Magnet Therapy for Stroke Victims

Interesting articale. Will be calling Duke tomorrow for more information. Has anyone had any experience with this treatment?

Magnet Therapy for Stroke Victims
By Dean Bonlie, DDS

Four million Americans presently suffer from debilitating strokes. In the past, there has been very little that could be done to help such unfortunate individuals restore lost function. Moderately good results have been achieved in recent years with hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and biofeedback and physiotherapy can be useful in retraining new nerve pathways to restore lost functions. But for most stroke victims, life is a daily struggle, not only for them but also for their caregivers. Fortunately, it does seem that hope lives eternally in the human heart. . . and I hope to encourage that hope with the following description of a completely new application of a high-powered unidirectional, focused magnetic field, a modality that is being tested with notable success.

For the rest of the articale -
http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/magnet.html#author

[caregiver222]

Magnet therapy has been around for a century. It works because the oxygenated hemoglobin contains iron, which in turn is a ferous metal and attracted by a high magnetic field. This can draw blood supply to an area where the blood might not normally flow. It has been used by non-traditional practicioners to treat stroke and dementia for longer that we were born, but has been casually dismissed by the American medical community. The down side is this. It can hold the red blood cells in position and this can theoretically cause them to clot and produce a stroke. Preseumeably a pulsed electromagnetic source could solve this problem. The idea deserves a well-funded study, but I would not be sticking magnets on anyones head.

[joesi]

Thanks for your input. However, the therapy I was referring to has only been around for a few years I think. Similar in strength to a MRI at up to 5,000 gauss. The present evaluation study is approved by the FDA as experimental and there have been no negative effects reported to date or at least none that I could find.
http://www.amri-nc.com/mme.asp
I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has had the treatments or knows of someone who has had the treatments and the results achieved, if any.

[joesi]

After much research, we have decided not to pursue this treatment. My wife has 13 platinum coils in her brain from the stroke. Even though platinum is non-magnetic, THAT much of a magnetic field for that long may cause her some issues. Not worth the risk factors for her.

[oc1dean]

In other research circles something similar is being tested called Trancranial Magnetic Stimulation. It does require you to at least have some movement  when the magnetic wand is waved over your head. So my guess is that it only works in the penumbra of the stroke injury which normally comes back spontaneously anyway. Until blinded research is done it sounds overhyped

[Optimistikcjick]

My nearly 84 year old mother suffered a "major" stroke 2 days ago.  She has not opened her eyes, though she shows signs of awareness and can follow directions when asked.  She is sleeping allot. Initially she lost movement on her left side, but it very slowly seems to be coming back.  She is saying words, though they are hard to understand.  She is receiving IV fluids. The doctor said they would give her another day and see if she "wakes up".  If she doesn't, they would release her home(without IV or nutrition) and basically let her die at home.  After reading so many posts above, it seems like it could be a couple of weeks before a stroke victim starts to 'wake up".  In regards to people with elderly family members who suffered a stroke, did they have feeding tubes or sources of nutrition provided?  I am really struggling with this and feel like it is giving up.  She is conscious and aware.  Thank you for any feedback

[sara12345]

Again because I answered your other posting, seek another hospital or in the meantime get an attorney to stop the hospital from what they are threatening to do.  And throw a big stink over it and threaten to sue the hospital if they kill your mother.