If you have done any research on the use of electromagnetic therapies, you have likely found discussion regarding the differences and pros vs. cons of two distinct forms of this type of tool.
There continues to be an ongoing debate in the medical literature about the benefits of Rife versus pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy.
Each of these processes has its own set of benefits and drawbacks.
While they share some similarities, it is crucial that you understand the essential differences in these two therapeutic tools, in order to help you make the most informed decision for your health.
In this article we share with you all the information you need to know to help you pick the best therapy for you.
We examine the purposes and uses of both Rife machines and PEMF devices, and we share the scientific data that proves the benefits of electromagnetic therapies.
The Differences between Rife and PEMF
To make the best decision possible between these two types of therapy, you should know how each device works, as well as the medical and wellness benefits that each offers.
Let’s take a look, first, at the Rife machine, with which many people are less familiar.
What is a Rife Machine?
We will start by examining the Rife machine, what it does, and its possible applications to support your health.
This therapeutic tool was originally invented by Raymond Royal Rife.
His early research led him to discover that specific radio frequencies deactivated certain bacteria.
He observed how these waves impacted different types of pathogens, and he wanted to apply this knowledge to other areas of health.
Rife’s study of the effect of radio frequencies on pathogens was limited at the time by microscope technology.
Rife was himself an inventor, and had previously built his own microscope, but he needed better and more powerful optics to observe clearly the impact he believed these waves had, whether on human cells or on pathogens, like bacteria.
In the 1930s, Rife collected and recorded data on the ability of his machine to disable various species of bacteria.
He determined that brief exposure to radio frequencies every few days was the best application of this treatment.
During his investigation, there were only a small number of devices in use by a handful of doctors, so confirming his data was difficult.
His machine was, and still is, referred to as a frequency generator.
Rife recorded specific frequencies that worked best to make inactive certain viruses and other pathogens.
He experimented with many different types of both germs and frequencies to find the right combination.
Many researchers and doctors at the time doubted Rife’s claims, and his machine was regarded by many as a sham.
Rife believed strongly in his work, though, and he defended this work wholeheartedly.
So, how does this machine function, exactly?
The principle that can best explain Rife’s claims is called sympathetic resonance.
This phenomenon occurs when one vibrating object is placed near another, which causes the second object to vibrate as well.
Examples of this resonance are when sound waves can induce resonance in glassware, or when kidney stones are broken up by ultrasound waves.
Rife machines work by emitting radio frequencies; these waves cause sympathetic resonance in the pathogens in your body, killing them.
While Rife was not wholly certain this was the mechanism at play with his machine, it was his strongest-held hypothesis.
Others theorized that the Rife machine worked by adding energy to the body’s natural healing ability, boosting the immune system and helping it to eliminate the offending pathogens.
Among Rife’s biggest hopes for his machine was that it would provide a cure for cancer.
Rife believed that bacteria were to blame for cancer, and thus he thought that if he were to apply the radio frequencies emitted by his machine to a cancer patient, this treatment would eliminate the illness.
Scientific data do not support this hypothesis, unfortunately.
While Rife is no longer manufacturing machines, there are many modern-day versions of these types of frequency generators.
Modern Rife machines can be hand-held, or include contact pads that are placed on the body.
Some are high-voltage instruments that energize plasma lamps, while others are designed to sit on the table and emit radio waves while you sit nearby.
They vary widely in their construction.
Rife machines’ purpose is to destroy pathogens found inside the body.
Naturopaths and holistic doctors commonly use these devices.
When applied correctly, many believe that Rife machines have the power to eliminate both diseases and the pathogens that cause them.
What is PEMF Therapy?
Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is used for entirely different purposes than Rife machines, and utilizes different technology.
PEMF therapy involves the use of pulses of electromagnetic energy emitted at specific frequencies to help heal cells and tissue, improve cellular energy, and reduce symptoms and diseases associated with cellular dysfunction.
Some common ailments targeted by PEMF treatment include arthritis, other forms of inflammation, soft tissue and bone damage, and depression, to name a few.
PEMF is not used to kill pathogens or eliminate them from your body, as Rife machines are.
While both therapies generate electromagnetic waves, PEMF tends to use low-frequency, low-amplitude signals, while Rife machines can use frequencies that can be quite high.
While Rife machines may vary widely in how the frequencies are emitted and transferred to the body, most PEMF devices have a similar look and function.
While a lower frequency is typically desirable in PEMF therapy, which induces calm, relaxation, and improved circulation, Rife therapy tends to be more intense, in order to try and destroy unwanted organisms in the body.
How Do I Decide?
As with all important decisions, choosing which type of electromagnetic therapy tool you want to buy involves carefully weighing your needs and options.
If you wish to rid your body of disease and unwanted pathogens, then a Rife machine is your best bet.
If you seek to reduce inflammation, heal tissues, and decrease the effects of aging and injury on your body, then a PEMF device is the way to go.
In general, PEMF devices seems to be more readily available and less expensive than Rife machines, which makes them an appealing option for many.
You should consult with your physician when electing the right machine for your needs.
Your medical provider will help you make the most informed choice.
The function and purpose of each of these devices are your best criteria for selecting which one is right for you.
