The Weintraub study gave the following results.
Overall, 64% of the 14 patients showed statistically significant
improvement in the paresthesias of numbness and
tingling. Peripheral neuropathy patients had the best response of the
two groups, with 75% (6/8) improving, 38% (3/8) completely. The diabetic
neuropathy group had a 50% responserate. VAS scores reflected the changes in
decreased pain.
http://web.ksl.com/dump/news/cc/diamag.htm
Diabetes and Magnets A new study is out that confirms the apparent benefits of
magnet therapy for diabetics. Specifically, wearing magnetic insoles can
provide significant relief to diabetics who suffer from a painful condition
called peripheral neuropathy. Dr. Max Gomez has details.
It's a test that measures how well nerves are conducting signals from the feet.
And the results for Jeanette Castner show that her diabetes has, in fact,
damaged those nerves. In her case its made them extremely numb, which is much
more serious than it sounds.
Jeanette says, "All of a sudden you would see blood, because you had a
blister." "You don't feel that at all?" "Well, I did lose a toe because of
that."
The problem is called diabetic neuropathy and it's a major disabler of people
with diabetes. Dr. Michael Weintraub, of New York Medical College says, "You
can have numbness and tingling like your feet are asleep or numb or tingling or
burning to the point here you can't even put pressure on them."
But Jeanette and other diabetics have gotten significant relief from their
neuropathy by using an ancient alternative treatment-- magnets. Nineteen
patients in a well-designed scientific study published January 11 in the
American Journal of Pain Management wore magnetic insoles around the clock
except while showering. They they rated their pain twice a day for four months.
The trick was making sure the pain relief was really due to the magnets.
Dr. Weintraub explains, "So, I created a design to have the pt test one foot as
a control against a real magnet on the other foot, and then after one month,
switch them. So, in the other month they would havae a magnet on the opposite
foot and a sham magnet or device on the other foot, so they would not know
which ones they were."
Both the foot with the fake and the real magnet got some pain relief but when
they were switched to real magnets, 90 percent of the diabetics got
significantly better from their neuropathy.
Jeanette says, "But since the magnetic chips, it's ironic how I don't, I still
have numbness but it's decreased."
As to why magnets seem to work, there are a few theories but the bottom line
is, no one really knows. Curiously, the magnetic insoles don't work as well on
foot pain from causes other than diabetes.