Westville Therapy Systems are happy to answer any questions about any electrotherapy or related equipment and gadgets. Questions will be put to our consultant, Dr David Somerville who will attempt to answer to the best of his ability and without prejudice. If an answer cannot be readily given, then, if possible, other sources of relevant expertise will be sought.
This service is free but discussions on any identifiable individual medical cases veterinary or otherwise cannot be entered into. The service is primarily for helping owners and practitioners use their equipment to best effect. Dr Somerville can also give his opinion, again without prejudice, about claims and adverts for items you might be considering but have suspicions about them actually working. Questions can be answered privately or added to the list below and made public.
Important Note: Any action taken by individual questioners based on the answers given is their own responsibility. Westville Therapy systems cannot be held responsible for any condition arising out of the use or misuse of equipment based on these answers.
Use the form at the bottom of this page to enter your question. We will endeavour to get an answer to you as quickly as possible.
The following are genuine questions asked over the last few years by both therapists, vets and animal owners.
Q. Can a magnetic fields affect pacemakers?
A. Most modern pacemakers are screened from extraneous magnetic fields such as those found around most mains powered domestic electrical devices. With Pulsed Magnetic Therapy, in my many years of research and writing I have never come across any reports of problems related to pacemakers where pulsed magnetism has been used as a therapy.
Q. Can a magnetic field spin? I've seen an advert claiming that their magnets spin the field.
A. The short answer is that a static magnet only produces a static field. In a generator or 'dynamo', sometimes the magnet is fixed to the rotor. Spinning the rotor causes the magnetic field to spin. This field cuts through the surrounding coil windings and 'induces' an electric current. Static magnets, in any formation, without dynamic assistance, as in the dynamo example, cannot produce magnetic fields that spin or any pulsing of the field.
Q. Can a magnetic field increase the temperature of tissue?.
A. Static magnets, no they cannot. Thermal effects come from the packaging of static magnetic devices in wraps or collars. The field itself has no effect. Pulsed magnetic fields depend upon frequency. At very high frequencies they can cause damage and burning, but at the frequencies used in pulsed magnetic therapy, any temperature change is immeasurably small. However, pulsed magnetism at certain frequencies may affect capillaries allowing more blood flow into the area slightly raising the temperature. A good example of the difference between static and dynamic magnetism producing heat, is the common induction cooking hob. Putting a large static magnet under a suitable cooking pan does nothing to increase the temperature. To cause heat in the metal of the pan requires a high powered pulsed magnetic field from a induction coil.
Footnote: After a period of time in use the coils in pulsed magnetic applicator become themselves slightly warm. This is normal and may in itself be therapeutic. Also a very slight hum or whistling sound at the frequency selected may be heard close up the to the applicator, Again this is normal.
Q. Is the iron in blood attracted to a magnetic field?
A. The form of iron present in blood cannot be attracted to a magnetic field. If blood was magnetically attractive then we would not be able to use MRI scanners as they would be fatal to the patient.
Q. Can pulsed magnetic fields pass through plaster casts or bandaging?.
A. Pulsed magnetic fields passes through most materials unimpeded including wood, plastic and pet bedding.
Q. Can I use pulsed magnetic fields where a fracture has been pinned or plated?
A. Yes, metals used in plating and pinning etc. are not ferromagnetic. This means they cannot rust and also means they are not generally affected by any magnetic fields
.
Q. Can I qualify as a magnetic therapist?
A. Pulsed magnetic therapy is included as part of the electrotherapy subject in good veterinary physiotherapy courses to enable graduates to offer it as a treatment modality. I would beware of magnet therapy courses offered and online as these are usually about static magnets that have no backing in research. Setting up as a therapist to specialise in pulsed magnetic therapy would probably require recognition through the AHPR where a level 6 qualification is required. A professional veterinary therapist can only offer services under veterinary referral.
