Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Hollysmum on July 21, 2015, 07:44:21 AM
-
Hello, everyone! I read an article about a woman who had found that wearing a bracelet/bangle with what were described as powerful magnets in it had helped her perimenopausal symptoms (these had been diagnosed by her GP). She reported that her aches and pains subsided within days of starting to wear it, and I wondered if anyone else had tried this sort of therapy? I'm aware that far too many people cash in on the discomfort and misery of others, and I'm far too stingy to part with money if I don't think it's going to be worth the effort! I've noted that you can get bangles, bracelets, necklaces and rings all purporting to be for therapeutic purposes quite easily, on Amazon, for example. Any thoughts, comments, experiences would be most welcome! Thank you all so much. Catherine. :)
-
Hi - if you do a search for Ladycare you will find lots of info on here about the magnets. :)
-
I have never worn a magnet but I know people who do for joint pain and say they make a huge difference.
Some say it's,a placebo effect but I really don't believe that.
Many years ago I had a dog that had arthritis and was very stiff and sore. I bought a very expensive magnetic collar for her and the difference was astounding.
She didn't know she was wearing anything different so no placebo effect there.
You can always try, but I would suggest buying a good one.
Honeyb
x
-
honeybun I so totally agree with you, my little dog has been wearing a magnetic collar for 3 months now and it has got rid of the need for pain meds for his bad back. I noticed the difference in him within 48 hours. I was told it was a placebo effect to which my reply was, how can it be a placebo effect as the dog doesn't know he is wearing a magnet.
Hollysmum, I was sceptical but they do seem to work.
-
Jenna, Honeybun and BabyJane - thank you very much for this! If it's good enough for dogs, I'm inclined to think it might be good enough for me! At the very worst, I would end up with a nice bracelet/ring/necklace!! I'm so fed up with popping tablets when I have a day of aches and pains, it would be nice to think that something as simple as a magnet could do the trick. I will check out Ladycare. Catherine. XX
-
My friend who owns a pet shop wears a magnetic thingy that's for a horse. He straps it across his shoulder and swears it really helps.
The one that he uses and also the one I had for my dog was called Bioflow.
Not cheap but very effective.
Honeyb
X
-
I have had a Bioflow bracelet for years and I think it does help. It is never off my wrist.
Bramble
-
In the 1970s patients with slow to unite or non-healing fractures were treated by magnet therapy - Swansea Uni and one of the Welsh Hospitals were involved. The patient took a very heavy battery home which was plugged in at night :-\ and the magnets places over the fracture site.
-
My daughter had a pony that was very stiff when she came out of her stable in a morning so we tried bio flow horse boots, made a huge difference she came out as bouncy as anything using them.
I have a bio flow bracket for a while originally used for a bad back, I have found again it again and started to wear it the last 3 days to see if will help with my perimenopause symptoms, time will tell but worth a go.
Also from the advice of a 75 yr old who is like a spring chicken I have started to take rosehip to help with the joint aches and it is much better.
-
the one my dog has is a bioflow too. It can't be coincidence that they work for the animals.
My dog got cranky with his when the weather was very hot a couple of weeks ago so I removed it at night to keep him comfortable. It is back on 24 hours a day now but he has been more stiff and sore when he was not wearing it all the time.
-
Hi Hollysmum - you are absolutely right that too many people/companies cash in on the discomfort and misery of others and the menopause magnet industry is one such. As far as I am aware there is absolutely no evidence that they work at all - although I am sure there could be a placebo effect for psychological symptoms.
As for pets - well this has nothing whatsoever to do with menopause!!!! We're talking about human beings and menopause here! Extrapolation from a couple of anecdotal observations on the effect of one therapy on animals and various conditions, to women and menopause is scientific nonsense! Please do not waste your money Hollysmum!!!!
The animal thing was dicussed a few months ago and I found this (nothing to do with menopause and women though!):
I am not saying magnets don't work on pets, but you should be aware that the owners' belief/non-belief in an alternative therapy can affect how the animal responds to a therapy. I knew someone who was involved in research in this area, and they found that a placebo given to a pet with an owner who believed in the therapy was more effective than the real therapy give to a pet whose owner was a sceptic!
