Breakthrough for magnetic therapy

Pioneered in ancient Egypt and widely adopted in the Far East, magnetic therapy has become one of the pillars of modern alternative medicine, and is to be made available on the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. It is hoped that with persuasion and supporting medical trials, other magnetic devices will soon be adopted in the UK and across Europe. One day, we may see the principles so widely accepted that they become part of our everyday health care practice.

Hailed as a treatment for ailments such as arthritis, backache and neck pain, the field produced by magnets is believed to correct imbalances in the body’s magnetic field, created by the many and varying sources of magnetic fields in our modern world like computers and televisions.

A fleecy wrap containing four magnets is now available on prescription in the UK as a remedy for leg ulcers. Supporters believe this wrap is more effective than conventional treatments, and the NHS Prescription Pricing Authority also says they will halve the £300million spent on the condition every year by reducing the time doctors and nurses will have to spend with patients.

In February 2005, Dr Nyjon Eccles carried out a trial on 28 patients, which showed that the magnetic leg wrap cleared up ulcers faster than the elasticated stockings and compression bandages normally prescribed. Dr Eccles said, ‘I am not surprised that this magnetic wrap has been accepted since the clinical evidence is very convincing’.

In a survey of more than 200 patients, the wraps also proved more effective at preventing leg ulcers recurring than conventional treatments.

Magnetic technology is an ancient principle and significant component of Far Eastern cultures. Some authorities remain sceptical but in many Eastern cultures magnetic therapy is an accepted, everyday way to support a healthy lifestyle. Believers in its benefits include Cherie Blair, Bill Clinton and actor, Sir Anthony Hopkins.

We should remember that aromatherapy and acupuncture were once viewed with a certain amount of cynicism and viewed as ‘alternative’ therapies, but are now accepted by many people including members of the medical establishment. Nikken believes the use of magnetic products will soon become an equally credible and widely used method of improving quality of life.

Hopefully this decision by the NHS represents a step in the right direction that will encourage other National Health Services in Europe to investigate the potential benefits of magnetism more rigorously, and make it more accepted internationally.

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