MAGNETOTHERAPY USE IN PHYSIOTHERAPY

DEFINATION :

it is a therapeutic techanique that consists in applying artificial magnetic fields on an affected part of the human body, controlling intensity and frequency.

so we expose the affected body’s area to a magnetic field similar to the earth’s one, both with artificial magnetic fields we can get higher levels of frequency and application time.

Magnetotherapy is physical and based on the application of specific magnetic fields on the human body. The magnetic fields carry out an essential function in biological life; just think that the Earth itself is a giant magnet and that many living beings adjust their lives according to the variations of the Earth’s magnetism.

Magnetotherapy is indicated for treating pain and also inflammation and oedema, because it has effects on the immunitary system cells and circulation. In addition, clinical studies have shown that magnetotherapy can be efficient for treating osteoporosis and for encouraging both fracture healing and the repair and regeneration of soft tissues. It is used in
orthopaedics, sports medicine, physiotherapy and by professionals who use this instrumental physical therapy in different specialist branches. Given its therapeutic effects, it can be used alone or together with other treatments. In order to optimise both the application method and the therapeutic results a set of several factors must be considered:

• Choice of the magnetic field and the wave shape.

• Application method: contact or targeted, general or total.

• Different applicators.

Treatment modes: manual or automatic. • Equipment with different methods for transferring the magnetic field to the tissues

BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MAGNETIC FIELDS

1 cellular effects
2 effects on organs and systems

1 cellular effects

• enrich the oxygen in the cell
• improve the utilization of oxygen
• increasing the metabolism
• enhance ATP production
• increases energy on the cellualar level
• effects on organs and systems

1 osseous trophic effects

• the magnetic field, due to the piezorelectric property of the bone, makes better the architectural course of osseous trabeculas in damage zone guiding them to the same direction. this means that better osseous callus is created.
• in conclusion, a certain number of exposures to a low frequency magnetic field provoke the formation of a osseous callus of high-quality in a short time periods.

magnatic fields :

• collagen production increase.
• calcium deposit increase
• modification of the osseous architacheral process.
• stimulation of the hyaluronic acid synthesis

2 vascular effect

it has been observed that magnetic fields facilitate the capillary neoformation, the appearance of the pericytes in capillaries, and the opening of precapillary sphinctors.By:

1. there is a vasodilatation in a local level due to arterial circulation improvement.
2. there is an improvement of the oxygen partial pressure.

3 analgesic effects

there is an evident analgesic effect, but the genesis is still unknown.

hypothesis : the production’s increase of oligopeptides that consistitudes the group of endorphines and encephalines and encephalins, being this effects at a central and peripheral level.

4 autonomous nervous system effects

• increase of chemical mediator levels, as catecholamine or as actylecholine.
• depending on the orientation of the nodular ganglion and vagus nerve in a field, an increase or inhibitation of the nervous
  transmission is observed.
• this is due to the orientation produced by the magnetic field in the ions of the cellular membrane.

HOW TO PRODUCED MAGNETIC FIELD ?

• an electrical current produce an associated magnetic field.
• inside natural magnets is crossed by microscopic electric currents which cause a magnetic field of certain intensity
  and direction due to the structure of these crystals.

TYPE OF ARTIFICIAL MAGNETIC FIELD

• an electrical current produce an associated magnetic field.
• inside natural magnets is crossed by microscopic electric currents which cause a magnetic field of certain intensity and direction due to the structure of these crystals.

1 NON STATIONARY ( ELECTRO-MAGNETS ): work only when connected to electricity

• pulsed ( pulsed generator connected to a coil – magnetic field – current flow in tissue ).

2 STATIONARY ( PERMANENT MAGNETS ) : are fully charged with electric current and remain permanently magnetized.
( earings, bracelets, necklace, pellets )

• unipolor : discrete magnets arranged with same pole facing patient’s skin
• bipolor : both north and south poles facing patient’s skin

APPLICATION NORMS

• the patient must not introduce metal objects in the solenoid because they can distort the magnetic field. not for expect an injurious effect, just for modification of magnetic field parameters.
• the treatment usually response quickly, but it depends on the pathology, age and other conditions of the patient. if after 10 sessions we do see the patient is advanced along the curative process, it is better to stop the therapy because it means the patient is not receptivve to the treatment.
• the therapy time 30 minutes to 2 hours maximum
• it is better for the affected zone of the patient to be in direct conect with solenoid.
• the sessions must be applied continuously. if it is necessary to accelerate the recovery’s patient, we could apply two sessions at the same day but with a separation of 12 hours between them.
• electromagnetic fields therapy can be complemented with other therapies

BASIC GUIDELINES

• all treatments should start at lower settings
• changes and reactions should be observed to allow adjustment of treatment settings.
• an increase of pain may occur, which is a positive indication that the patient is actually responding to the therapy.

BASIC RULES

• increase of pain lower the setting
• less pain stay with setting
• no change in condition go to higher setting
• head areas and migraine shall never be treated higher than 1-3mT, 2 hz, 10 min
• patient with allergies may also require low settings 1-3 mT , 2-4 HZ , 10- 20 min
• attention must be paid to the patient with sever cieculatory disorders, pain can increase with low setting due to increased
  blood flow in peripheral vessels

INDICATION

Magnetotherapy was devised for the non-invasive treatment of the musculoskeletal apparatus, acting simultaneously in the oedema-contracture-pain triad, repairing and regenerating the cutaneous, muscular and bone tissues. The indication field is wide because magnetic fields induce numerous biological effects, even in deep-seated tissues.

• Bone and articulation pathologies osteoporosis, fractures, arthrosis
• Traumatology contractures, sprains, strains, contusions and fractures
• Painful states tension type headache, neuralgia
• Skin lesions burns, ulcers, wounds
• Inflammatory states arthritis, myositis, tendinitis, epicondylitis, lumbago, adductor syndrome

*The therapeutic expectations can be briefly indicated as follows:

• Non-invasive and painless treatment
• Antalgic, anti-inflammatory, and draining effect
• Repairs tissues, even deep.

• spondylosis
• muscle spasm
• epicondylitis
• sciatica pain
• trigeminal neuralgia
• gout
• RA
• recent trauma
• fractures
• trophic ulcers
• CRPS
• Dupuytren’s contracture
• osteoporosis
• osteomylitis acute and chronic
• dysmenorrhae and prostatiosis
• sinusitis
• depression and migrans

CONTRAINDICATION

1 existence of acute infection – specially septic tuberculosis,

2 hemorrhagic focus- ( bleeding ulcers ) becuase of vasodilatation effect can provoke futher haemorrhage.

3 cardiac pacemaker

4 pregnancy – becuase it could provoke foetal damages.

5 tumours existence- because they can be disseminates.

6 patients with hydrocotisone treatment

7 in case of vascular obstruction, because the obstructive element can be liberated and obstruct another part of the body provoking further damages.

8 juvenile diabetes -during PMF treatment BGL should be monitored.

Some people who have magnetic field therapy have side effects like:

• pain
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• However, these side effects are rare.