Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy, or Pulsed EMF uses electromagnetic fields to stimulate healing. It was first used to accelerate healing of non-union bone fractures during the 1950s; today it is used to treat a myriad of diseases.
Here’s how pulsed EMF works: Your body has charged molecules constantly moving inside. For example, the water molecule itself has weak electrical charges which it uses to bind to other molecules which makes water the “universal solvent.” Some proteins like globulin have charges which give them their unique shape. Every cell in your body, like neurons, has a membrane potential (weak voltage) used to move other charged molecules into and out of it–an essential function of cell maintenance. And of course, there are ions like Ca+, Mg+, H+ and OH- inside you.
Since movement of electrical charges through a conductor generates a magnetic field 90 degrees to the movement, your body generates weak magnetic fields. These magnetic fields, however, can be influenced by external magnetic fields that pass through your body such as those coming from cell towers, wifi, microwave ovens, and electrical wiring in your home. This is impossible to avoid, unless you live far from civilization. When this happens, it disrupts your body’s natural magnetic fields, which can slightly alter the actions of the charged particles in your body.
Pulsed EMF produces magnetic fields in the same frequency as your body’s, but at a higher strength. This “re-energizes” the fields, which enhances bioelectrical activity in your cells and tissues. For hip osteoarthritis, the benefits of Pulsed EMF are:
- increased microcirculation
- increased production of synovial fluid by cells
- increased cartilage synthesis
- increased bone density
Using Pulsed EMF after infrared heat application enhances its effects by prolonging them and making cells more receptive to the therapeutic action. While there are pulsed EMF models that you can use for small areas like the Almagia brand, for hip osteoarthritis I recommend pulsed EMF mats, like the Bio Balance model below:
I recommend doing 30 minutes in the morning, and 30 minutes before going to bed; ideally after doing 20-30 minutes of infrared heat application on your hip. Using both modalities back to back is like getting a double dose of healing.
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