PEMF therapy is a powerful alternative therapy that has been approved by the FDA as an intervention for a host of medical conditions, including cervical fusion, depression, and muscle stimulation. Although these conditions may seem to be largely confined to humans, there are many issues that humans and animals suffer from in kind, and PEMF therapy can mitigate many of the symptoms associated with chronic and acute health conditions, including pain and inflammation. With consistent use, PEMF therapy may be able restore health to animals in a gentle, effective medium.
PEMF Therapy: A History
PEMF therapy began over a century ago, with the advent of electricity, and experiments conducted by Tesla and others regarding the harnessing and targeted use of electromagnetic energy. Although Tesla is not the actual founder of PEMF technology, it was his experiments that truly began to pave the way for a PEMF technology to rise up and see use. Over a period of numerous decades, PEMF therapy began to take form. In the early 1900s and into the 1930s, physicians and engineers continued to dabble in the medical application of electromagnetic fields, and the devices now known as PEMF machines began to grow and become fully formed.
PEMF therapy began to see widespread interest and use in the 1960s and 70s, in part bolstered by NASA’s interest in the therapy. With positive studies conducted by NASA, PEMF therapy had a stronger foothold in the conscious of medical and alternative health professionals. In the 1970s and 80s, PEMF therapy began to be used with greater consistency, with a much stronger focus placed on PEMF use with animals. Initially used as a treatment specifically for fatigued racing horses, PEMF therapy continued to grow as a safe and effective intervention for animals, and continues to be used in that capacity to this day.
What Does PEMF Therapy Treat?
PEMF therapy can be used as a targeted treatment, but can also be used as a support therapy, or a supplemental one. Having been linked to an increase in the body’s uptake of nutrients, PEMF therapy has also been linked to greater efficacy of given medications, and may be used as a way to prop up existing medications and treatment protocols. PEMF therapy can also be used as a targeted treatment for bone and muscle injuries, mood disorders, wounds, and joint conditions, all of which can require medications with a slew of side effects, in the absence of PEMF therapy. In addition to these standard uses, PEMF therapy can be used as a general health support tool, and can be administered daily without the risk of overdose or causing harm.
PEMF Therapy and Pets: PEMF for Horses
Horses were among the first animals to be consistently evaluated for PEMF efficacy, as horses were at great risk of being harmed in racing and other events—harm that could cost investors and owners vast sums of money. Consequently, interest in healing muscle strain, muscle fatigue, and other pulls and tears grew, and PEMF demonstrated its efficacy as an intervention for these issues. PEMF therapy was also useful as an intervention for horses because of the animals’ large size. Placing a large animal into a therapy clinic, or securing an animal in pain can prove difficult, and the nature of PEMF therapy as a large painless, portable therapy makes it a useful tool in treating animals as large and powerful as horses.
PEMF Therapy and PETS: PEMF for Indoor Companions
Although horses were the most significant initial receivers of PEMF therapy, it has shown use as a treatment for small animals, including the pets that adorn our laps, couches, and backyards. PEMF therapy in animals has been linked to decreases in inflammation and pain, and increases in circulation and the rate of healing. Animals who are facing chronic illness, an acute injury, or ongoing health conditions can all benefit from using PEMF therapy. Machines designed for animals may include loops, wands, or mats, all of which can deliver pulsed electromagnetic fields to an animal without a great degree of difficulty or indications of pain.
Risk Assessment: Can PEMF Harm Pets?
Entrusting your pets to a new therapy can be alarming, and may prevent some pet owners from seeking out PEMF therapy. Although concern is understandable, PEMF therapy continually demonstrates itself as a safe form of therapy, with few side effects, and all potential side effects are quite mild, including a sense of discomfort as the site of delivery, a scratching sensation, and a feeling of dizziness due to an increase in circulation. These side effects are not considered extreme or truly harmful, and may merely create a sense of discomfort in pets. Lower frequencies or shorter sessions may alleviate some of the side effects associated with PEMF, and can make your pets feel far more comfortable during a therapy session. Given its consistently “safe” reputation, PEMF therapy can be one of the best therapies to attempt with your pet, to aid in healing and promote general health.
Using PEMF Therapy With Animals
PEMF therapy for animals can be done at home, with your own home equipment, or can be conducted at a veterinary clinic, with a licensed and trained veterinary professional. For larger animals, treating at home may prove easier, and investing in an at-home machine designed for animals the ideal course of action, while smaller animals might be more effectively held and given therapy in a veterinary clinic. In either case, PEMF therapy has proven and continues to prove its merit when working with animals, and can help speed the healing of the furry companions that make up people’s families, homes, farms, and workplaces, improving quality of life and supporting overall health and wellness.
Introducing any new type of therapy or medical treatment to an animal, whether large or small, can be nerve-wracking, but PEMF is a low-risk treatment, with very few potential side effects and no real risk of pain or damage. Using PEMF therapy at home can give animals a sense of safety and calm, while giving their homeowners peace of mind, while receiving PEMF therapy in a clinic can assure pet owners that their animals are being taken care of by a professional, with training in the therapy.