Q. Do magnetic boots actually work?
A. This is a loaded question. Correctly targeted pulsed magnetic 'boots' or wraps, if applied correctly, can assist various conditions such as fractures, shin splints, oedemas, etc. to resolve. These are 'driven' devices from an electronic unit. Boots that are marketed with static magnets are likely to generate more benefit from the thermal-insulative effect of the supporting material raising localise temperature, than any built in magnets. Magnetic fields have to be highly dynamic to induce measurable therapeutic charges in any tissue. Static devices, either in rugs, boots or collars, do not have this dynamism. Any device that claims to heal a condition, either injury or diseased should be avoided. Electrotherapies can only help optimise the conditions for healing. They do not heal or have the ability to speed up healing. The body, animal or human, works and recovers at its own rate.
Q. I have heard of a device that claims to work by a cyclotron effect. Many people endorse them. Can you offer an explanation for how they work as their salesman who contacted me says that I would not be able to understand the science?
A. I too have heard of these devices and read their literature. Their cover explanation shows a complete lack of understanding of basic physics or biology and is, to put it bluntly, utter pseudo scientific nonsense. See two of the earlier questions about spinning magnetic fields and heating effect of magnets. Charged ionic particles can only be accelerated in a cyclotron accelerator costing about £3,000,000 each. The conditions for this acceleration requires two massive and powerful electromagnets, a complete vacuum, a radio frequency pulsing high voltage, and for a basic calcium ion, an acceleration diameter of at least one metre. If charged ionic molecules could be accelerated in tissue they would encounter about a million-million obstacles blocking them. Also in terms of ionic molecular resonance, in tissue the membrane transit time for ionic nutrients is around one-millionth of second. Establishing any particle resonance as part of its acceleration into cells with a few bits of static magnets in a circle is scientifically impossible, especially at the low frequencies that the makers of these devices claim.
With regards to people claiming that these devices work, usually these devices are bought and applied well into the chronic stage of recovery. Since about 70% of injuries and other conditions would resolve naturally and without assistance, then perhaps animal owners are giving undeserved credit to any device bought and applied in the normal recovery phase.The top university they claim to have research carried out at was in fact a upgraded agricultural college and the researcher was a unqualified student.
My own personal experience in expectations of results from devices arose from a direct report about a greyhound trainer who had purchased pulsing magnetic therapy box. After using the box, he claimed that his dogs were performing better than ever. The therapist who reported this to me, tested the box with a magnet, expecting it to twitch in the pulsing field. He could feel no such twitches. The box was then checked to find that the inducing coil connections were broken and the box had never worked. If there is a moral to this story it is that animals respond to encouragement and that these devices possibly cause the change in attitude on the part of the purchaser/owner. This probably accounts for any improvements rather than anything else.
Footnote: This question was put to me by a veterinary surgeon. I have now been given one of the collars to analyse. It comprises of readily available flexible weak magnetic tape stitched in to form a collar. It is but one of a number of similar devices, all claiming fantastic properties with pseudo scientific explanations. The only likely benefit is the thermal insulative effect of the material enclosing the tape!
Q. Is it safe to use pulsed magnetic or phototherapy on children?
A. Westville Therapy equipment is only supplied for veterinary use. The use of electrotherapies is sometimes contraindicated with developing animals but is often used on specifically targeted problems such as muscle injury or, in the case of phototherapy as an antibacterial treatment. I would never personally countenance the use of any device on a child or young person. The main reason for this is that very little research has been carried out and the ethics of double blind placebo driven trials on suffering children is, to me, highly questionable.
Q. If a therapist is pregnant is it safe to offer pulsed magnetic therapy as a treatment?
A. I assume this means that you are concerned that the therapist's exposure to the pulsing field may affect foetal development. Dividing cells in the early stages of development are susceptible to possible damage by extremely high frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. Once developed they become about 10 times more resilient. By electromagnetic radiation, we are talking about X-rays, gamma rays and extended exposure to radio frequencies. The amount of possible damage is called 'relative biological effectiveness' (rbe) and is directly proportionate to frequency. At the very low frequencies used in pulsed magnetic therapy the rbe is correspondingly extremely low, certainly too low to cause base pair damage in DNA. However, although I have never heard of any problems, I believe that as Pulsed magnetic therapy is largely unknown to most people, it could be falsely blamed should a problem occur. For this reason alone I would contraindicate it unless operated at a distance from the therapist..... or pregnant client.
