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Top 3 Most Affordable PEMF Devices of 2021

A brief evaluation of PEMF therapy reveals the availability of numerous types of machines, each of them equipped with their own unique components and a specific design choice that sets them apart. Determining which machine is the best machine can seem impossible as a result, because it requires sifting through countless companies and different models within those companies. So how exactly do you determine which is the best PEMF device currently available on the market?

A Brief Overview of PEMF Therapy

PEMF therapy (or Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy) has been in use for over 40 years, but its roots are much older. Derived from the same basic ideas that have long ruled traditional medicine, PEMF therapy asserts that the body is comprised of electrical impulses and energy—a finding now backed by scientific evidence—and that the body’s impulses and energy can be manipulated and supported by the application of pure electromagnetic fields.

Each PEMF device is different, even within the same company. Some devices are created to target specific issues, like circulation, while others are created to serve a variety of needs in a clinical or other professional setting. Determining what makes a PEMF therapy the “best” PEMF therapy means determining not the best machine, itself, but the best machine for you. All PEMF companies are designed with a unique vision in mind, and have slightly different components involved in their construction, though they typically fall within the categories identified below.

Waveform

The waveform of a machine describes the shape the pulse of electromagnetic energy takes on as it enters and leaves the body. Although there are numerous types of waveforms available, many of them considered proprietary by the companies who use them, there are three waveforms that are most common, and therefore most often evaluated in studies: the sine (also called sinus), the saw tooth, and the square waveforms. These waveforms are considered the most effective primarily because they are something of a standard in the industry, making it far easier to use these waveforms in research studies. One study, a four-year study conducted by NASA, identified the square or saw tooth waveforms as the most effective waveforms for ailments plaguing returned astronauts, but may not definitively identify these waveforms as essential for treating all conditions.

For many users, selecting a machine with variations in waveforms is preferred, as it provides a way for users to determine which waveform they prefer. Some machines will allow you to customize waveforms independently of other components, while others will allow you to select predetermined settings with certain combinations of waveforms, intensities, and frequencies, and still others will come equipped with a single, specific waveform.

Intensity

The intensity of a machine is the power attributed to the machine in question. Typically, PEMF machines fall into one of two camps: high intensity machines (those with 1,000-50,000 Gauss intensity settings) and low intensity machines (those with 0.5-1,000 Gauss intensity settings). In a few cases, machines will provide both high and low intensity settings, and allow users to customize their intensity dramatically, depending on individual wants and needs. Traditionally, low intensity machines are used for long-term therapy regimens and chronic illnesses or issues, while high-intensity machines might be used more in clinical settings, for short durations, and for more acute concerns.

Determining the intensity that is right for you can mean taking inventory of what you hope to accomplish with your PEMF therapy journey, or can also mean speaking with a PEMF therapy professional, such as a chiropractor or other health professional working in a therapy clinic. These individuals may be better equipped to identify the machine intensity most likely to fit your needs. Many consumers prefer to purchase machines with more variations in intensity settings, as needs can change from day to day, and some variation can mean more health gains over the long term.

Frequency

The frequency of a machine describes the number of times a pulse is transmitted to the body in a second. Frequency, like intensity, is measured in low and high, though some machines may combine the two and provide a machine that has a wider range of intensity settings. The frequency of a machine has been linked to the strength of a machine, though it differs from intensity in several key ways. These include the purpose of a machine’s frequency, and the manner in which frequency impacts the therapy. The frequency of a machine determined the duration of energy delivery in the body, while the intensity of a machine identifies how deeply the frequency penetrates the body. Frequency is used to deliver the energy to the body, while intensity determines how effectively that energy is delivered.

As with intensity, many PEMF users prefer to select machines that offer various frequency options. Although most machines do not offer both high and low frequency options, being able to change the frequency of a machine can target issues differently. If you are purchasing a machine for a specific ailment, it may not be important to select a highly variable frequency machine, but if you are in the market for a PEMF machine to work as an overall therapy option, more frequency options will be ideal.

Applicators

Different companies provide different types of applicators used to deliver pulses of energy. Some offer paddles or small wands to apply pulses of electromagnetic energy to the body, while others provide users with a large mat (not unlike a stiff exercise mat) or body wraps. The applicator included in a device will vary. Many machines that come with a mat also include paddles or wands, in order to provide both an all-over PEMF experience and a targeted form of therapy. Machines intended for clinical use—whether in human clinics or veterinary clinics—may be more likely to come with a variety of applicators, including rings and loops, which can more effectively accommodate larger sizes and different positions than a mat or a band.