Researching the benefits of both devices, as well as which are supported by scientific research, can also help you choose.
To that end, we share with you the benefits of PEMF therapy that have been documented and validated by medical researchers and scientists.
The Health Benefits of PEMF Therapy
Over the past three decades, the medical and research community has been more focused than ever before on the many benefits of PEMF therapy.
There are more than 2,000 published diverse studies related to the use of this technology.
We examine the most important and significant of these here.
Enhance Your Circulation
PEMF works by stimulating each cell to enhance its energy and vitality. It’s no wonder, then, that using PEMF can improve your circulation.
According to results shared in 2004, PEMF therapy was able to increase vasodilation by augmenting the diameter of arteries to and from the heart (1).
This study helps us see the potential benefits of PEMF for many different medical conditions.
Lower Migraine Frequency
If you suffer from migraine headaches, you understand the need for and value of a therapy that can decrease the pain associated with and frequency of headache attacks.
Migraines can be a debilitating disorder. One study from a 1999 Headache Journal shared results that showed that patients with migraines experienced fewer headaches and decreased overall symptoms while being treated with PEMF (2).
Reduce Depression Symptoms
As a mental health disorder, depression can sometimes prove very resistant to treatment.
It is promising, then, that PEMF has been studied for its use as a treatment for this mental health issue.
In 2000, results from one study on animals showed a reduction in depressive behaviors and an improvement in overall mood after PEMF treatment (3).
More information is needed to understand the impact of PEMF on humans.
Increase Your Range of Motion
Clinical Rheumatology published the medically-significant results of a 1996 study that has led to the increased use of PEMF in the treatment of arthritis (4).
Patients in the study had cervical osteoarthritis, which can lead both to pain and to a reduction in the neck’s range of motion.
Those in the study receiving PEMF therapy were able to improve their range of motion, and see improvements in other, related symptoms.
Activate Damaged Nerves
Those with sciatic nerve pain know how irritating this particular disorder can be.
A 1993 study helps illustrate the application of PEMF therapy in assisting the repair of nerve pain, as from sciatica (5).
In animal trials, PEMF was able to stimulate these nerves, and initiate the generation of nerve tissue.
Treat Your Pain
PEMF has long been used as a pain reliever, or analgesic.
Researchers discovered in 1993 that PEMF therapy could reduce patients’ pain with just a brief exposure to low-frequency electromagnetic pulses (6).
Heal Soft Tissue More Effectively
Early research on the use of PEMF to promote soft-tissue healing has led to inconclusive results, but there is some promise in them (7).
Scientists noted that soft tissue could be stimulated to heal faster using other wave-form characteristics; more research is needed in this area.
Repair Broken Bones
PEMF is effective at stimulating bone tissue while it heals from a fracture, and it is particularly helpful when trying to heal nonunion fractures.
The results from the initial study in 1999 have been replicated and expanded upon much since, and PEMF is now used more than ever for this purpose (8).
Reduce Your Arthritis Symptoms
The Journal of the Indian Medical Association shared the results of a 1998 study which investigated the effects of PEMF on arthritis symptoms (9).
In this trial, patients treated with PEMF experienced less pain and reduced inflammation, confirming the use of this device as a therapy for rheumatoid arthritis, which can be resistant to treatment.
Heal Diabetic Nerve Pain
A known and unpleasant complication of diabetes is a condition known as diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN), which results in nerve pain in the extremities.
In 2003, researchers investigated the application of PEMF therapy to treat DPN, and collected favorable results (10).
Patients saw a decrease in nerve pain, as well as the improved function of both peripheral and motor nerve cells.
Improve Your Sleep
When used to stimulate your hypothalamus, PEMF therapy can help improve your sleep patterns, and allow you to rest better at night.
Your hypothalamus controls your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, and PEMF stimulation restores its natural function.
PEMF treatment can also increase the quality of your slow-wave sleep, which is crucial to getting a good night’s sleep.
Enhance Athletic Performance
If you are an athlete who would like to experience improved workouts, then PEMF can help.
By increasing circulation, helping repair tissues, and stimulating your body’s cells, you can recover faster from, and inflict less damage to your cells with, strenuous workouts.
Athletes who use PEMF therapy regularly find that their tissues recover faster, experience less pain while exercising, and can avoid injuries more easily.
By stimulating your body’s natural production of energy and proteins in your muscles, you can eventually work out longer, and with more intensity, as well.
PEMF therapy facilitates the delivery of more oxygen to all your cells, including your muscles.
It can, therefore, reduce inflammation and any swelling after an intense workout, while supporting tissue recovery afterward.
Conclusion
Rife machines and PEMF devices utilize similar technologies in very different ways to accomplish distinct goals.
While Rife machines are designed to target and destroy bacteria and other pathogens, PEMF devices are used to build or enhance tissues and cells.
These two technologies each have their own purpose, so it is important that you select a device that meets your needs.
Additionally, PEMF therapy has decades of research to support its use in a number of health and wellness applications, including to heal damaged tissue, restore circulation, and lower inflammation.
Richard Hoover is a PEMF expert and content contributor to PEMF Advisor. With a bachelor’s degree in physics and multiple certifications in natural health programs, he is one of the best PEMF experts around.