What is magnetic therapy?
Magnetic therapy is a safe, non-invasive method of applying magnetic fields to the body for therapeutic purposes. Whether used independently or as an adjunct to your current treatment, magnet therapy provides effective natural pain relief for a wide range of conditions, making it an excellent choice for anyone. It helps speed the healing process and can improve quality of sleep without any adverse side effects.

Is magnetic therapy safe?
Yes, magnetic therapy is very safe. The World Health Organization has issued a formal statement confirming that static magnetic fields pose no health risks whatsoever. No complications have ever been reported with its proper use. There are certain conditions where magnet therapy should not be used, such as if you are wearing a pacemaker, defibrillator, insulin pump or any other implanted electro-medical device or if you are pregnant.

Does magnetic therapy have any side effects?
No.

How long has magnetic therapy been in use?
Magnetic therapy was first used by the Chinese 4,000 years ago. Many cultures, including the Chinese, Greeks, Egyptians and Europeans, have applied magnets to relieve pain and other symptoms. However, the size and weight of the magnets existing during that time, made them difficult to use. Today, stronger magnetic materials have led to a surge of modern day magnetic therapy. It is currently use by over 150 million people worldwide.
Since the 1960s, clinical studies in the United States have shown magnetic therapy to be an effective method for relieving pain and discomfort. Japan and many eastern European countries have conducted hundreds of studies for over 30 years, and researchers continue to find that it provides tremendous benefits for a wide range of conditions. Physicians in the United States using magnetic therapy in their practices have reported excellent results with their patients.

How does magnetic therapy work?
All physical and mental functions are controlled by electromagnetic fields produced by the movement of electro-chemicals (ions) within the body. When an injury occurs and tissue is damaged, positively charged ions move to the affected area, triggering pain and causing inflammation.
In order for pain and inflammation to be relieved and healing to take place, the electromagnetic fields at the injury site must be restored to their normal balance. The application of a magnetic field to an injured area helps restore the electromagnetic fields back to normal levels. The magnetic field relaxes capillary walls, as well as surrounding muscle and connective tissues, allowing for increased blood flow. More oxygen and nutrients are transferred to the injury site, while inflammatory-related toxins are removed. The overall process restores the normal electromagnetic balance of the area, relieving pain and inflammation, and promoting accelerated healing.

Is magnetic therapy an officially recognized alternative health treatment?
Yes. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) classifies magnetic therapy as a form of Energy Medicine. The NCCAM is one of the 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health, and falls under the Public Health Service in the Department of Health and Human Services. The NCCAM states “Static magnets have been used for centuries in efforts to relieve pain. Numerous anecdotal reports have indicated that individuals have experienced significant, and at times dramatic, relief of pain after the application of static magnets over a painful area.”

Does magnetic therapy use the same magnetic fields as power lines?
No it does not. The electromagnetic fields surrounding power lines and electrical appliances have no relationship to the natural healing fields produced by magnetic therapy products.

How effective is magnetic therapy?
According to most experts in the field, if magnetic therapy products are designed and used properly they can be 80% - 90% effective.
The catch is that Biomagnetics is a far more complex science than most people realize. Knowing how to accomplish this level of effectiveness is no easy task. It requires highly specialized designs and manufacturing methods, and educated guidance for informed use. Therion has taken great care to design and manufacture the most effective magnetic therapy products available and provide you with the instructions and customer support that you need to get the best results.

What is gauss rating and why are there so many different ones?
The manufacturer's gauss rating is the amount of magnetic energy at the magnet's core. Because magnets are made from different types of material, each magnet has a different gauss rating.
Think of gold and the different carat ratings (10k, 14k, 18k, 24k). It's the same with magnets - they have different quality grades. The higher grades are more powerful and have a higher gauss rating.
There are three basic types of magnets used in biomagnetics:

Is gauss rating a good indicator of how effective a product will be?

No it is not. Size is equally as important. Larger magnets have more mass than smaller magnets. That means they can store a greater amount of magnetic energy. In some cases a larger magnet with a lower manufacturer's gauss rating can actually be stronger than smaller magnet with a higher gauss rating.
That’s why the manufacturer's gauss rating alone is not an indication of how effective a magnet will be. You must know both the manufacturer's gauss rating and the size of the magnet to get an accurate picture.

I have seen products on websites with gauss ratings of up to 280,000. Is that possible?
No it is not. Even an MRI machine can't generate that much power. Many companies use manufacturer's gauss ratings to exaggerate the strength of their magnets. For example, they might use 12,300 gauss magnets, but the magnets used are tiny so they will only generate a small magnetic field. That means that they may not do anything to ease your pain.
When you see really exaggerated gauss ratings like 30,000, 100,000 and 280,000 that usually means that a company is adding up the total gauss ratings of all the magnets used in their product. This is deceptive because it tells you nothing about how effective the magnets will be. It violates the laws of physics. If you have 28 magnets with a 10,000 gauss rating each, your total gauss rating is still 10,000, not 280,000. Therion always tells you the true gauss rating of our products so that you can shop responsibly.

