PEMF and Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is becoming more and more common, these days.

It was previously observed only in the elderly, but the age at which it’s seen is dropping quickly.

Its risk factors are closely tied to an unhealthy lifestyle that is increasing in prevalence.

We need all the help we can get in battling this serious health condition, including both prevention and treatment.

A therapy that offers both is called PEMF.

This article will explore PEMF as a viable option for anyone suffering from atrial fibrillation.

The overall information from the related studies seems encouraging, but let’s dig deeper and find out more.

 

What Is Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and rapid heartbeat that increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or other heart-related conditions.

Our heart has four chambers: Two upper chambers (atria), and two lower chambers (ventricles).

During atrial fibrillation, the two upper chambers beat chaotically and out of sync with the two lower chambers.

This causes patients to experience weakness, palpitations, and shortness of breath.

These symptoms may come and go, but may also develop into a true condition.

Most often, atrial fibrillation is not serious, but it can lead to other life-threatening health issues.

 

Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation

Many people with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms, and are unaware of their condition for a long time.

Others who do feel some symptoms usually experience:

• Palpitations
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Lack of ability to exercise
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness
• Confusion
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath

These symptoms may be occasional, persistent, long-standing persistent, and/or permanent.

If you have any of these symptoms for any period, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor.

 

Causes and Risk Factors

Atrial fibrillation starts at the two upper chambers of the heart for good reason.

The upper right chamber contains a group of cells that are called the sinus code.

These cells act as our natural pacemaker that produces an electrical impulse kickstarting every heartbeat.

When their activity becomes chaotic and irregular, our heartbeat becomes chaotic as well, and we develop atrial fibrillation.

Possible causes include:

• Heart attacks
• High blood pressure
• Abnormal heart valves
• Coronary artery disease
• Overactive thyroid gland
• Viral infections

Many risk factors increase our chances of developing atrial fibrillation.

Some of these are age, heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic conditions, alcohol, obesity, and a family history of the disease.

 

Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

The type of treatment you receive depends on for how long you have had atrial fibrillation, and how severe your symptoms are.

The goals of the treatment are to prevent the risk of stroke, prevent blood clots, and control the heart rate or reset its rhythm.

All of this can be done either with medication, or with an invasive procedure such as electrical rhythm resetting, surgery, and catheters.

PEMF therapy can be applied here as well, both as a preventative measure and as a way to control the heart rhythm or manage the AFib symptoms.

Let’s see how this is done by looking at scientific evidence.

 

PEMF Therapy and Atrial Fibrillation

PEMF therapy is the most useful in the early stages of atrial fibrillation.

One factor that contributes to the development of this condition is inflammatory processes in the body. (1)

PEMF is known to be able to treat inflammation, and in that way help patients with AFib. (2)

In the later stages, PEMF therapy should not necessarily be used on its own, but can be used alongside other conventional therapies.

In these cases, it can boost the effects of the other therapies, and diminish any side effects that may occur.

PEMFs work by sending electromagnetic waves toward our bodies’ cells.

By directing PEMF stimulation toward the chest and the atria, we can affect the sinus code which determines the pace of our heartbeat.

Generally, frequencies of under 2000 Hz are considered the most beneficial to achieve this effect, while some sources suggest that frequencies of 10 Hz and lower achieve highly positive effects, as well.

To realize the best results, according to Dr. Pawluk who has substantially researched PEMFs, 15-30 minutes of PEMF stimulation to the chest is enough to achieve very good results, and reduce the symptoms of atrial fibrillation.

A recent study conducted on dogs gives us more insight into how PEMF works to suppress atrial fibrillation.

 

Research on PEMF and Atrial Fibrillation

A study was conducted in 2015, as a collaborative effort between Chinese and American scientists, to investigate the effects of PEMF therapy on atrial fibrillation.

The principal investigators of the study were Yu L, Scherlag BJ, Dyer JW, Stavrakis S, Sha Y, Garabelli P, Sheng X, Po SS, and Jacobson J. (4)

Seventeen anesthetized dogs were used in this study.

They had bilateral thoracotomies, through which multielectrode catheters were placed in both upper chambers of the heart and the pulmonary veins.

The rapid atrial pacing was used to create AFib.

At the beginning and end of every hour of RAP, programmed atrial stimulation showed both the width of the vulnerability window, and the effective refractory period (ERP).

The former was a way to measure AFib inducibility.

The neural firing was recorded with microelectrodes placed inside the anterior right ganglionated plexi.

A function generator powered the Helmholtz coils, and created an electromagnetic field (0.952 Hz, 0.034 uG).

The subjects were split into two groups. Group 1 (n=7) received PEMF stimulation to both cervical vagal trunks.

The second group (n=10) received stimulation to the chest, with the heart at the center of the coil.

The results show that PEMF stimulation caused an increase in AFib threshold in group 1 at all atrial and pulmonary vein sites.

In the second group, the ERP decreased, while the dispersion ERP and vulnerability window increased, during the three hours of RAP.

After that, it returned to initial values, during joined application of PEMF and RAP.

