Magnet therapy is one of the alternative health modalities that is particularly susceptible to skeptics. This may be because scientists have no idea how it works or it could be because magnetic bracelets and magnetic mattress pads and tiny stick-on magnets are peddled aggressively as a new-age panacea that is almost impossible to take seriously

But seriously. There are health professionals around the world that swear by magnet therapy. In the UK it’s no longer strictly an alternative therapy. As of last week, doctors who are part of Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) are permitted to prescribe magnetic therapy to their patients. The undeniable effectiveness of a magnetic wrap for leg ulcers stimulated the approval.

Magnet therapy works on the theory that magnetic fields have the ability to affect the functioning of cells and improve the overall efficacy of the nervous system and organs. While no one is quite sure how magnets really work two theories dominate:

1) Magnets create an electrical current that disrupts pain signals sent out by the nervous system.

2) Magnets increase blood flow to a targeted area, which in turn increases the influx of oxygen and reduces pain and swelling.

Magnets are used to treat many ailments, but are most often connected to the treatment of arthritis, insomnia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and headaches.

[via UPI and Whole Health MD]

Image: Magnetic Bracelets by aaamagnetic.com