Alternative therapy treatments are often treated with scorn and suspicion.
Despite many alternative therapy modalities having been practiced for hundreds of years (or more), there seems to be some automatic distrust and instinctual disregard for therapies that deviate from western medicine in the west, even when they are backed by plenty of research and demonstrable results.
PEMF therapy is not stranger to this phenomenon, and has found itself the target of some myths and inaccuracies.
But first: a brief introduction and history to PEMF therapy’s origins and uses.
What Is PEMF Therapy?
PEMF Therapy is an alternative therapy that utilizes non-ionizing radiation to guide the body in self-healing.
PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Frequency) therapy, despite being an alternative therapy modality, has years of research to back it up, and has been endorsed by the FDA as a legitimate form of therapy for a range of symptoms and conditions.
PEMF therapy is based on the notion that the human body carries its own electromagnetic impulses, which can be supported or altered with outside help via a machine transmitting electromagnetic frequencies.
Who Does PEMF Therapy Benefit?
PEMF has been used to treat animals for pain, broken bones, and more for more than 30 years, but it has continued to gain traction as a powerful healing tool in human beings, as well, with research developing in pain relief, wound healing, depression, cancer treatment, and overall health and wellness.
Because it focuses on guiding the body’s frequencies back to their healthy, standard state and improves cell function, it can have far broader effects than a single treatment target.
Someone who uses PEMF for wound healing, for instance, might find themselves reaping the added benefit of reduced inflammation and improved mental health.
People who initially utilize PEMF for a mood disorder may encounter an improvement in general physical pain and discomfort.
PEMF therapy continues to grow in both practice scope and research breadth, and has even been implicated for assistance in diabetes.
Although it is often used as a targeted therapy, its unique ability to provide all-over treatment and help can make it a wonderful alternative therapy method for general malaise or conditions that are co-morbid, as it does not necessarily treat a single, isolated ailment.
Myths About PEMF Therapy: Why So Prevalent?
The myths about PEMF therapy are prevalent largely because the therapy is an alternative to conventional western medicine.
While conventional medicine certainly has its place—surgery and antibiotics for bacterial infections, for instance—it is often not as concerned with prevention as it is with treatment.
Alternative therapies often step in to bridge this gap, seeking to support all-over health and wellness, rather than focusing on the treatment of a disease or condition.
The “buck the system” nature of alternative therapies and alternative medicine frequently results in a significant blowback effect, regardless of whether or not the blowback is actually warranted.
In short, myths are prevalent simply because PEMF is an alternative therapy modality, and alternative medicine is frequently a target of skewed facts and misinformation.
6 Common Myths and the Misinformation They Are Based On
The most common myths about PEMF are often regarding the efficacy of the therapy, and the safety of the practice.
These myths may be perpetuated by competing therapies, competing parties, or simply people who do not understand PEMF therapy, or did not receive the results they’d hoped for.
6 of the most common myths (often readily refuted by evidence) include:
A narrow range of frequencies are the only frequencies that work
PEMF frequencies are used to treat different ailments and different intensities, and will need to be adjusted accordingly.
A surface-level wound, for instance, will not require as high a frequency, as the area in need is easily accessible with a low frequency.
A deep injury, conversely, will require a higher intensity, in order to effectively penetrate to the area in need of treatment.
The wide range of frequencies are typically utilized to treat various illnesses, ailments, and injuries.
PEMF is not effective
As is the case with any type of therapy, results take time and effort, and different bodies will respond with varying degrees of intensity.
For some, PEMF will take a few sessions to yield visible or demonstrable results, and for others, PEMF will show results within a few months of consistent treatment.
The precise time frame that can be expected is not concrete, and while many people see results almost immediately, others do not see results.
Frustrating though it may be, this is typically true of all treatment methods: vitamins, diet changes, exercise routines, psychotherapy, and numerous other intervention methods (all of which are supported with research) take time to reveal significant changes.
Only Earth-based frequencies are useful
Because PEMF is predicated on the notion that the human body is self-healing, and frequencies can be used to kick start the process, and guide it along, many people suggest or believe that Earth and human-based frequencies are the only frequencies that are safe or healthy in treatment plans.
This is not the case, however, particularly when larger-scale injuries or illnesses are involved; in cancer treatment, for instance, high frequencies are typically utilized without hesitation.
Coils must follow a specific layout in order to produce an effective EMF
It is true that a certain type of metal must be used in order to procure a “pure” frequency to utilize PEMF, but just as every different brand of cell pone, refrigerator, and vehicle has a base set of components, while the exact layout, structure, and delivery system varies, different PEMF coils have different delivery methods and layouts.
Some have a line of eight tightly wound copper coils, while others use copper mesh.
