PEMF; Pulsed Electromagnetic Field

Energy Therapies: Discovering the Power of PEMF Pulsed Electromagnetic Field

Energy therapies are becoming increasingly popular. One of the most talked-about methods is PEMF, or Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy. Alongside laser and red light therapies, these tools enhance local energy production to help heal damaged tissues. In the next few blog posts, I’ll give a rundown of each therapy and their specific benefits. Just a quick disclaimer: I don’t use these therapies in my office—not because they aren’t effective. In fact, I have them myself and use them regularly! I simply haven’t figured out a business model or space to apply them, as they require 15-30 minutes a few times per week to see benefits. So, let’s dive into PEMF in this blog.

What is PEMF Therapy?

At the top of my list of useful therapies is PEMF. This therapy involves an electromagnetic field induced in a flat coil. You can find these coils in various sizes, like a small 8-inch circular one or a flat mat measuring about 14x20 inches. When applied at a frequency of 10 Hz square wave pulses, PEMF helps the mitochondria in your cells produce ATP—the "energy currency" your body uses for all processes. This process does all kinds of wonderful things for you! It mitigates inflammation by helping cell membranes heal and promotes new tissue repair.

I won’t bury you in technical jargon, but here’s the gist: the energy needed for repair, which usually comes from breaking down glucose molecules, is supplemented by adding electrons from the induced pulsed electromagnetic field.

My Personal Experience with PEMF

Many of you know I fractured my heel bone last year into several pieces. Foot bones are notoriously slow to heal because they’re dense at the surface to support the full weight of the body. In fact, they must support 4-10 times the weight of a person when running! I can still feel the effects of that injury 15 months later. However, applying PEMF to my heel promotes local healing. If I’m on my feet for 18 hours—something that happens most days—I can feel the strain in my foot. A half-hour of PEMF therapy diminishes that sensation and helps my foot function better.

PEMF can penetrate deeper into tissues, making it more effective for deeper injuries than some other modalities like laser or red light therapy. I initially got the unit to help with sleep and spent some time sleeping on the PEMF mat. It’s worth noting that the PEMF device I use has different wave settings for various purposes: theta waves for sleep and relaxation, alpha for meditation, beta for focus, and gamma for healing. I primarily use the gamma wave for my foot. While the theta wave helped a bit with sleep, applying the gamma wave for active injury repair has proven to be far more beneficial for me.

The Science Behind PEMF

Despite its benefits, PEMF therapy has not been extensively studied in clinical settings. There seems to be limited research on which field strength or wave is truly the best. My device operates at a relatively low field strength of 0.2 tesla, but there are options ranging from 0.6 tesla to 1.2 tesla. I’ve witnessed dramatic visual changes in swelling for a young man involved in a motorcycle accident within just an hour of using PEMF. It has also shown promise in helping with incontinence that many women experience years after childbirth. To be honest, it seems like it could help with almost anything, but I don’t have enough experience to say that confidently.

Exploring Options for PEMF Therapy

Currently, we have no plans to offer PEMF therapy at Vibrant Life Center in Oakdale. Our focus remains on correcting spines through gentle, natural chiropractic care. However, I share this information and nutrition tips because they may improve your life if you choose to pursue them or find a place that offers these therapies.

PEMF therapy isn’t inexpensive. When I was introduced to it by Minnesota Natural Care Center, where I sought advice for better sleep, their model involved renting the device for $150 per week. Alternatively, you could purchase one directly from the manufacturer for about $3,000, though prices have now risen to nearly $6,000. If you're interested in the device I use, it’s called Regenetron. You can find more information about it here.

The Growing Landscape of Energy Therapies

There are so many brands of PEMF devices now, and to be honest, I haven’t spent a lot of time investigating the various manufacturers. My goal isn’t to push you into purchasing this gadget. Instead, I want to share that these options are available and can help if you’re at a point in your life where money is less of a concern. Imagine transforming your home into a sanctuary for health instead of just a “medicine cabinet.” By the way, I don’t have a medicine cabinet. I DO have a cabinet filled with supplements to augment my diet, as I know I don’t get everything I need every day.

A Holistic Approach to Healing

Again, my professional focus and expertise lie within the nervous system. This post deviates slightly from that focus. However, I’ve been around natural healing circles for three decades, and I’ve gathered useful information that I can pass along. Many people resort to harmful substances like ibuprofen and Tylenol, which claim thousands of lives each year (see my last post on Tylenol). Energy therapies, on the other hand, are not harmful. My point in sharing this is to help you become healthier without relying on Dupont’s model of “better living through chemistry,” which I believe the human body has not evolved to handle effectively. This model contributes to the chronic diseases we see everywhere around us.

Join Us in Creating a Vibrant Life

At Vibrant Life Center, we are dedicated to creating a healthy, vibrant life for our community. I invite you to join me in helping others. If you’re active on social media, you know that many people are struggling with their health. There’s a page for every ailment where individuals share their experiences and seek answers.

The real answer lies in accessing the innate healing abilities you were gifted with at birth. Unfortunately, our medical system often focuses on suppressing and interfering with that natural process. At Vibrant Life Center in Oakdale, we prioritize ensuring your innate healing is functioning at its best.

Yours,

Dr. Barrett

Next blog: Lasers