Here is the thread:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26632.msg427141.html#msg427141
If something appears to work in peri-menopause then there are three possible options:
1 It works - ie the treatment is effective for that/those symptom(s)
2 The effect is placebo - and this therefore won't work on physical symptoms but perhaps a limited effect on those more within control of the mind
3 The symptoms were going to subside/reduce anyway
It is no coincidence that all these remedies for which little reliable evidence is available - mostly concern women in peri-menopause - when hormones fluctuate and symptoms come and go. This is why anecdotal observations are no help whatsoever and why we need to turn to scientific trials to see if a treatment ("alternative" or conventional) has a chance of success. We can ask people's opinion for example about different pain-killers for migraine - because all of these have been developed, tested, are regulated and have been shown through trials to work - but we still need to know how different people react to different types - at least though we start from the point that they do work for a significant percentage of people!
If it were an effective treatment it would be available on NHS.....but....if you really want to try then buy a cheap ordinary magnet (rather than an expensive magic menopause one ::) ) and put it in your knickers!!! Please don't give more money to any of these companies.
What symptoms are you having problems with that you would like to alleviate and where are you in menopause? We can try to help!!
Hurdity x :)
-
GP told me not to mess with magnetic therapy, end of.
-
Please Hurdity don't rain on our parade with regards to pets....unless you have one ...which I think you don't....you simply don't know or understand...or have watched the marked difference the magnets can make.
We were generally talking about magnets mainly for aches and pains and not just meno symptoms ...which incidentally I agree they don't work for.
Until you have had a pet that has suffered from arthritis and tried magnets and been very unsure they would work.....seen the difference.....and been impressed.....you really don't know.
Honeyb
-
I tried the magnet did nothing at all dont waste your cash
-
© 1984 British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery
0301-620X/84/51 31 $2.00
E. M. Downes, FRCS, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
Singleton Hospital, Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales.
J. Watson, PhD, FlEE, Reader in Electronic Engineering
University of Wales, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales.
Requests for reprints should be sent to Mr E. M. Downes.
-
Hey honeybun - don't make assumptions about whether I have pets or not or what I understand about them!
Rain on parade? I really don't know what that's supposed to mean?!! I was responding to the OPs request for comments about the effectiveness of magnetic therapy in curing peri-menopausal symptoms - it wasn't a thread about pets!!!! Magnets and pets are totally irrelevant to the discussion and I was hoping to prevent Hollysmum being led up a blind alley by false logic!
Anyway I see you share the opinions of most posters on here - that you agree that magnets do not work for menopausae symptoms, but talking about magnets and pets is a distraction and did actually lead the OP to think that they must be a good thing - and that's a shame because it's probably more money for the company - which shouldn't have been named anyway!!!!!
Hollysmum - you're probably thinking whaaaaat? I only asked - but this sort of thing is important to clarify and hope it has done to some extent, and we've saved you from spending the money!!!!?! ::)
Hurdity :) x
-
Or perhaps Hollysmum will approach things with an open mind.
Do you have pets that have benifited from magnetic therapy...if you have and I have got that wrong then I apologise. Your experiences would be appreciated if that is the case.
I think the point was ....if pets get the benefit from magnets when the placebo effect does not apply, then for aches and pains.....not meno symptoms.....perhaps humans can get the same benefits.
Science sometimes does not have all the answers.
I can only speak from observing a very rheumatic dog go from being in a great deal of pain to being mobile and pain free....and it would seem I'm not the only one who has observed this.
Honeyb
X
-
The magnet in question has been mentioned many times on this forum in the past. As far as I'm aware so long as a direct link to a purchase page is not included its fine. After all we often reference shops etc. without repercussions.
All I know is when I suggested it to my GP many moons ago, I got a definite "No" as an answer as they can apparently mess with your system, or so I was told.