Still others might utilize an enormous copper loop in a single ring.
The exact layout does not matter, provided that copper is the metal being used.
People must use a predetermined set of rules or prescriptions in order to see results
Some sources suggest that you must complete 30 minutes of treatment twice per day.
Others suggest that sessions that take up literal hours per day is the only way to see lasting results.
Neither of these is true; each person is wholly unique, both in terms of their genetic makeup and in terms of their exact needs, making a one-size-fits-all treatment regimen a foolish way to go about treatment.
Instead, effective treatment involves taking stock of a person’s individual needs (healing needs, weight, and more), and the best way to go about meeting that need.
PEMF therapy is dangerous
Although very high levels of radiation are hazardous to living creatures, PEMF does not utilize radiation powerful enough to inflict any real damage, even when using a much higher frequency than is considered standard treatment, as might be used in cancer treatment, or similarly intense treatment.
Although any machine that is not used correctly can prove hazardous, and any unqualified health professional can do damage, PEMF as a therapy modality is not dangerous, and does not offer any real cause for concern.
Finding a Reliable Source of Information
Selecting reputable sources of information can be difficult in the era of the Internet; it seems that for every topic, there are at least two sources for each opposing side.
Consequently, knowing who to trust and how to find a reliable source of information can prove difficult.
Happily, there are some simple and effective ways to make sure the sources you are looking into are reputable and trustworthy.
The best, most effective way to ensure that the source you are using is being honest and offering legitimate information is to check it against at least one other source—preferably a source of research.
With sites such as PubMed, reading the basics of a research study is more accessible than ever, and can readily identify whether or not a source is being honest.
Reliable information can also be checked against industry standards. Industry practitioners, researchers, and even other medical professionals on a health team with PEMF therapists can all offer a window into the process, and can identify any red flags being provided by a company, a product site, or a practitioner’s office.
Red flags might be small, such as refusing to discuss prices until offering your email, other contact info, or committing to a contract, or might be large, such as not having proper certification for practitioners or manufacturing information for devices.
Finding a Reliable Practitioner
One of the most effective ways to erode trust in an industry or therapy modality is to hear word of mouth about another person’s terrible experience.
Although it is awful to hear a friend for family’s poor experience, it does not mean you have to assume that all practitioners of that therapy are frauds; instead, it means that someone went through struggle and told you about it, so you did not make the same mistakes.
To keep from making the same mistake as someone else, or to prevent a terrible experience with a practitioner, there are several steps you can take.
These include:
- Ask for all credentials. Make sure that your chosen practitioner is qualified to deliver the therapy they claim they are able to. Degrees and certifications should be prominently displayed, and you should be able to request further information about education, training practices, and emergency habits.
- Pay close attention to word of mouth recommendations. If you have a friend or family member who loved their PEMF therapist, reach out and ask if they are accepting clients. If not, ask for a referral from that office. Doing so typically ensures you have a decent experience.
- Check with your insurance for recommendations. Many insurance companies will cover some alternative therapies. If your insurance company is among them, contact the company to determine what type of coverage you can expect.
- Come armed with research. Knowing exactly what PEMF is, how it is used, and what it is able to treat is one of the best ways to make sure you are selecting a reliable, safe, and responsible practitioner. If you meet with a therapist who suggests ultra-high frequencies, says known ailments cannot be treated, or suggests that you must pay for everything up front, it may be wise to seek out another practitioner or company.
- Listen to your body. If you have undergone a few rounds of PEMF therapy, and you do not feel comfortable proceeding, that could indicate that something is not quite right—even if it just means that you do not have a great rapport with your therapist. Doing so might mean having to start at square one to find a new practitioner, but could wind up saving your time and energy.
Selecting a PEMF Device and Professional
When looking at a PEMF therapy unit, or a health professional to perform PEMF therapy, it is important to get it right for you.
There is not a specific type of machine that boasts a performance that outshines every other machine in every possible respect, nor is there a specific therapist who will yield miracle results no one else can.
Instead, there are machines that are best for you and health teams that work best for you, both of which may vary from the device and team that work best for someone else.
When looking for a device and a professional, be sure to know your own goals and needs, and conduct the research necessary to make an informed, confident decision.
If you are unsure about how to determine your own needs, research common time frames and frequencies for your particular ailment.
A small, surface wound, for instance, is a minor issue, and would typically require a low frequency over a matter of days or weeks.
A systemic issue, such as systemic inflammation, would likely require dedicated therapy at varying frequencies, over a period of months—and likely in conjunction with other intervention methods, such as lifestyle and diet changes.
Understanding that PEMF is a powerful tool in anyone’s wellness arsenal, but not a magic bullet, is essential to recognizing the value of PEMF and locating a machine or a therapist that will work well with you and for you.