How to Treat Wounds With Magnets

Magnet therapy has been used for years in many cultures to treat injuries as well as chronic health conditions and illnesses. Small magnet-containing pads and magnetic jewelry appeared in the consumer marketplace in the mid 1990s, with vendors touting their ability to cure just about anything. These claims had anecdotal supporters and medical-professional critics, but additional scientific studies have demonstrated that magnets do have a beneficial therapeutic role under some conditions. Medical journal articles report that magnets in combination with ice are beneficial for wound treatment, helping to reduce swelling and increase blood flow to the affected area.

Things You'll Need

• Magnet pad containing concentric alternating-polarity magnets of at least 400 gauss
• Ice packs
• Small clean towel
• Gauze
• Elastic medical bandage
• Medical tape (optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Dress the wound as your doctor has recommended; magnetic and ice therapy will work through any gauze, stitching or medication your doctor has placed on the wound.

• 2

  Place a small, clean towel over the wound if it is not dressed. Lay the ice pack over the towel or dressing. Press as firmly as pain comfortably permits and hold the ice pack in place for 15 to 20 minutes.

• 3

  Return ice pack to the freezer. Place magnet pad over the wound area, press as firmly as pain comfortably permits and hold in place for 15 to 20 minutes.

• 4

  Remove magnet and replace with ice pack. Continue alternating ice and magnet therapy for four hours.

• 5

  Strap the refreshed ice pack to the wound area using gauze and either an elastic medical bandage or medical tape, depending on wound location. Leave the ice pack on until the cold has dissipated.

• 6

  Remove the ice pack and affix the magnetic pad over the wound area. Leave the magnet on overnight. Apply ice on subsequent days as needed, alternating with magnet, leaving magnet on the wound overnight each night until significant healing begins, usually in one week or less.