What are the Benefits of PEMF?
As we age, our cells slow down. But what if you could reset your cells, restoring them to full power as easily as you swap out the batteries in your TV remote? Thanks to a non-invasive, alternative therapy called PEMF, you essentially can.
What is PEMF?
PEMF―short for pulsating electromagnetic frequencies―is a non-surgical therapy used to heal damaged tissues, stimulate organs, and relieve pain. PEMF operates similarly to the way rechargeable batteries work, but on a cellular level.
The longer we’re alive, the harder our cells have to work to keep up with the daily assault of environmental pollutants, inflammation-causing foods, stress, and bodily injuries. But by treating the cells of the body with short bursts of low-level electromagnetic radiation, research has shown that the mitochondria within cells (where energy is stored) get a boost. In essence, they’re recharged, which supports cells’ natural repair mechanisms and encourages healing.
What Conditions Does PEMF Treat?
Originally pioneered by NASA as a treatment for the bone loss and depression experienced by astronauts, PEMF was approved by the FDA in 1979 to improve bone healing. Today, PEMF has been deemed safe to treat an incredibly wide array of issues and injuries.
Treatments can help boost the immune system, improve sleep, speed up healing from injuries and reduce depression. More specifically, research studies demonstrate that PEMF helps reduce pain and swelling after surgery, encourages fractures to heal faster, and alleviates the pain of arthritis and fibromyalgia. Studies are ongoing, but animal trials even suggest PEMF may be useful in liver regeneration and treatment of nerve and spinal cord damage.
During a PEMF session, specialized pads, mats, rings, or paddles are applied to the skin. Electromagnetic pulses are then pushed through these mechanisms to deliver energy to your cells. PEMFs can heal a slight imbalance or problem quickly; repeated sessions can also bring about more substantial change. Once the main issues have been addressed, many who receive PEMF choose to continue treatments in a maintenance fashion to support overall health and wellness.
But―EMFs are Dangerous, Right?
While you may have heard EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies) are bad for you, you can rest assured PEMF is perfectly safe. EMFs encompass a wide spectrum; the EMFs emitted by satellites aren’t of the same frequency as those produced by your wireless headphones, and neither of those frequencies is the same as what’s emitted by your microwave oven.
The EMFs that are dangerous are high-frequency. For example, X-rays register frequencies in the hundred quintillion-hertz range (no typo there; just a really, really big number). Frequencies this high are ionizing, meaning they are powerful enough to break electrons off of atoms. Such electron damage changes the way your cells work. Your microwave oven is somewhat better, registering only ten billion hertz in frequency. But though the frequency is not high enough to be ionizing, ten billion hertz is still high enough to disrupt your DNA.
PEMF falls on the opposite end of the frequency spectrum, about as far from X-rays as you can get. PEMF’s low-level electromagnetic waves mirror the frequencies found in nature. Treatments usually fall between 5 to 30 hertz; that’s less than you’re exposed to during a thunderstorm. Furthermore, most PEMF sessions are short in length, lasting only 10 or 20 minutes, and treatment is administered in short bursts, avoiding constant exposure. So there’s no need to worry about EMF damage from PEMF.
Where Can I Get PEMF Therapy?
Given its widespread uses, you might find PEMF treatments available at your physical therapist or functional medicine practitioner’s office. Because PEMF is still considered an alternative therapy, your insurance may not cover the cost; it’s always a good idea to call and confirm first.
Even if insurance won’t cover PEMF treatments, it may be worth exploring to finally heal a lingering shoulder injury, treat depression, or reduce the pain of osteoarthritis.
Sources:
https://blog.bulletproof.com/pemf-therapy/
https://www.magnawavepemf.com/non-surgical-treatment-for-herniated-disc-with-pemf-therapy/
https://www.oskawellness.com/blogs/blog/10-facts-about-pemf-machines-and-what-they-can-do-for-you