There’s a killer on the loose, and its name is cancer. It doesn’t discriminate, and it’s often invisible until it attacks.
Because it’s so widespread, researchers work tirelessly to find a way to stop this dangerous cellular disease, and studies show promise that PEMF may help make this happen.
Short for pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, PEMF has been around in various forms for centuries using the scientific principles of magnets and electricity.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that the idea of combining magnets with controlled electrical charges into a portable machine became readily accessible and cost-effective. Since then, PEMF has received FDA approval for various cellular maladies, including cancer.
How PEMF Works
The initial excitement over PEMF therapy occurred in the early 1970s. Research showed a high rate of effectiveness in treating sprains and strains in racehorses with pulsed electromagnetic field therapy.
Decades later, this treatment is an accepted course of medical care for fractures, spinal fusions, whiplash injuries, circulatory problems, and much more.
PEMF uses a combination of magnets and controlled, pulsed electricity to enter the body at a cellular level. Once it reaches its target, the waves encourage cells to move faster, which spreads oxygen and aids in the regeneration of healthy cells and a rush of activity toward any damaged areas.
With the mountains of evidence in favor of PEMF, the next natural step was to see how it worked on patients with pain from cancer.
PEMF and Post-Op Pain Relief
PEMF devices were already FDA-approved for relief from pain and edema (swelling). They could be used concurrently with medication and other standard cancer treatments. These two factors made it simple to add pulsed electromagnetic field therapy into the course of therapy.
Studies on PEMF post-breast reduction surgery showed significant relief of pain and swelling in patients who received PEMF therapy after their procedure. There was a consistently decreased need for pain medication. Most importantly, the white blood cell count Il1-beta in the wound area was lower, showing a reduction in swelling and less likelihood of infection or fever.
With these and other similar results, researchers took the studies to the next level, using PEMF alongside standard cancer care. What followed was an exciting breakthrough in tumor inhibition and pain reduction.
How PEMF Therapy May Help Your Current Cancer Treatment
The important thing to note about using PEMF as a cancer treatment is that it is intended to enhance your normal course of therapy, not take away from it. You can choose PEMF therapy without the other standard treatments, but that is a decision for you and your doctor to make.
PEMF therapies have a variety of benefits that boost the effectiveness of cancer treatments, such as:
- Improved circulation of healthy cells spreading oxygen throughout the body
- Promotion of the growth of healthy cells
- Better breathing in patients with lung cancer
- Decreased muscle, bone, nerve, and joint pain
- Reduced inflammation
These symptoms of cancer are mostly part of the disease, but sometimes they are a side effect of the radiation, chemotherapy, and medication designed to kill the cancer cells. PEMF therapy works at a cellular level. The pulses of energy push healthy cells through the body, where they carry much-needed oxygen to fix the damaged tissue.
The fact that it can be used at the same time as standard treatments without any adverse effects is a strong reason to try PEMF. But studies show there may be even greater advantages to daily PEMF treatments, such as a decrease in tumor growth and spread.
PEMF Once a Day May Keep the Tumors Away
In a study published in the American Association for Cancer Research, scientists found that ten minutes of daily PEMF could inhibit the growth of hypoxia-based tumors. These are tumors that occur because of low levels of oxygen in the body.
In this particular study, regular PEMF slowed down the growth of breast cancer xenografts in human participants. The result was an increase in the necrosis of the cell due to lack of oxygen and a slower spread of the cancer cells.
The Future Looks Promising
By definition, cancer is a group of diseases related to each other by the fact that they produce abnormal cell growth. These cells can spread to other parts of the body and damage the tissues and organs along the way.
Debates on whether cancer can be cured continue to rage, and because there are so many distinct variations, there is no “one common treatment” to give as a guaranteed cancer fix.
Yet, although PEMF isn’t a “cure,” it does show promise in its ability to increase the spread of healthy cells, inhibit tumor growth and spread, and diminish the pain that comes with cancer.
If you or a loved one is dealing with a cancer diagnosis, talk to your doctor about adding pulsed electromagnetic field therapy to the standard course of treatment on the agenda.