Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) Therapy: What is It and How Can It Energize Your Health?

When you were in elementary school, you may have learned about the Earth’s magnetic field. You finally came to understand how a compass works and what magnetic north meant. Sadly, you also learned that the Northern Lights are a result of particles interacting with the magnetic field and not, in fact, a sign of Santa’s workshop. Animals, such as birds, fish, and insects, use the Earth’s magnetic field each time they migrate. They have a sixth sense that can detect the magnetic field. Some scientists claim humans most likely also have this sense; we’ve just lost our ability to tap into it over the thousands of years we’ve stopped migrating…just might explain why some of us have a better sense of direction than others.

What does all this have to do with eye treatments?

Just like Earth, our own bodies have an electromagnetic field. In fact, all energy is electromagnetic. All atoms, chemicals, and cells produce an electronic magnetic pulse, also referred to as an electromagnetic field (EMF). In turn, every organ in the body produces its own signature bio-electromagnetic field. The body communicates via these electromagnetic fields – at the overall rate of trillions of chemical reactions per second. When we tap into this communication line, we can enhance or alter signals, triggering cells to remove waste, heal, or attack bad cells.

Here at Wilcox Eye Center, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) is another successful complementary and alternative eye treatment we offer you, especially if you are searching for ways to heal your eyes naturally or ways to heal your eyes without injections and surgeries.

What is pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF)?

PEMF uses gentle magnetic fields to interact with the cells in your body. These magnetic fields can help stimulate certain processes in your cells, promoting healing, reducing pain, and improving overall well-being.

It’s important to note that PEMF therapy works with the body’s own bio-electromagnetic fields. Every system and function in your body counts on these electromagnetic signals, and these signals originate at the cellular level.

However, stress, poor nutrition, aging, and environment, all can damage cells and hinder the effective transmission of signals as well as overall cellular function. As the cells of your body encounter the pulsed energy during PEMF therapy, they constrict, forcing toxins out of the cell and drawing needed energy in.

Think of PEMF as a battery charger for your cells. The cells that need the energy absorb it while the ones that are performing optimally let the energy pass by.

History of PEMF

Before Tesla was a car, the name was better known for Nikola Tesla, the man who started experimenting with electromagnetic fields and their effects on the human body. He proposed using electromagnetic fields for therapeutic purposes and explored their potential benefits.

In the 1950s, German physicist Winfried Otto Schumann discovered a naturally occurring electromagnetic frequency in the Earth’s ionosphere, known as the Schumann Resonance. This discovery raised awareness about the potential influence of electromagnetic frequencies on living organisms.

In the 1960s, researchers and medical professionals started developing devices that could generate controlled pulsed electromagnetic fields. These devices aimed to replicate and utilize the beneficial aspects of natural electromagnetic forces for therapeutic purposes. Positive results began surfacing a decade later for bone and cartilage pathologies.

By the 1980s, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of PEMF devices for the treatment of nonunion bone fractures. This marked an important milestone in the acceptance of PEMF therapy as a legitimate medical treatment. In 1985, Body Electric: Electromagnetism and the Foundation of Life (Becker and Selden), was published, one of the first books recognizing the body as electromagnetic.

The 1990s saw research continue, and the potential benefits of PEMF therapy expanded beyond bone healing. It started being explored for pain management, wound healing, cellular regeneration, and overall wellness.

Research has continued into the 21^st century. In fact, in 2003, NASA published “Physiological and Genetic Effects of Time-varying Electromagnetic Fields on Human Neuronal Cells” (Goodwin), and their findings validated potential benefits with tissue repair, tissue development, and in treating neurodegenerative diseases with bioelectric processes, such as PEMF. In short, NASA confirmed the efficacy of PEMF therapy.

Is PEMF safe or does it cause cancer?

We get it. Thinking about magnetic fields entering your body can seem too much like science fiction, and you might have concerns about safety. Here are some reasons why PEMF therapy is considered safe:

• Non-Ionizing Radiation: PEMF devices emit non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. These are nothing like x-rays. The energy levels of PEMF therapy are too low to break chemical bonds in molecules, a key factor in causing cellular mutations leading to cancer.
• Low Energy Levels: As noted above, PEMF therapy fields are too low in intensity to cause cellular damage. PEMF works to eliminate oxidative stress. In fact, PEMF is being studied as a means of treating cancer.
• Lack of Direct DNA Interaction: The mechanisms by which PEMF therapy influences cells are mainly related to cellular processes and signaling, such as promoting circulation, enhancing cellular metabolism, and reducing inflammation. PEMF does not have the energy to directly interact with or damage DNA, which is a primary concern in cancer development.
• Research and Safety Studies: Many of the concerns that arise about electromagnetic fields and cancer are related to sources of higher energy exposure, such as power lines and certain industrial settings, rather than the low-energy PEMF therapy used for medical purposes.
• Regulation and Guidelines: Medical devices, including PEMF devices, are subject to regulatory oversight to ensure their safety and effectiveness. The FDA evaluates the safety of medical devices before they are approved for use. Devices that are approved for medical use have been deemed safe for their intended purpose.

