Magnet therapy (an energy therapy) utilizes static magnetic fields (constant fields produced by permanent magnets) or pulsed electromagnetic fields (intermittent magnetic fields produced by an electromagnet). Practitioners place magnets on the body or place injured body parts in an induced electrical field to reduce pain or enhance healing.
Evidence and Uses
Magnets, in particular, are a popular treatment for musculoskeletal disorders and neuropathic pain, although data on effectiveness are mixed.
For static magnetic therapy, systematic reviews found no benefit for chronic pain and neck pain (1), and high-quality studies found no benefit for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (2).
The biologic effect of pulsed electromagnetic therapy is significantly different from that of static magnetic therapy, and evidence suggests that pulsed electromagnetic therapy may relieve pain. One meta-analysis found relief of neuropathic pain with use of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (3). Another study showed improvement in physical function, but not pain or stiffness, in knee osteoarthritis (4)
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has reasonable evidence of effectiveness for post-stroke depression. In addition, for stroke rehabilitation, meta-analyses and systematic reviews demonstrated significant benefits for motor recovery, hand function, muscle tone, and global disability scores, with both high-frequency and dual-mode rTMS protocols showing efficacy (5, 6).
Possible Contraindications
Possible contraindications for magnets include pregnancy (effects on the fetus are unknown) and use of implanted cardiac devices, an insulin pump, or a medication given by patch.Possible contraindications for magnets include pregnancy (effects on the fetus are unknown) and use of implanted cardiac devices, an insulin pump, or a medication given by patch.
References
1. Kroeling P, Gross A, Graham N, et al. Electrotherapy for neck pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. (8):CD004251, 2013. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004251.pub5
2. Pittler MH, Brown EM, Ernst E. Static magnets for reducing pain: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. CMAJ. 177(7):736–42, 2007.
3. Jin Y, Xing G, Li G, et al. High frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for chronic neuropathic pain: a meta-analysis. Pain Physician.18(6):E1029-46, 2015.
4. Chen L, Duan X, Xing F, et al. Effects of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy on pain, stiffness and physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Rehabil Med. 16;51(11):821-827, 2019. doi: 10.2340/16501977-2613
5. Chen G, Wu M, Lin T, et al. Effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on sequelae in patients with chronic stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Neurosci. 2022;16:998820. Published 2022 Oct 20. doi:10.3389/fnins.2022.998820
6. Li H, Lin X, Chen N, Wu X. Four Comparative Effectiveness of Rehabilitation Methods Combined With rTMS on Cognition, Mood, and Quality of Life in Stroke Patients. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. Published online April 24, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2025.04.013
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
