Thursday, September 8, 2011

History of Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)

History of  Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)

The use of pulsed magnetic field therapy (PEMF) in clinical applications dates back over 500 years. In the 15th century, Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus used lodestones, or naturally magnetized pieces of the mineral magnetite, to treat conditions such as epilepsy, diarrhea, and hemorrhage. He believed that the ability of magnets to attract iron could be replicated by attracting disease away from the body. In the late 18th century, the Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer, who originated the idea of "animal magnetism", described the healing properties of passing magnets over the open veins of patients.

In the mid-19th century, magnetic ointments produced in New York were introduced as remedies for a whole spectrum of illnesses such as headaches, inflammation of the bowels, burns, fever sores, rheumatism, gout, and toothache.

Although electricity’s potential to aid bone healing was reported as early as 1841, it was not until the mid-1950s that scientists seriously studied the subject. Fukada’s and Yasuda’s discovery of the electric potential of bone provides evidence of electricity’s effect in promoting osteogenesis (bone growth), particularly in long bone non-unions.During the 1970s, Bassett and his team introduced a new approach for the treatment of delayed fractures, a technique that employed a very specific biphasic low frequency signal  to be applied for non-union/delayed fractures.

The use of electrical stimulation in the lumbosacral region was first attempted by Alan Dwyer of Australia. In 1974, he reported successful initiation of graft incorporation in 11 of 12 fusion patients. Since that time, electrical stimulation has been shown to significantly increase the probability of bony arthrodesis in spinal fusions.

In 1979 the FDA approved non-invasive devices using pulsed electromagnetic fields designed to stimulate bone growth.In 1991, PEMF Therapy was approved in the US for adjunctive use in the palliative treatment of postoperative pain and edema in superficial soft tissue.

In 2004, pulsed electromagnetic field system was approved by FDA as an adjunct to cervical fusion surgery in patients at high risk for non-fusion.

The use of PEMF stimulation has been found to be safe.It has also been proven safe and effective in treatment of delayed union in long bone fractures and patients at a risk of non-union following spinal fusion surgeries.


Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PEMF

For more info on PEMF Therapy and Magnetic Field Therapy visit: www.papimiuk.blogpost.com

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