Magnetic therapy,
or Magnotherapy, or Magnet therapy is an
alternative medicine
claiming that certain medical disorders can be effectively
treated by exposure to
magnetic fields. This
article treats claims concerning static magnetic
fields. See
electromagnetic therapy
for treatments involving pulsed fields.
Proponents of magnet therapy claim that subjecting certain
parts of the body to doses of magnetic "energy"
(or fields) has a beneficial effect. This belief has led to
the popularization of an industry involving the sale of
magnetic-based products for "healing" purposes: magnetic
bracelets and jewelry; magnetic straps for wrists, ankles,
and the back; shoe insoles, mattresses, and magnetic
blankets (blankets with magnets woven into the material);
and even water that has been "magnetized".