therapy can be
used concurrently. The magnetics would be used daily, whereas
these other modalities are used less often and require visits
to the practitioners.
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Magnetic Field
Treatment for Arthritis |
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Local vs.
systemic application
As
long as the MFs are strong enough, most types of fields will
deliver considerable benefits to the arthritis sufferer. I
usually recommend systemic treatments since most people with
arthritis have multiple joints involved. Individual joints
should also be separately treated and selected based on pain
or disability. Rotating treatments of individual joints would
help if home treatments were done regularly.
One
of the most frustrating forms of arthritis is that involving
the spine, especially spinal stenosis. There is virtually no
treatment that will stop the progression of spinal stenosis.
MFs are the only treatment I know of that will act at the
spinal joints themselves. Other than pain medications and
acupuncture, none can act deep enough to help at the level of
the involved spinal joints. Assistance with pain relief is
important but I always want to stop, reverse or slow
progression.
Static or
permanent magnets
The
biggest challenges in using static magnets are having strong
enough magnets to adequately treat the whole joint, getting
systemic exposure, length of exposures and applying the
magnets to and keeping them on the body. When single, smaller
joints are involved, static magnets work very well. Magnetic
wraps with multi-polar patterns or multiple individual magnets
work very well. The wraps with individual magnets can be made
with much stronger magnets. These are more likely to help
superficial joints or tissues and reach deeper into the joint
to help with joint repair. This is especially important for
the larger joints – knees and hips.
If
a magnet is not helping with joint pain, the first thing to do
is to increase the field strength, since the magnet may not be
getting a strong enough action at the place in the joint
generating the pain. If this doesn’t work, increase the
duration of use or try different placements. Sometimes it may
be necessary to stimulate the joint/s and simultaneously to
treat acupuncture points near the joint/s.
Eastern European doctors would often add magnets to the
spinal part governing the joint/s involved. I will use a
strong magnet over the neck for upper extremity joints and
over the lower back for joints below that level.
PEMFs
 The
beauty of PEMFs is that it almost doesn’t matter how strong
the field is to get a reasonable measure of relief. Treatment
doesn’t need to be for extended periods. There are no
special placement needs. Many different frequencies have been
successfully used. Systems are available that will do both
whole body and individual joints. For example, laying on
one’s back on a
Magnopro and using the pillow applicator
over individual joints for 15-30 minutes, will accomplish the
same thing as using multiple strong static magnets for
possibly hours. Key is daily use and preferably at least 2
times a day.
Others
Other
types of electromagnetic therapies such are hulpfull such as:
· laser,
· infrared,
· electrical
stimulation,
· diathermy,
· millimeter
waves,
· microwave
resonance,
· qui
machines,
· etc.
Most
of these are best for more superficial applications. They are
best for pain, edema and inflammation. For most of these the
more limited depth of penetration is a consideration, especially
for large joints. Also, they are typically used for individual
joints and so whole body treatment is severely limited. Many are
only available in doctors’ or therapists’ offices.
I
will use some of them for more severe pain, swelling and joint
stiffness, alongside the whole body PEMFs to get the best
short-term help. The PEMFs then would continue to be used
lifelong, for both treatment and prevention. Remember, whole
body PEMFs also give the many additional advantages of
supporting the rest of the body too and being useable for other
organs, tissues, functions and problems.
Key
is daily use – twice a day if you can. In the morning to wake
up the cells. In the evening to clean out the effects of the
day’s stresses on the body. You can still use the system
mid-day if needed for any other given problem/s. The arthritis
settings and pillow/pad placements as needed may be combined at
any given treatment session with Health Maintenance settings.
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I recommend PEMF devices over static magnetic devices,
if a choice is available. These include: Quantron
Resonance System (QRS) and the Magnopro System.
How to use PEMF devices for arthritis
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Since the recommended devices can have complicated set-ups and
treatment regimens and often do not come with explicit
directions, consultation is the best way to get individually
tailored protocols, specific to any given individual’s unique
overall health issues or needs. Otherwise, the manufacturer’s
directions can be a starting place.
Always check for
sensitivity when you
start. If you think you may be sensitive, or know you are,
“start low and go slow” in advancing the settings.
