Treatment with Electromagnetic Fields Reverses the Long-Term Clinical Course of a Patient with Chronic Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

It is estimated that 10-20% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a chronic progressive (CP) course characterized by an insidious onset of neurological deficits followed by steady progression of disability in the absence of symptomatic remission. To date no therapeutic modality has proven effective in reversing the clinical course of CP MS although there are indications that prolonged treatment with picotesla electromagnetic fields (EMFs) alters the clinical course of patients with CP MS. A 40 year-old woman presented in December of 1992 with CP MS with symptoms of spastic paraplegia, loss of trunk control, marked weakness of the upper limbs with loss of fine and gross motor hand functions, severe fatigue, cognitive deficits, mental depression, and autonomic dysfunction with neurogenic bladder and bowel incontinence. Her symptoms began at the age of 18 with weakness of the right leg and fatigue with long distance walking and over the ensuing years she experienced steady deterioration of functions. In 1985 she became wheelchair dependent and it was anticipated that within 1-2 years she would become functionally quadriplegic. In December of 1992 she began experimental treatment with EMFs. While receiving regularly weekly transcortical treatments with AC pulsed EMFs in the picotesla range intensity she experienced during the first year improvement in mental functions, return of strength in the upper extremities, and recovery of trunk control. During the second year she experienced the return of more hip functions and recovery of motor functions began in her legs. For the first time in years she can now initiate dorsiflexion of her ankles and actively extend her knees voluntarily. Over the past year she started to show signs of redevelopment of reciprocal gait. Presently, with enough function restored in her legs, she is learning to walk with a walker and is able to stand unassisted and maintain her balance for a few minutes. She also regained about 80% of functions in the upper limbs and hands. Most remarkably, there was no further progression of the disease during the 4 years course of magnetic therapy. This patient's clinical recovery cannot be explained on the basis of a spontaneous remission. It is suggested that pulsed applications of picotesla EMFs affect the neurobiological and immunological mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of CP MS.

Efficacy of Pulsed Electromagnetic Therapy for Chronic Lower Back Pain: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study

“…Since obtaining approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration in 1979, pulsed electromagnetic therapy (PEMT) has been widely used to counteract pain resulting from various conditions such as arthritis of the knee joint, 1 -3 ligament and muscle injuries, 1,4,5 delayed union fracture, 6 whiplash injury, 7 chronic pelvic pain, 8 headache, 9 complex regional pain syndrome type I 10 and multiple sclerosis. 11 In addition, PEMT has also been used to prevent osteoporosis 12,13 and enhance scar healing. 14,15 However, its efficacy and the optimal modes of magnetic field administration remain intensely controversial.…”

Electromagnetic Fields and Neurodegenerative Diseases

“…Magnetostimulation reduces the symptoms of depression, improves the mood of patients, reduce anxiety. The results of clinical trials confirmed the high therapeutic efficacy of magneto-stimulation using weak variable magnetic fields in the treatment of neurotic symptoms in the course of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease [46]- [49]. In the paper [50], the authors described positive effects of treatment with EMFs of a patient with chronic progressive MS.…”

Effects on Rats of Low Intensity and Frequency Electromagnetic Field Stimulation on Thoracic Spinal Neurons Receiving Noxious Cardiac and Esophageal Inputs

“…enkephalin, endorphin) and pain behavioral actions in various species including humans (11,12,14,15,17). Clinically, EMFs has shown some benefits in patients with joint diseases, pelvic pain and neurological disorders such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease (1,2,5–7). The results in this study suggested that EMFs at appropriate parameters might be effective in reducing cardiac pain.…”

“…Numerous clinical studies have shown that electromagnetic field stimulation (EMFs) provides different levels of pain relief in patients with some diseases and neuromuscular disorders (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7). Also, this technique has been used in the treatment of various neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease (1,5,6).…”