My hubby tried a copper bracelet some time ago for his arthritis & it made no difference. I guess its like everything else, what works for some, doesn't work for others.
-
Yes I did mention BIOFLOW, oooo look I did it again.....naughty old me ;D
Honeyb
X
-
Hi everyone , ive just turned 50 and have been having symptoms for a couple of years and just been confirmed that i am indeed menopausal :'( :'( , i was recomended by my Practice nurse to join , so here i am lol ... She was telling me about the ladycare magnet and when i went to my slimming world class a lady there told me about it , so i am now on day 1 of trying it out , i read all the comments in here about them too so im going into this with my eyes wide open , i know all the druggy things we can get , i was a pharmacy technician for over 20 years so its a big thing for me not to rely on meds at the moment , im happy to join the group and look forward to learning more about whats going on in my body x
-
:welcomemm: there's nowt wrong with the placebo effect either! Being listened to and not judged can work wonders - browse round, ask away ;)
-
That's not going to happen anytime soon CLKD ::)
:welcomemm:
Tipsyshelley.....love the name.
Browse around and join in, nice to have you with us.
Honeyb
X
-
Oh my GP listens - if not a make a double appt. the next time ;)
I think that the benefits of magnet therapy will run and run ;)
I think if people try them and keep detailed info i.e. diet, weather conditions, weight, when the device is worn ……… there might be a more informed source of info.. I can't find any more info about the therapy used in the Welsh Hospitals than that above :-\
-
Hi there. Let us know how you get on with the magnet tipsyshelly.
We're a good bunch, ready to offer suggestions on just about anything you can possibly think of. No question is too weird on here.
:welcomemm:
-
Thanks for making me feel welcome , i will let you know how i get on with it x
-
:thankyou:
-
pffft, why do things have to turn into an argument when there are differences of opinion?
So many different ladies from all walks of life, we are never gong to always share the same opinion.
'Being listened to and not judged can work wonders'
^ this is so true but sometimes those who shout loudest seem to drown out those with a quieter voice, or so it seems to me.
All opinions are valid so lets be kind and respect everyone's contribution not just those we agree with :)
-
:thankyou:
-
Hi tipsyshelly :welcomemm: I expect you have read this thread and therefore can draw your own conclusions about whether or not there is any evidence that magnetic therapy works for menopausal symptoms. Whatever you do I hope you feel better soon and we are here to answer your questions and help give advice.
babyjane - I agree that all opinions are valid - but not everything being discussed is opinion. I have just posted on another thread about the difference between opinion and scientific evidence. That is what this is about. We have individuals' personal experiences and we have data from properly conducted and controlled trials. You cannot use one to support the other.
It is interesting for anyone to relate their experiences - but in medical matters the starting point has to be - not - "has this worked for other people?" but "has this worked under controlled conditions - ie evidence from randomised placebo controlled trials?" - then the personal experiences take on a new meaning. So trials might show that something is effective but for some women it still doesn't work.
Otherwise we are just stabbing in the dark and there are huge amounts of remedies and treatments out there being sold on the basis of "it worked for me - why don't you try it?" on very flimsy testimonials/evidence.
