Equine Magnetic Therapy, Inc
Part I: Magnets - What They Are & How They Work
Written By: Tammy L. Wells


Everything on earth possesses electrical impulses, which cause them to be influenced and reliant on magnets and the force created by them. For this reason, magnets are one of the basic building blocks of all matter on earth. Understanding what magnets are and how they work can directly effect human’s understanding of life on planet earth.


One of the most basic principles behind magnets is that they have two poles, north and south. These two poles are completely dependent upon one another making them inseparable. The north and south poles allow a magnet to change states of motion by opposite poles attracting each other while like poles repel.


Another important aspect behind magnetism is that it is a kind of force, not energy. If it were energy it would use heat, radiation, or mechanical and chemical forces to overcome inertia to create an outcome. As a force, there is no motion, but instead it can change the state of rest or motion in a body. Also, as a force, it has multiple strengths, allowing for different uses based on the desired effect.


The strength of a magnet is measured in units called gauss. This unit of measurement is the number of lines of magnetic force passing through one square centimeter. Magnets are therefore split into categories based on their gauss level. The first and smallest measuring category includes magnets with less than 10 gauss. The most obvious magnet in this class is the earth’s own magnetic field which has a strength of 0.5 gauss. The second category includes magnets ranging from 10 gauss on up to 500 gauss. This second class is where most therapeutic magnets reside. The third, ranging from 500 gauss to 1000 gauss, and the fourth of 1000 gauss and above, are often grouped into one category because of their rare occurrence. There is, however, one magnet that is commonly used that belongs in this category and that is the MRI, magnetic resonance imager, which measures in at over 10,000 gauss.


Another important component to a magnet is its field. This field is considered to be a condition found in the magnet’s region, characterized by a magnetic force that can be detected everywhere in the specified region along with the presence of the magnetic north and south poles. This field is created by invisible lines which create closed loops that pass through the north and south poles as well as going completely through the material that make up the magnet. These field lines separate the alternating north/south polarity pattern in the magnet. Electrical currents travel along the field lines moving through the poles and continue around the loop. An important note is not to confuse this with a kind of radiation traveling from the north pole and then being absorbed by the south pole.


The electrical currents that move along a magnet’s field lines are fundamental aspects of matter and are responsible for all electric phenomena. These currents are made up of charged particles of matter that at rest or in motion exert electric forces against each other. Similar to the poles of a magnet, identical electrical charges will repel each other while opposite charges will attract. Unlike magnetic poles, however, electric charges can exist separately and as either positive or negative. This is an important point to understand because of the common misconception that north and positive as well as south and negative are the same when they are not. This is because the charges are considered energy because they move while the poles only influence movement making them a force.


Along with understanding what makes magnets work, an understanding of how they work is also important. One concept behind magnetism is the Hall Effect, which predicts the actions of charged particles as they pass through a magnetic field. This idea impresses the notion that the highest degrees of deflection or attraction will occur when the direction of the moving charges is perpendicular to the magnetic field’s direction. With this, it is established that the higher amounts of deflection or attraction causes the magnets to be more effective in completing a task.


Another important principle behind how magnets work is Faraday’s Law. Faraday’s Law states that when an electrical conductor, such as blood, moves perpendicular to a magnetic field, a separation of positive and negative charges will produce a voltage in the conductor. The separation of the positive and negative charges is proportional to the field strength thereby creating more or less voltage in the specified conductor. So, by understanding Faraday’s Law accompanied by the Hall Effect, it can be suggested that a perpendicular passage over the field of a magnet is required to get the full strength thereby creating the most desired and full effect.


By understanding what are and how magnets work, an understanding of earth and how it affects everything on it may be achieved. By taking this theory one step further and seeing human’s reliance on earth’s minute yet prevalent magnetic field, it can be observed that the use of magnets can greatly enhance life at a therapeutic level.



Part II: Magnets and Their Individual Types
Written by Tammy L. Wells


There are several different types of magnets that are regularly used in the world today, ranging from natural metals and the Earth’s own magnetic core on up to machines like the MRI. We are dependent on them in more ways than can ever be imagined. For that reason, understanding their effect on the world as well as everything that dwells on it is of greatest importance. In the following explanation, a magnifying glass of sorts will focus on the world of magnets, specifically those that are used as therapeutic devices. In the following analysis, electromagnets will be described followed by how permanent, or static, magnets function and how different designs render different results.


Electromagnets


Electromagnetism is the combination of electricity and metals ending with the creation of a magnetic field. With electromagnets, the most important thing to remember is the required external power source. This means that without an outside source of power, there is no magnet. This also means that with power coming from an outside source, the strength of an electromagnet’s magnetic field can be made to be extraordinarily powerful. The magnetic field is produced by a current of electricity flowing through a cylindrical coil of wire with a core made out of iron or another similar metal. The coil that wraps around the core is called a solenoid. With this kind of arrangement, there are actually two fields present: the initial electric field and the resulting magnetic field.


To create a magnetic field using the already present electric field, an electrical charge must be created through charged particles that are in motion, exerting forces upon one another. Since electric charges are involved, the electric field begins or ends on a charge making the metals used to create the magnet “opaque” to the electric field, resulting in an absolute separation of the core from the surrounding coil.