What is penetration depth and is it important?
Penetration depth refers to how far the magnetic field is able to get into your body. It varies by the size and strength of your magnet.
It is very important. Penetration depth is supposed to be a measurement of the distance that the magnetic field can effectively penetrate. Unfortunately, this number can be very misleading because most companies don't know what is really "effective".
Some companies simply make up a number so that their product looks stronger than their competitors. This can quickly lead to very exaggerated claims as companies try to outdo each other.
The best way for a consumer to figure out exactly how far a given magnet will penetrate you need to keep some basic principles in mind: Magnetic fields decrease rapidly with distance. The father away the weaker the magnetic field strength.

The earth's magnetic field measures about ½ gauss (0.50 gauss). A basic law of physics and magnetism states that a stronger magnetic field will overpower and cancel out a weaker magnetic field. What this means is that any magnetic field that is ½ gauss (0.50 gauss) or less will be canceled out by the earth's magnetic field and have no therapeutic effect. 
Technically, any magnetic field stronger than ½ gauss will have a therapeutic effect. But we want to do better than that. Therion has established a value of '1 gauss' as the minimum effective magnetic field strength. Maximum 'effective' penetration depth is therefore defined as the distance from the magnet where the magnetic field strength drops to 1 gauss.

For example:
Therion Sport supports use ¾" diameter x ¼" thick disk magnets, with a manufacturer's rating of 4,300 gauss.
Notice the difference in penetration depth when a lower (ineffective) gauss measurement is substituted:
1 gauss = 4-1/8" - the actual effective penetration depth
0.5 gauss = 5¼"
0.1 gauss = 9"
0.01 gauss = 19½"

What determines the effectiveness of a magnetic therapy product?
To be effective, a product must create a magnetic field strong enough to penetrate completely through the injured area at a therapeutic level. The problem is that the strength of a magnetic field dissipates rapidly with increasing distance from a magnet. Many times an injured area can be several inches below the skin. If a product is not properly designed, the magnetic field will drop below therapeutic levels before it even reaches the injury site, rendering the product completely ineffective.
Four factors determine the strength and effective penetration depth (how far the field can reach) of a product's magnetic field:

All four factors must be known to be able to determine the effectiveness of a magnetic therapy product. Therion is the only company that provides all of this information.

What makes Therion products more effective than others?
Therion's exclusive Maximum Field Integration technology is the most effective method known in biomagnetics to optimize magnetic field strength and penetration depth while providing complete saturation of the affected area.
Our patented Thermal Regulation System provides unmatched comfort and support at any level of activity. By precisely controlling the removal of excess heat and perspiration, it dramatically increases wearability and user tolerance so people wear their supports longer.
Unlike other companies, Therion uses large, research grade magnets We have developed new engineering methods and patented systems that provide outstanding results. We make sure you have a strong magnetic field that completely surrounds and saturates the injured area, and that our products are comfortable. That means you get: 

How long do Therion magnets last?
Therion magnets are guaranteed to maintain their strength for a lifetime.

Where are Therion products made?
Therion products are manufactured in the USA. We are the only direct manufacturer of magnetic therapy products in the United States, and we produce the only professional magnetic therapy products available in the world. Their manufacturing facility is located in Long Island, New York. This gives Therion complete control over all engineering and manufacturing processes so you’re always assured of receiving the most effective product possible.

Will magnetic therapy products work for me?
Odds are that our products will help you. We have been proven effective 85 to 90 percent of the time - which is a better track record than most drugs on the market.

How do I obtain the best results from magnetic therapy?
The key to using magnetic therapy for pain relief and healing is consistency. If you don't use the product every day as directed you could see the pain come back and slow your healing process. Consistently using Therion products will help reduce pain and promote healing.
Sometimes your pain may actually come from a place that doesn?t hurt. For example pain in your knee might be a result of a hip problem. If magnetic therapy does not seem to be working try shifting the magnet to another, related area.
Magnetic therapy products can also be placed over acupuncture points. Acu-magnets are the best choice for this type of treatment. Consult a licensed acupuncturist to learn more about how to properly apply Acu-magnets.

How quickly will magnetic therapy work?
That depends on the type of condition, its severity, and how long you have been in pain. Everyone's body will also respond differently to magnetic therapy. In general older people respond to therapy faster than younger people.
For acute injuries, most people start feeling better in a day or two. Some actually see results within hours or even minutes.
With chronic pain related conditions, it could take several days or even a week or two before you start to feel better.