It's not a question of a quieter voice - but personally I feel I have a duty to use evidence based information to give advice on here (rather than pluck things out of the air or use my personal experience as evidence) - after all this is a medical/scientific site. Anyone who posts on the forum should expect that someone might say something and if someone disagrees or has further information - then they should say it. Provided we are all polite and supportive and don't resort to personal attacks - then that's fine and healthy debate! I haven't seen any unkindness. Disagreeing with a post, however strongly is not unkind nor does it show lack of respect. :)
Hurdity x
-
It would be nice to see more scientific tests to be done or for the results of those original experiments to be more widely available. It is known in scientific circles that some Companies are scant with those results that show either non results or less than favourable results which might not validate what they are trying to sell ;)
-
Dear Hurdity - thank you very much for your post. I was diagnosed as being perimenopausal about this time last year, when I started getting numerous hot flushes every day. I was prescribed gabapentin then, which allowed me to pile on over a stone in about six weeks, so I stopped taking it and went for evening primrose and starflower oils instead, and the flushes have subsided significantly. However, some days, I just ache for Britain - shoulders, arms, thumb joints in particular, and all I really want to do is curl up on the sofa. If it really gets too much, I have a couple of ibuprofen tablets, but I really hate having to do that. The next day, I will probably get up wondering where all the aching came from, and am absolutely fine for several days. I do have a problem with a bruised nerve in my neck, however, and try very hard to discern between that giving me jip and being perimenopausal! You're quite right, too, of course, regarding animals. I've not spent any money at all on magnets of any kind, although I have been wearing a magnetic bracelet that I've had for several years for the last week or so. I can confirm to everyone that it has made no difference whatsoever to any symptoms I may have, but it's really pretty, so I'll wear it anyway! Everyone's comments and observations have been really welcome on this subject, thank you all very much.
-
Why don't you like taking pain relief when it's necessary :-\ - that's what Scientists spend hours of time in Labs. for, so that people don't suffer ::)
If you are hungry, do you not eat?
-
CLKD - that did make me laugh, actually, regarding taking pain relief, and if I'm hungry, don't I eat?!! You're absolutely right, why does it bother me? I think it's because I was brought up to "soldier on" and not rely on pills and potions. I suppose I just feel that I ought to "cope", but really, these days, that's ridiculous, isn't it? I've clearly caused quite a stir with my query about magnets and therapy, and involved people's pets, too, unwittingly! I would like to add that I have a cat (Holly, hence Hollysmum) who is nearly 20 years old now, and I wouldn't hesitate to try any therapy that might make her life easier if she was in pain, like all the other pet lovers who have responded. Hurdity was right, though, in that animals obviously aren't human, and a therapy that might work for them is not necessarily one that will work for us. That said, we are all different, and different things work for different people, and I feel that if you find something that makes a good difference for you, stick with it. Me? I'm off to pop a couple of ibuprofen!! Thank you all so much - I've really enjoyed and appreciated all your posts.
-
Hollysmum, I can understand you wanting to cut down on the painkillers as long-term regular use can cause problems. But I've found that sometimes, I can actually create MORE pain by not taking tablets, as the pain makes my muscles tense, which creates more pain, which creates more tension...so sometimes, one dose early on can mean I don't have to take any more, whereas leaving it for a while can mean I have to take 2 or 3 doses to be effective.
I'm probably becoming the Official Epsom Salts Bore for the MM forum, but I've found Epsom Salt Baths to be the best thing for my joint pain - I quite often decide to have one before taking painkillers and by the time I come out of the bath, the pain has gone.
In the past, I tried the magnet you attach to your underwear for period pain and also a copper/magnetic bracelet which I was given for joint pain. My mother also bought one for herself, but then gave it to me as she said she couldn't cope with the strange tingling sensation in whichever arm she wore it on (she does have a very good imagination though, so it might not have been the bracelet!). None of the magnets had any effect on me whatsoever - I binned the magnet, but kept the bracelets because they are one of the few pieces of jewellery I actually like!
-
Hi ladies , thats me on day 9ish on my ladycare magnet , ive not had any relief on the flushing but i have noticed im not as sore in the morning , i suffer lower back pain and it seems to have got 90% better , im holding out hope that the flushings will get better ... Which brings me to my next querie .... Im a very large lady 20 stone ..... I was 26st , its a slow process but im getting there , ive have to tape the magnet to my tummy but its hard when you are this size to get into your pelvic area ;D ;D ;D , if there are any larger ladies who have had the same problem i would be grateful to hear any ideas ............ Keep it clean lmao lmao xx
-
Hi I have worn a ladycare magnet for 3 years now and it works on hot flushes and joint pain, unfortunately not on the anxiety, I have not been woken with major flushes at all, I believe it does work, but you have to wear it 24/7. I love my ladycare magnet.