While an electromagnet is plugged into a source and turned on, the electric current must and is always in motion because without this there would be no magnet. Another point to remember is that electromagnets can have an alternating (AC) or direct (DC) flowing current. This is an important note because by subjecting an animal to an AC flow, it can disrupt the cell wall on the molecular level which in turn interferes with DNA replication. Another problem with electromagnetic safety is that the electromagnetic field’s force travels along the same path as nerves, which has been found to cause agitation. Also, the same electric field that creates the magnet also can cause overheating, damaging tissue because the heat was not created by the animal’s own biological resources.


To finish off the description behind electromagnets and the field that they create, a look at their ease of use can always be helpful. First off, it is important to remember that an external source of power is always required or the magnetic field will not be created. Second, a significant amount of training is needed as to prevent damage to the animal’s tissue. Another important note is that generally electromagnets are quite expensive and their upkeep in regards to replacing worn out, broken, or lost parts can be just as expensive. So, therefore, the only real significant reason to use electromagnets is for the use in medical tests like the MRI, myogram, electrocardiogram, or electrocephalogram.


Permanent Magnets


Permanent magnets have been around for as long as Earth has. This is because Earth is one giant magnet itself. As far as using them for therapeutic devices, the ancient Greeks used natural lodestones for healing and later civilizations forged carbon steel and then placed it along the direction of the Earth’s own magnetic field to magnetize it. The name permanent stems from the fact that they are constant, not ever needing to be replenished. Permanent magnets are also often called static magnets because no motion is required for them to work.


The process behind making a static magnet is very precise. This process includes taking metals in their powder form and then pressing them under extreme heat in a magnetic field. This resulting mass, called sinter, is then magnetized by placing it in an intense magnetic field.


Static magnets only have one field meaning that the field is created by the motion of electrons in the atoms of the material that make up the actual magnet. Also because of everything being contained within the magnet, the lines of force continue through each pole rather than stopping at them, which is what happens with electromagnets. In regards to everything flowing through the poles, this one aspect makes the magnetic material “transparent” to the magnetic fields. So, unlike the electromagnet, everything flows through everything else resulting in a totally interconnected network.


Permanent magnets while being static still carry a direct current (DC). This current creates the magnetic force through electrons spinning around the atoms of the metal material that makes up the magnet. Now, since all of this occurs within the magnet, it makes permanent magnets relatively easy to use.


Now that an understanding of how a permanent magnet itself is made and works, a look into how it interacts with an animal’s body can now be achieved. Three specific actions occur in the blood vessel that the magnet has a direct influence on. The first action is a light liberation of heat as ions in the blood stream separate. Next, the ions crisscross back and forth between the north and south poles of the magnet. The third and final action is the creation of a small eddy current that occurs within the targeted blood vessel. These three actions result in the widening of the blood vessels allowing for a larger quantity of nutrient-rich blood to reach the afflicted area. This increased circulation allows for reduction in inflammation, which then leads to a faster rate of healing. An important note to consider is that because the heat that was created was the result of the increased movement of blood, and not by the magnet, it can be rationalized that that kind of heat is not dangerous to the animal.


Now moving on, a common misconception is that all permanent magnets are created equal. However, the truth is that there are many different designs being used today and they all have different degrees of effectiveness. An important note regarding the design of magnets before continuing is that the poles alternate from north to south with the field lines being boundaries between each pole. Another point is that magnet effectiveness follows a principle called the Hall Effect. The Hall Effect states that the more perpendicular of a cross that a blood vessel makes over the north and south field zones, the more effective the magnet will be. With that said, it is important to remember that blood vessels rarely ever run in a straight line as well as that it is nearly impossible to know in what direction they are going to run in reference to where the magnet is placed on the body.


To compare the different field patterns, a tool can be used to better illustrate the differences. This tool is called a Magna-Doodle, a popular kid’s toy, which uses magnetic particles and a dense, liquid suspension which are encapsulated in honeycomb-like chambers which are then built into the face of the toy. The magnetic particles get drawn to other magnets helping with the understanding of the differences between different types of magnets. So, first a look at two of the most common magnetic fields, which are often used as decorative magnets. The first example is one where one pole is on the top while the other is on the bottom, with the field line running down the middle of the magnet. When placing this type of magnet on the Magna-Doodle, the only thing that will show up is a dark area in the shape of the magnet because of how the poles are separated. The other common field pattern is one that when placed on the Magna-Doodle, it will show the shape of the magnet as well as several straight lines running up and down through the dark area that is the shape of the actual magnet. These lines, as mentioned before, separate the north and south poles of the magnet. Now moving on, including the previous two field patterns, there are also many other field patterns in use in the world today, all of which the Magna-Doodle test will work on. However, the most effective pattern on the market today originated in Germany and is called the BIOflex field. This field, using the previously mentioned test, looks like a bulls-eye when placed on the slate. This bulls-eye pattern gives the BIOflex magnet the leading edge over other magnets when in comes to achieving the most effective cross over blood vessels in the afflicted area because of its concentric circle shape


To conclude, ranging from electromagnets on up to the different styles of permanent magnets, a glimpse into how magnets work and how they affect the body has been reviewed. In regards to safety and ease of use, it can be assumed that out of all the magnets discussed, the BIOflex permanent magnet is the best out there, followed by other permanent magnets and then finally electromagnets in regards to being used as therapeutic devices.


Copyright: Wells 2005 DO NOT CHANGE ARTICLE IN ANYWAY

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