magnetic field therapy, the placement of magnets directly on the skin, stimulating living cells and increasing blood flow by ionic currents created from polarities on the magnets. Trigger points for magnets are acupuncture points where the action of the magnets serves to activate the tendinomuscular system to readily and widely transmit electrical stimuli. Magnets also increase tissue oxygen perfusion by decreasing vascular resistance, decreasing nerve cell firing, and stimulating various cellular structures. Common physiological responses include vasodilation, analgesia, antiinflammatory action, spasmolytic activity, accelerated healing, and antiedema activity. In addition to the FDA-approved use of pulsed magnetic fields for the treatment of nonunion fractures, it has been tried for a large number of other conditions, usually self-administered by patients.
