Biological Actions

Western clinical thinking is usually focused on a disease specific model. Each disease has specific physiologic and pathologic components, comprising various testing methods – for example, x-rays, MRI, chemistry, microscopic, microbiology, immunology, neurological testing, etc. The results of tests are assembled into patterns that then allow a “label” or diagnosis to be applied to them. These labels, which assume specific physiologic and pathologic changes, allow doctors and scientists to be able to communicate with each other about these commonly understood “patterns”, that is, diagnoses or disease labels.

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Clearly, any given individual with functional or physiologic abnormalities, despite having been diagnosed with the functional or physiologic abnormalities associated with a specific disease, will also usually have functional or physiologic abnormalities that fall “outside” the disease label used or applied. Therefore, the disease label is a “shorthand” convention   only and doesn’t encompass the whole person’s functioning.

By considering functional, physiologic or pathologic changes or impairments, a function specific treatment plan can be developed. Physicians use complex decision making processes to determine treatment plans. Ideally, the treatment should remove the underlying reason for the problems that are present. When this is not possible, treatment is directed at physiologic changes that produce signs or symptoms. For example, a fractured bone will have accompanying swelling and pain. Treatment plan will include managing the fracture itself through immobilization and protection with a cast, ice and elevation for the swelling and medication for the pain. When the fracture has reached a certain point of healing rehabilitation of the weakened muscles and stiffened joints will begin. Magnetic fields have been found two reduce the swelling, accelerated healing of the fracture and reduce pain. Fractures can also be complicated by tearing of other tissues near the fracture, infection in the area of trauma and blood clots in the lower legs resulting from immobilization. Magnetic fields also help with these problems when they happen and may in fact prevent them, by stimulating the tissues at deeper levels without the need to invade the tissues.

Understanding the basic physiologic effects of magnetic fields allows someone to develop a treatment approach that is targeted to the specific functional abnormalities present. When a disease diagnosis is established, some of the specific functional abnormalities are assumed and understood. Diagnostic and functional tests help the therapist to know the extent of the abnormalities. This not only helps to guide the therapy but also allows the clinician to know objectively how much progress is being made. Since very little medical therapy cures diseases, most therapies are oriented towards reducing the abnormalities and signs or symptoms present and improving function. Magnetic fields are therefore often not only the best treatment available as the sole treatment but also in most cases can be used in a complementary fashion.

We are not able to list all the possible biologic effects of magnetic fields described in the research literature because of space limitations. Many of the biologic effects found to be produced by EMFs are frequency and/or field strength dependent. Most are specific to pulsed magnetic fields, some overlap between pulsed and static fields and rarely only applied to static fields. However, the ones that I believe are the most relevant to clinical practice, especially those found to be produced or affected by ELF’s, are listed here:

Many of the benefits are effects of magnetic fields listed above are due to very basic mechanisms of action: stimulation of charge in the tissues and the movement of ions, especially calcium and the electrolytes sodium and potassium. Calcium ions are found in all cells and tissues and is involved in nerve conduction, muscle function, cellular respiration, vascular, wound healing, hematologic functions and immunity, to name a few. Just by affecting calcium ions alone, a large number of EMF actions are accounted for. This is why EMFs affect so many basic functions in the body and are so useful.