PEMF significantly suppressed the amplitude and frequency of the neural activity in the right anterior ganglionated plexi.

Thus it can be concluded that PEMF significantly reduces inducibility of AFib when it is applied to vagal trunks, or over the chest in a noninvasive way.

 

Other Benefits of PEMF Therapy

If you suffer from atrial fibrillation, PEMF therapy is definitely an option that you should consider.

It will help you in multiple ways, both as a means of prevention and as a possible treatment.

However, PEMF therapy can help you with many other health conditions, as well.

Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate what effects PEMF therapy can have on our mind and body, both physiologically and pathologically.

Below is a summary of the most important ones.

 

Better Range of Motion

PEMF therapy can improve the range of motion that becomes impaired due to cervical osteoarthritis.

This health condition affects the bony and soft tissues in the neck, and often causes pain, stiffness, limited mobility, and other symptoms.

A study conducted in 2006 at the Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Education and Research Hospital in Turkey showed that PEMF could successfully reduce the symptoms of cervical osteoarthritis by increasing range of motion and diminishing other symptoms. (5)

 

Reduced Arthritis Symptoms

The most common symptoms of arthritis include inflammation, swelling, and pain.

This is a progressive condition that cannot be cured fully, but it can be successfully controlled if the treatment is started early.

A study conducted in India in 1998 shows that PEMF therapy can effectively relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

The best results were achieved with seronegative patients, but other patients experienced significant improvements, as well. (6)

 

Decrease Diabetic Factors

DPN is a progressive disease that people struggling with diabetes often experience.

It causes nerve problems, which generate symptoms such as tingling, numbness, and pain on both sides of the body.

A study from 2003 shows that PEMF therapy can successfully alleviate these symptoms.

After the study, participants exhibited a significantly decreased intensity of symptoms, and an improved neural function. (7)

 

Alleviates Pain

PEMF therapy can successfully alleviate pain without the need for harmful painkillers.

A study was conducted in 1993 at the International Pain Research Institute that examined how PEMF therapy affected pain in patients suffering from pelvic pain.

The results of the study were quite encouraging, showing that all participants in the study reported a significant reduction in the pain they felt.

These effects can be achieved with other types of pain as well, not just pelvic pain. (8)

 

Induces Nerve Repair

If you are struggling with a persistent sciatic nerve injury, you should know that PEMF therapy can help you.

A study was conducted on rats in 1993 that received sciatic nerve injuries in one leg, while the other leg was used as a control.

Those rats that were pretreated with PEMF stimulation before the injury was created recovered from the injury much faster than the rats that did not receive a PEMF pretreatment. (9)

 

Improves Blood Flow

Do you sometimes experience weird sensations in your extremities?

Are your feet and hands always cold, even in warm weather?

Chances are you have poor blood flow.

If that is the case, you should consider using PEMF stimulation to improve it.

Researchers at Wake Forest University confirmed that PEMF therapy causes vasodilatation, especially in arterial microvessels.

Due to vasodilatation, more blood arrives at the affected area, improving blood flow and carrying nutrients and oxygen. (10)

 

Promotes Bone Healing

PEMF therapy also accelerates the healing process of nonunion fractures.

Most often, surgery is used to reconnect the bones and help them heal.

However, scientists from Bangladesh completed a study in 1999 that showed that surgery is unnecessary.

They achieved complete healing in 11 out of 13 patients in their study, after 14 weeks of regular PEMF stimulation.  (11)

 

Helps with Depression

One-third of patients suffering from depression obtain no relief from antidepressants.

Moreover, many of them react badly to these drugs, as well as experience one of many side effects.

Researchers in Denmark suggest that PEMF can enhance the effects of antidepressants, and lower the chances of any side effects occurring.

According to their study, PEMF therapy can also be used on its own as a secondary form of treatment to combat depression. (12)

 

Helps with Migraines

PEMF therapy will help you reduce the intensity and frequency of your migraine attacks.

Researchers in the United States conducted a study in 1999 that showed PEMF therapy is an essential intervention that offers short-term relief from migraines.

It can be used to prevent an attack before it happens, or as a way to treat the symptoms after the onset of an attack. (13)

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, PEMF therapy at a frequency of under 2000 Hz and much lower, down to 10 Hz, proves not only to be an effective preventive measure against atrial fibrillation, but also a powerful form of treatment thereof.

As studies suggest, PEMF therapy reduces the inflammation that is related to the onset of atrial fibrillation, and in that way targets the cause of the disease.

Moreover, with its electromagnetic impulses, PEMF therapy can cause the sinus code in the heart’s upper chambers to produce more regular heartbeats, and keep atrial fibrillation in check.

It is sound advice for anyone older than the age of 60 (probably with extensive inflammation in the body) to use PEMF stimulation to avert atrial fibrillation.

However, those even younger than sixty should not avoid it, if they find out that they are susceptible to the risk factors.

By preventing the development of atrial fibrillation, you also prevent the appearance of much more serious health conditions, such as heart attacks and strokes.