PEMF Science and medicine are continuously changing, but what if some of the most modern technology is back to the basics from thousands of years ago?PEMF stands for Pulsed Electromagnetic Field and has been recorded as used from as far back as 2000 B.C. in which magnetic stones were used and described Read more…
PEMF therapy for Migraine & Headache disordersPulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy benefits Migraines and headache disorders. Studies show that migraine pain is associated with uneven distribution of blood flow in the brain.1 2 PEMF therapy improves blood circulation and dilates blood vessels in the brain as we will learn in Read more…
Let us learn more about fibromyalgia and how PEMF benefits fibromyalgia based on research evidence.
Fibromyalgia
The American Chronic Pain Association describes fibromyalgia as a chronic body pain condition with additional symptoms that include chronic fatigue and poor sleep. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention reports that Fibromyalgia affects about 4 million (2%) US adults. Females and arthritis patients also have higher chances of having fibromyalgia.
The cause of fibromyalgia is still not proven. The most common conventional medical treatment is with drugs like citalopram, amitriptyline, duloxetine and gabapentin. As always, drug treatment options pose risks, and the case is no different for fibromyalgia drugs’ side-effects. PEMF therapy for fibromyalgia is a unique adjunct therapy and is much more effective than complementary therapies such as physical therapy, acupuncture, reflexology, homeopathy and TENS (transcutaneous electric stimulation). These treatments do not address the issue directly and only help with symptomatic relief.
Fibromyalgia more often than not is associated with low tissue oxidative metabolism1. This is not a result of cardiovascular oxygen supply issues but in mitochondrial electron transport chain (oxygen metabolism) inefficiency, producing inordinate amount of oxidative breakdown products, ie, oxidative stress. This problem cascades to affecthormones and neurons to malfunction, contributing to the symptoms related to fibro.
PEMF therapy for Fibromyalgia
PEMF is an ideal adjunct treatment for fibromyalgia as it addresses the issue and its symptoms quite effectively. Therefore, it’s important to spread awareness about this technology to improve the quality of life of fibro patients.
Let us review some of the research that shows how PEMF therapy works for fibromyalgia.
To begin with, there have been few studies that have studied the impact of PEMF on fibromyalgia in particular. Some studies that were inconclusive either used very low amplitudes (less than 2 Gauss2) or very high frequencies such as 3 KHz3. Even though one study only tried PEMF for 30 mins for 7 days, they still concluded that PEMF therapy for fibromyalgia does have some effect in reducing pain.
In 2007, much before the above two studies, scientists from Canada found that a 4 Gauss PEMF applied for 30 minutes daily for 7 days was effective in pain relief4. They just applied a wearable PEMF device to the head for this treatment.
In 2009, scientists from Turkey conducted a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical study of applying PEMF treatment for fibromyalgia5. After 12 weeks of PEMF treatment, they found low-frequency PEMF therapy could improve function, pain, fatigue, and global health status in fibro patients.
In 2013, scientists from institutions in Spain including the Centro de Tecnología Biomédica, also conducted a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial on efficacy of magnetic stimulation for fibromyalgia and found that it may represent a safe and effective treatment for chronic pain and other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia6.
We earlier learnt that low tissue mitochondrial energy production is a cause of Fibromyalgia. As per evidence, one of the reasons for the fatigue experienced in fibro is due to impaired circulation initiated by deficient NO (nitric oxide) levels in the blood7 . Low NO levels are a direct result of mitochondrial damage8.
PEMF therapy has been found to be highly effective in providing mitochondrial repair and it improves the oxygen carrying capability. On a cellular level, PEMF has been found to reduce hypoxic damage9.
Conclusions
As evident from research, PEMF does have pain relieving effects in cases of fibromyalgia. PEMF therapy also benefits a variety of other conditions and therefore can be a great rehabilitation tool. Pain clinics, rheumatologists, acupuncturists, occupational therapists and pain medicine specialists should certainly explore this novel treatment modality. While TENS may provide symptomatic relief, PEMF targets the entire neurological system and boosts longevity of cells due to its neuroprotective effects. Due to ease of use, it can also be applied at home and would be beneficial to almost anyone looking to reduce pain and move better. In fact, daily in home treatment will likely result in more permanent healing.
PEMF for Fibromyalgia Research References
1. 1.
Alvarez L, Alonso V, Alegre L, Martel S, Viejo B, Marañón C. Fibromyalgia syndrome: overnight falls in arterial oxygen saturation. Am J Med. 1996;101(1):54-60. doi:10.1016/s0002-9343(96)00067-8
2. 2.
Multanen J, Häkkinen A, Heikkinen P, Kautiainen H, Mustalampi S, Ylinen J. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in the treatment of pain and other symptoms in fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled study. Bioelectromagnetics. 2018;39(5):405-413. doi:10.1002/bem.22127
3. 3.
Shupak N, McKay J, Nielson W, Rollman G, Prato F, Thomas A. Exposure to a specific pulsed low-frequency magnetic field: a double-blind placebo-controlled study of effects on pain ratings in rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia patients. Pain Res Manag. 2006;11(2):85-90. doi:10.1155/2006/842162
4. 4.
Thomas A, Graham K, Prato F, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial using a low-frequency magnetic field in the treatment of musculoskeletal chronic pain. Pain Res Manag. 2007;12(4):249-258. doi:10.1155/2007/626072
5. 5.
Sutbeyaz S, Sezer N, Koseoglu F, Kibar S. Low-frequency pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in fibromyalgia: a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical study. Clin J Pain. 2009;25(8):722-728. doi:10.1097/AJP.0b013e3181a68a6c
6. 6.
Maestú C, Blanco M, Nevado A, et al. Reduction of pain thresholds in fibromyalgia after very low-intensity magnetic stimulation: a double-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Pain Res Manag. 2013;18(6):e101-6. doi:10.1155/2013/270183
7. 7.
Kasikcioglu E, Dinler M, Berker E. Reduced tolerance of exercise in fibromyalgia may be a consequence of impaired microcirculation initiated by deficient action of nitric oxide. Med Hypotheses. 2006;66(5):950-952. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2005.11.028
8. 8.
Gupta K, Igamberdiev A. Reactive Nitrogen Species in Mitochondria and Their Implications in Plant Energy Status and Hypoxic Stress Tolerance. Front Plant Sci. 2016;7:369. doi:10.3389/fpls.2016.00369
9. 9.
Vincenzi F, Ravani A, Pasquini S, et al. Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Exposure Reduces Hypoxia and Inflammation Damage in Neuron-Like and Microglial Cells. J Cell Physiol. 2017;232(5):1200-1208. doi:10.1002/jcp.25606