This service is free but discussions on any identifiable individual medical cases veterinary or otherwise cannot be entered into. The service is primarily for helping owners and practitioners use their equipment to best effect. Dr Somerville can also give his opinion, again without prejudice, about claims and adverts for items you might be considering but have suspicions about them actually working. Questions can be answered privately or added to the list below and made public.
Important Note: Any action taken by individual questioners based on the answers given is their own responsibility. Westville Therapy systems cannot be held responsible for any condition arising out of the use or misuse of equipment based on these answers.
Use the form at the bottom of this page to enter your question. We will endeavour to get an answer to you as quickly as possible.
The following are genuine questions asked over the last few years by both therapists, vets and animal owners.
Q. Can a magnetic fields affect pacemakers?
A. Most modern pacemakers are screened from extraneous magnetic fields such as those found around most mains powered domestic electrical devices. With Pulsed Magnetic Therapy, in my many years of research and writing I have never come across any reports of problems related to pacemakers where pulsed magnetism has been used as a therapy.
Q. Can a magnetic field spin? I've seen an advert claiming that their magnets spin the field.
A. The short answer is that a static magnet only produces a static field. In a generator or 'dynamo', sometimes the magnet is fixed to the rotor. Spinning the rotor causes the magnetic field to spin. This field cuts through the surrounding coil windings and 'induces' an electric current. Static magnets, in any formation, without dynamic assistance, as in the dynamo example, cannot produce magnetic fields that spin or any pulsing of the field.
Q. Can a magnetic field increase the temperature of tissue?.
A. Static magnets, no they cannot. Thermal effects come from the packaging of static magnetic devices in wraps or collars. The field itself has no effect. Pulsed magnetic fields depend upon frequency. At very high frequencies they can cause damage and burning, but at the frequencies used in pulsed magnetic therapy, any temperature change is immeasurably small. However, pulsed magnetism at certain frequencies may affect capillaries allowing more blood flow into the area slightly raising the temperature. A good example of the difference between static and dynamic magnetism producing heat, is the common induction cooking hob. Putting a large static magnet under a suitable cooking pan does nothing to increase the temperature. To cause heat in the metal of the pan requires a high powered pulsed magnetic field from a induction coil.
Footnote: After a period of time in use the coils in pulsed magnetic applicator become themselves slightly warm. This is normal and may in itself be therapeutic. Also a very slight hum or whistling sound at the frequency selected may be heard close up the to the applicator, Again this is normal.
Q. Is the iron in blood attracted to a magnetic field?
A. The form of iron present in blood cannot be attracted to a magnetic field. If blood was magnetically attractive then we would not be able to use MRI scanners as they would be fatal to the patient.
Q. Can pulsed magnetic fields pass through plaster casts or bandaging?.
A. Pulsed magnetic fields passes through most materials unimpeded including wood, plastic and pet bedding.
Q. Can I use pulsed magnetic fields where a fracture has been pinned or plated?
A. Yes, metals used in plating and pinning etc. are not ferromagnetic. This means they cannot rust and also means they are not generally affected by any magnetic fields
.
Q. Can I qualify as a magnetic therapist?
A. Pulsed magnetic therapy is included as part of the electrotherapy subject in good veterinary physiotherapy courses to enable graduates to offer it as a treatment modality. I would beware of magnet therapy courses offered and online as these are usually about static magnets that have no backing in research. Setting up as a therapist to specialise in pulsed magnetic therapy would probably require recognition through the AHPR where a level 6 qualification is required. A professional veterinary therapist can only offer services under veterinary referral.