When should I stop using magnetic therapy?
Though your pain and swelling may be gone, healing damaged tissue takes longer. (Bone and tissue damage takes time to repair and mend.) Stopping magnetic therapy too soon can cause the pain to come back.
Consider your particular injury or condition, and allow a reasonable time for healing to take place. For example after discomfort from a sprain subsides, continue to wear the magnetic support or pad for several days to a week, depending on the severity of the sprain. For chronic conditions such as arthritis, once the pain and inflammation subside, continue using the magnets for several more days. If you do stop using magnetic therapy and your pain begins to return, just reapply it for a longer time.

How does magnetic therapy assist healing of injuries?
By relaxing capillary (tiny blood vessels) walls and surrounding muscle and connective tissue, blood flow to the injury site is increased. Oxygen and nutrients are carried to the injury site more quickly, and inflammatory toxins are removed more efficiently.

Can magnetic fields penetrate bone?
Yes. As long as the magnets are strong enough, the magnetic field will penetrate completely through bone. This is why we recommend magnetic therapy for bone injuries.

How does magnetic therapy provide back pain relief?
Magnetic therapy has proven to be very effective in relieving back pain, provided it is properly applied. Through improved blood supply, oxygen levels increase. This activates and regenerates cells, and induces electrical changes around and within the cell--speeding the healing process. Pain is reduced by negative magnetic fields working to rebalance the electrochemical ion concentrations within nerve cells.

How does magnetic therapy reduce joint pain?
Magnetic fields influence cell behavior by inducing electrical changes around and within the cell. Improved blood supply increases oxygen and nutrient transport, activating and regenerating cells. Increased calcium transport stimulates the repair and growth of cartilage while at the same time decreasing pain.

How does magnetic therapy improve sleep?
There are two ways that magnetic therapy can improve quality of sleep. Firstly, many situations involving disturbed sleep are a direct result of having some sort of pain when going to bed. When magnetic therapy is used to relieve the pain your quality of sleep will improve.
The pineal gland, located in the center of the brain, produces a chemical called melatonin. The natural increase in melatonin production later in the evening is what allows us to fall asleep. Circadian rhythms (our sleep-wake cycle) are synchronized by the pineal gland regulating melatonin production throughout the day. The pineal gland, which contains magnetite crystals, is a magnetically sensitive system that can be influenced by external magnetic fields.
As we age, melatonin production decreases, making it even more difficult to get a restful nights sleep. Our sleep-wake cycle can also be disturbed by things such as stress or even the time of the year.
For example the strength of the earth's magnetic field diminishes during the winter months, which can lead to desynchronization of circadian rhythms and a condition known as seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder is characterized by recurrent winter depression associated with hypersomnia, overeating, and carbohydrate craving. By applying an external magnetic field in the form of a magnetic mattress pad and piollow melatonin secretion can be rebalanced and circadian rhythms resynchronized.

Do you offer products that can be used in a wheelchair?
Yes. A high-back seat pad is a great way to drastically make your buttocks, thighs and back more comfortable. Magnetic seat pads have also been shown to reduce muscle spasms and relax muscle tension when you are sitting for long periods of time.

Can I use magnets if I am pregnant?
Although no studies on the effects of magnetic therapy during pregnancy have been conducted, international protocol states magnets should never be used during the first trimester of pregnancy. To be safe, we recommend you do not use magnets at anytime during pregnancy.

Can magnets affect surgical pins or plates?
No they cannot. Surgical pins, plates, screws and similar objects are made of non-magnetic metals such as surgical stainless steel.

Can I wear a magnetic support or pad over my clothes?
You may wear the support whichever way is most comfortable for you. The advantage of wearing a Therion support directly against the skin is that the support?s fabric is designed to eliminate excess body heat and sweat. It cannot do this very well when clothes are between the skin and the support.

Can I exercise while wearing a magnetic support?
Yes! Therion magnetic supports are designed to work effectively when you are active and will eliminate any excess body heat and sweat. This keeps you comfortable and prevents overheating. The magnetic fields can help to prevent exercise related injuries.

Can I use a heating pad or electric blanket with magnetic therapy?
We do not recommend using a heating pad with a magnetic support or pad. It will interfere with the magnetic field and you will not get the full effectiveness of the product. You can use an electric blanket over a magnetic mattress pad, but it will interfere with the magnetic field to a certain degree when it is on. Lets be honest, there can be times when you need both. If you must use an electric blanket, it is best to turn it on before getting into bed to warm it. Then when you get into your bed, turn it to low so the blanket does not turn on that often.