In
addition:
q Always
treat your day’s water ration on the system with you in the
morning – preferably in a glass container without a metal lid.
q Take
your morning supplements before you get on the system. There are
no supplements I know of no supplements that have to be avoided
with these treatments.
q Have
a drink of water – at least 10-16 ounces before you get on the
system.
q Have
your breakfast first to stimulate digestion.
q Let
your body tell you what it needs in terms of settings, length of
treatments and/or placements of applicators.
q It
doesn’t matter when supplements are taken relative to magnetic
field therapy. In the ideal circumstance they should be taken
about half an hour to one hour before the magnetics treatment.
q Key
is daily use – twice a day if you can. In the morning to wake up
the cells. In the evening to clean out the effects of the day’s
stresses on the body. You can still use the system mid-day if
needed for any other given problem/s. Health Maintenance
settings may be combined at any given treatment session with
treatment settings and pillow/pad placements as needed.
q
In
the morning:
o If
sensitive, start at the lowest setting and gradually- typically
every 3-4 days - increase the settings until the strongest
setting is reached.
o If
not sensitive, typically start the mid-range and increase the
settings, by one or two every day until the strongest setting is
reached.
o
Once
the highest setting is reached is reached, you can stay at that
level or whatever level seems to produce the best results from
then on, unless you have a reaction or your intuition tells you
another setting is preferred.
q
In
the evening:
o Always
use the lowest setting for at least 20 minutes just before
bedtime. This is always the last setting to use for the day. It
is the “finishing” treatment – the “finishing” touch.
o You
can combine any other settings in a separate treatment session
if you want just before ending the day with the finishing
treatment.
How to use static magnets for arthritis
Static or
permanent magnets can be useful for individual joints. They can
be used as individual magnets if there are specific tender
points around a joint. The small permanent magnets are more
useful wrapped or taped to small joints near the skin surface,
such as, hand or foot joints, the acromioclavicular joint, rib
joints or TMJs.
Because
magnetic field strength drops off so rapidly, permanent magnets
work best on these small, near the surface (superficial) joints.
Large joints, such as the knees or hips or deep joints like
those in the spine, don’t lend themselves well to permanent
magnets. Can these help, yes, they often do but they don’t
accomplish my primary goal of getting the field deep into the
joint to do its work. Wrapping a flexible material with many
magnets woven or sewn into it may work to give better relief.
When all the joint cartilage is gone, relief is a reasonable
goal. Joint replacement may be a justifiable option at this
point in the condition.
Do not wear the
magnets all day every day. Give the body a break, a chance to
rebalance itself every day. To prevent morning stiffness and
gelling, use them at night. If symptoms are worse as the day
wears on, with use or standing, put them on during the day.
Remember,
relief is what you can get from typical conventional
medications. They just don’t stop, slow or reverse the arthritis
process at a structural level. Deep acting magnets and PEMFs are
most likely to not only give relief, but also to have a chance
to stop, slow or reverse the arthritis process at a structural
level. PEMF treatments can be used for up to 1-2 hours per day
if needed, depending on the system being used. Daily use is
probably going to be the most useful, especially to stop, slow
or reverse the arthritis process.
Pain relief and
improvement of sleep or anxiety, is usually seen within hours to
days. Stiffness, strength and range of motion often require
several weeks to significantly improve. A sense of improvement
will be the greatest in the first few weeks and then progress
may seem to stop or slow a lot.. You need to have faith that
continuous improvement will happen, even though more slowly,
over months, if not years. This depends on how badly the joints
have been affected. I remind people, they didn’t get to their
current state overnight, so they won’t recover overnight.
People are amazed at how much progress is made, when they look
back a year later.
I am reminded
of a somewhat crusty, older gentleman who saw me for his spinal
arthritis. I treated him with a back magnetic pad. When he came
back 2 weeks later, I asked him how he was. He said “no better.”
I then asked, “well then, how’s your back?” He replied, “Oh
that’s better, but I’m no better!” The progress people make with
magnetic fields, doesn’t always make everything else better too.
But … miracles do happen.
Most conventional day-to-day
treatments for arthritis, e.g., the anti-inflammatories
and “pain killers” are simply helping with
symptoms. They may even long-term worsen the
arthritis, because of the basic underlying
actions. Their anti-inflammatory actions
also have important immune suppressant
effects – for example, significantly
reducing the body’s levels of vitamin C,
among others. Some supplements are more
than symptom modifiers. They are structure
modifiers – as are magnetic fields. This
means nutritional supplements are likely in
the long term to actually improve the
joints, without causing long term joint
deterioration. The combination of these
agents and magnetic fields would be even
better.
· Glucosamine
sulphate (not hydrochloride) 500 mg three times
daily.
· Chondroitin
400 mg three times daily (alone or in combination
with Glucosamine).
· SAMe
400 to 1600 mg once daily.
· MSM
1000 to 3000 mg three times daily.
· Capsaicin
cream (Zostrix) - thin film of cream (0.025%,
0.075%) to the joint/s four times a day.
· Omega
3 Fish oil – 2000-6000 mg combine EPA/DHA per day.
· Turmeric
- 400 mg (containing 95% curcumin) 3 times a
day between meals.
· Boswellia
- 210
to 240 mg of boswellic acids three times a
day
· For
inflammatory arthritis: add
Vitamin C Complex
extended release 1000mg tablets – 2000-3000
mg twice a day.
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