Magnetic therapy for spine injury

[digital goldfish]

Looks like there is some evidence electro magnets can help with spinal cord injuries. I have a horrible feeling the woo woos will somehow see this as a victory, even though it's something very specific.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3701365.stm

Doctors at Imperial College London administered magnetic stimulation to the brains of people with partial damage to their spinal cord.

The therapy led to improved muscle and limb movement, and increased ability to feel sensations.

At least they admit it's only a small group.

Dr Davey said: "Despite this, we still need to be extremely careful in interpreting these results as we only sampled a small number of patients.

"Further studies on larger groups of patients will need to be carried out before we will know if this treatment is fully effective.

"Similarly we have no idea how long the treatment benefits will last over a longer period."

 

[scotth]

This is relevant....

It works by using an electromagnet placed on the scalp to generate brief magnetic pulses, about the strength of an MRI scan.

A pulsed magnetic field is a moving magnetic field (ie, it expands and collapses). This would also be an extrememly intense field. At the very least, it would have some observable effect on tissue. It should generate some electrical current. Don't know what that gets ya.......

Magnet therapy uses static magnetic fields that are very weak in comparison.

I've seen some article where a similar rig to what they are using in this experiment appeared to have some effect on depression. Wonder if that has gotten any further.

Edited to add: They even make reference to psychiatric uses in the last sentence.

 

[digital goldfish]

This is relevant....



A pulsed magnetic field is a moving magnetic field (ie, it expands and collapses). This would also be an extrememly intense field. At the very least, it would have some observable effect on tissue. It should generate some electrical current. Don't know what that gets ya.......

Magnet therapy uses static magnetic fields that are very weak in comparison.

I've seen some article where a similar rig to what they are using in this experiment appeared to have some effect on depression. Wonder if that has gotten any further.

Edited to add: They even make reference to psychiatric uses in the last sentence.

I appreciate they are very different. My point was more along the lines of that proponents of standard magnetic therapy might be able to point to this research, and entirely mislead the uninitiated..after all, to a lay person, a magnet is a magnet..

 

[scotth]

I wasn't trying to refute your point. Just pointing out the one of the differences before one those proponents wondered into this thread and tried to do exactly what you were concerned about.

 

[SquishyDave]

Hah! I knew all along magnetic therapy works, this study proves it, yet you skeptics continue to ignore the evidence and sit sad and lonely in your closed little minds.