Determining the best applicator for you typically means evaluating your reason for purchasing a PEMF machine. If you are wanting to specifically target arthritic pain in the knee, for instance, a wand or paddle is more likely to meet your needs than a large mat. If you are seeking targeted support and a way to support general health, a machine that comes with both a mat and a wand or paddle may be necessary. If you are looking for consistent, all-over support, a body-length mat is likely the way to go. Before you can determine which applicator is best for you, you must evaluate your precise needs and goals with the machine.

 

Customization

One of the most significant things to set certain PEMF therapy devices apart from their peers is the ability of the user to customize the settings of their machine, in order to tailor their machine’s use for their own specific needs. Some therapy devices will combine multiple therapies that may or may not be turned on or off. Others will offer as many as 25 different frequency settings to choose from. Still others possess specific combinations of waveforms, intensities, and frequencies, and allow users to select from those predetermined settings. Determining which PEMF therapy device is right for you often means determining the precise level of customization you’d prefer to see in your machine.

Although PEMF therapy as a whole has demonstrated a strong history of efficacy in treating a truly diverse array of ailments, the ability to customize and change machine settings can play a significant role in how effectively a machine treats an ailment.

Common PEMF Therapy Devices: A Comparison

No evaluation of the best PEMF therapy devices available would be complete without a brief overview of some of the most popular machines currently available for purchase. For the purposes of this article, we will be evaluating the Bemer machines, MagnaWave options, and HealthyWave company offerings. Up first: Bemer Therapy.

Bemer Therapy

Bemer therapy is a type of PEMF therapy delivered by the Bemer Group. Bemer is one of the older PEMF therapy companies in operation, and often capitalizes on this fact. Bemer has made a name for itself as a therapy that focuses on improving microcirculation, or the circulation found in the bodies small blood vessels. These blood vessels’ improved circulation is said to improve sports recovery and performance, with additional fringe benefits, such as generally improved circulation and even better sleep. Bemer machines are highly branded, and Bemer possesses specific components that deviate from some of the more common PEMF therapy components: while many PEMF machines possess mats or wands, Bemer has a small wrap and circular, handheld delivery device called the B.Pad and B.Spot, respectively.

Bemer is a middle-of-the road therapy machine, in terms of cost and ability. It is not an extremely high-intensity machine, and its price point ranges firmly in the middle of low-end price points and high-end price points. Bemer therapy can be purchased directly from Bemer’s site or through third-party sellers through the company’s multilevel marketing structure, which can account for some of the price associated with Bemer.

MagnaWave

MagnaWave machines are among the most expensive PEMF therapy machines on the market. Another older company, MagnaWave therapy systems are built primarily for professional use, though there is a single MagnaWave offering designed for home use. The MagnaWave company focuses a large portion of its time and energy toward creating clinical use machines, including veterinary machines, and training others how to use PEMF therapy machines. Unlike Bemer therapy, MagnaWave machines do not claim to possess any type of specialty focuses, but instead focuses on the use of PEMF therapy as a therapy to treat a host of conditions in humans and animals.

MagnaWave can be purchased from the site directly, and is often found in clinics and therapy offices, and is likely to best serve people in search of PEMF therapy machines to be used in large-scale practices, versus at-home applications.

HealthyLine

HealthyLine machines are lower on the price scale than many other PEMF therapy machines, with machines as low as several hundred dollars. HealthyLine machines are somewhat unique among PEMF therapy machines, in that they offer several different types of therapy in a single machine. HealthyLine machines are low-frequency and low intensity devices that provide a highly variable user experience, because they provide numerous settings to alter the waveform, frequency, and intensity of the machine. HealthyLine mats are often selected by people seeking out PEMF therapy to be used for a large number of ailments, as they are among the most versatile mats on the market, and use many different types of therapy to deliver results.

Selecting the Best PEMF Device for You

Selecting the best PEMF device for you means evaluating all of the devices currently available to you, and choosing the one that best fits your needs. Although many PEMF therapy companies identify their designs as the best designs on the market, the truth is far more nuanced than a single marketing campaign, and choosing the best machine is far more akin to choosing the best machine for you. Acute, intense conditions often require a specific type of PEMF therapy device, while chronic conditions may require another. Determining the best machine for you means taking stock of the issues you are hoping to treat with PEMF therapy, and identifying what machine components are best equipped to fulfill those needs.

One of the most important variables to consider when selecting a PEMF therapy machine is customizability. Devices that are highly customized are more likely to be able to suit a diverse array of needs, and may offer more “bang for your buck,” because they can accommodate your needs over the long-term, shifting as your needs shift. Because a PEMF therapy device is an investment, selecting the device that is best for you will likely involve selecting a device that can grow with you and your ailments, and provide a significant return on your investment in the form of improved health and decreased health maintenance.