Does PEMF therapy really work?

Yes! Here are just a few medical sciences that have reported success with PEMF treatment:

1. Musculoskeletal disorders. One study notes about PEMF: “More than a quarter million patients with chronically ununited fractures have benefitted, worldwide, from this surgically non-invasive method, without risk, discomfort, or the high costs of operative repair.” Another study of nonunion stress fractures reported patients who received early PEMF therapy healed faster and suffered less from their stress fractures.

2. Multiple Sclerosis. One of the earliest successes with PEMF therapy (1992) reports the improvement of a woman with chronic multiple sclerosis. The report notes the treatment “produced a dramatic and sustained improvement in disability.”
3. Brain studies and migraines. Studies have documented the brain’s response to electromagnetic treatments. In short, the brain lights up. Similarly, in a double-blind study, patients suffering with migraines were treated with pulsed light therapy, and 73% saw improvement. The scientists concluded: “exposure of the inner thighs to pulsing electromagnetic fields for at least 3 weeks is an effective, short-term intervention for migraine, but not tension headaches.” PEMF therapy improves the proper resonance, which is frequently lost or dislodged from its proper phase. As a result, concussions, characterized by this disturbed resonance, respond favorable to PEMF. Similarly, those suffering from photophobia, brain fog, headaches, or retro-orbital pain can often find relief after a single to a handful of PEMF therapy sessions.
4. PEMF has also been successful in treating patients with depression. In a double-blind study, patients treated with PEMF had “a clinically and statistically better outcome” than patients who received the placebo.

Here’s what PEMF does:

• Resupplies the proper intracellular charge, which optimizes organelle performance.
• Resets proper cellular/organ/system resonance.
• Improves the immune system, sleep, energy, and vitality.
• Improves circulation by improving the nitric oxide cascade.
• Increases oxygen levels in cells.
• Detoxifies cells.
• Improves the neurological and endocrine systems.
• Reduces pain, swelling, and inflammation.
• Improves healing and regeneration.
• Increases longevity.

What is PEMF used for?

At Wilcox Eye Center, PEMF is used for treating various eye diseases, such as glaucoma, endocrine ophthalmopathy, and macular degeneration.

Glaucoma can develop over time. The liquid in your eye, called “aqueous humor,” normally flows in and out, keeping your eye healthy. However, in people with glaucoma, this liquid doesn’t drain properly, causing pressure to build up, damaging the optic nerve. The optic nerve is key for communicating with your brain, so if it gets damaged, vision problems begin. Because glaucoma starts with your side vision, it can creep up before you realize it. (Just another reason to visit Wilcox Eye Center regularly.)

PEMF treatment for glaucoma has shown positive results. Because PEMF improves circulation, the aqueous humor improves, restoring normal pressure. As a result, proper communication is restored.

Endocrine ophthalmopathy can affect your eyes when you have a problem with your thyroid gland. Not everyone with a thyroid problem will develop endocrine ophthalmopathy.

When someone has endocrine ophthalmopathy, their immune system, which normally helps fight off germs, starts to attack the tissues around their eyes. This can cause the eyes to become swollen, red, and sometimes painful. The muscles that move the eyes might not work properly, making it hard to look in different directions. The eyelids might not close well, and this can lead to dry eyes.

PEMF, once again, has shown to improve eyes suffering from endocrine ophthalmopathy.

PEMF has also been effective in improving patients with macular degeneration. One study found improved results in 131 of their 177 participants.

By now, you may be wondering what does PEMF feel like?

During a PEMF session, you might feel a few sensations, but they are generally subtle and comfortable. PEMF is noninvasive and painless. Although sensations vary from person to person, here’s what you can expect:

• Pulsing: Some people report a gentle pulsing or tapping sensation. This is simply the natural pulse of the electromagnetic fields.
• Warmth or Tingling: Others experience a mild sensation of warmth or tingling. A result of increased blood flow and cellular activity, this warmth is not painful.
• Relaxation: Many patients find PEMF therapy relaxing. As the electromagnetic fields interact with your cells, you might feel a sense of calmness and relaxation, not unlike a gentle massage.
• No Sensation: Lastly, you might not feel any specific sensations during the treatment. This doesn’t mean the therapy isn’t working; the effects occur at a cellular level and might not be immediately noticeable.

At the Wilcox Eye Center, depending on your treatment, we use one of two devices: ICES PEMF or BEMER. Both have yielded positive results in our patients.

To see PEMF in action click HERE. The patient in this short 2018 video was suffering from photophobia triggered by a concussion. Photophobia is a symptom characterized by a sensitivity or aversion to light. Patients with migraines and dry eyes can also experience photophobia. In the video, you’ll notice the gentleness of the procedure. In fact, our patient described the feeling while holding the BEMER device to the back of his head as a “feeling of warm water bathing the back of both of his eyes.” After ten PEMF sessions, his symptoms were gone.

Call today for a consultation. Find out if you are a candidate for PEMF treatment, and enjoy healing treatments with no injections, drugs, surgeries, or negative aftereffects. At Wilcox Eye Center, we work with your body to treat your eye disease naturally.