Q. Do magnetic boots actually work?
A. This is a loaded question. Correctly targeted pulsed magnetic 'boots' or wraps, if applied correctly, can assist various conditions such as fractures, shin splints, oedemas, etc. to resolve. These are 'driven' devices from an electronic unit. Boots that are marketed with static magnets are likely to generate more benefit from the thermal-insulative effect of the supporting material raising localise temperature, than any built in magnets. Magnetic fields have to be highly dynamic to induce measurable therapeutic charges in any tissue. Static devices, either in rugs, boots or collars, do not have this dynamism. Any device that claims to heal a condition, either injury or diseased should be avoided. Electrotherapies can only help optimise the conditions for healing. They do not heal or have the ability to speed up healing. The body, animal or human, works and recovers at its own rate.
Q. I have heard of a device that claims to work by a cyclotron effect. Many people endorse them. Can you offer an explanation for how they work as their salesman who contacted me says that I would not be able to understand the science?
A. I too have heard of these devices and read their literature. Their cover explanation shows a complete lack of understanding of basic physics or biology and is, to put it bluntly, utter pseudo scientific nonsense. See two of the earlier questions about spinning magnetic fields and heating effect of magnets. Charged ionic particles can only be accelerated in a cyclotron accelerator costing about £3,000,000 each. The conditions for this acceleration requires two massive and powerful electromagnets, a complete vacuum, a radio frequency pulsing high voltage, and for a basic calcium ion, an acceleration diameter of at least one metre. If charged ionic molecules could be accelerated in tissue they would encounter about a million-million obstacles blocking them. Also in terms of ionic molecular resonance, in tissue the membrane transit time for ionic nutrients is around one-millionth of second. Establishing any particle resonance as part of its acceleration into cells with a few bits of static magnets in a circle is scientifically impossible, especially at the low frequencies that the makers of these devices claim.
With regards to people claiming that these devices work, usually these devices are bought and applied well into the chronic stage of recovery. Since about 70% of injuries and other conditions would resolve naturally and without assistance, then perhaps animal owners are giving undeserved credit to any device bought and applied in the normal recovery phase.The top university they claim to have research carried out at was in fact a upgraded agricultural college and the researcher was a unqualified student.
My own personal experience in expectations of results from devices arose from a direct report about a greyhound trainer who had purchased pulsing magnetic therapy box. After using the box, he claimed that his dogs were performing better than ever. The therapist who reported this to me, tested the box with a magnet, expecting it to twitch in the pulsing field. He could feel no such twitches. The box was then checked to find that the inducing coil connections were broken and the box had never worked. If there is a moral to this story it is that animals respond to encouragement and that these devices possibly cause the change in attitude on the part of the purchaser/owner. This probably accounts for any improvements rather than anything else.
Footnote: This question was put to me by a veterinary surgeon. I have now been given one of the collars to analyse. It comprises of readily available flexible weak magnetic tape stitched in to form a collar. It is but one of a number of similar devices, all claiming fantastic properties with pseudo scientific explanations. The only likely benefit is the thermal insulative effect of the material enclosing the tape!
Q. Is it safe to use pulsed magnetic or phototherapy on children?
A. Westville Therapy equipment is only supplied for veterinary use. The use of electrotherapies is sometimes contraindicated with developing animals but is often used on specifically targeted problems such as muscle injury or, in the case of phototherapy as an antibacterial treatment. I would never personally countenance the use of any device on a child or young person. The main reason for this is that very little research has been carried out and the ethics of double blind placebo driven trials on suffering children is, to me, highly questionable.
Q. If a therapist is pregnant is it safe to offer pulsed magnetic therapy as a treatment?
A. I assume this means that you are concerned that the therapist's exposure to the pulsing field may affect foetal development. Dividing cells in the early stages of development are susceptible to possible damage by extremely high frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. Once developed they become about 10 times more resilient. By electromagnetic radiation, we are talking about X-rays, gamma rays and extended exposure to radio frequencies. The amount of possible damage is called 'relative biological effectiveness' (rbe) and is directly proportionate to frequency. At the very low frequencies used in pulsed magnetic therapy the rbe is correspondingly extremely low, certainly too low to cause base pair damage in DNA. However, although I have never heard of any problems, I believe that as Pulsed magnetic therapy is largely unknown to most people, it could be falsely blamed should a problem occur. For this reason alone I would contraindicate it unless operated at a distance from the therapist..... or pregnant client.
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