What's All This Buzz About Energy Medicine... — What's All This Buzz About....

My topic this week is energy medicine. There is so much to learn in this area and I am just barely scratching the surface. I have been especially interested in medical devices that can help anxiety, depression, insomnia and PTSD because sometimes the pharmaceutical choices for these conditions have been challenging, not always effective and many times associated with unpleasant side effects.

I found it a bit hard to find a definition for energy medicine that was clear and simple. Here is one: “Any energetic or informational interaction with a biological system to bring back homeostasis in the organism”

Or this: “A generic term for a format of alternative medicine that uses an energy field (i.e., magnetic, sonic, acoustic, microwave, infrared) to screen for, or allegedly treat, health conditions by detecting imbalances in the body’s energy fields and then correcting them.” https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com

From encyclopedia.com “Energy medicine is a broad term that includes touch therapies, movement therapies, spiritual healing, meditation , magnetic field therapy, homeopathy, acupuncture, light therapy , and other innovative methods of healing.”

It’s harder to think of our bodies as having an electrical energetic component. The focus in medical school was more biochemical. Which is why we tend to think that we need a drug for every disease process that develops. But there are energy fields all around us and the earth’s magnetic field is essential for life. When we have an EKG, (electrocardiogram) we are measuring the electrical activity of the heart. And an EEG (electroencephalogram) measures the electrical activity in our brain. So our bodies are obviously not just biological and chemical but also electrical.

The first treatment modality I want to discuss is PEMF or pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. Magnetic fields can penetrate through matter, meaning it can pass through clothing and reach every cell of the body. Cell membranes are effected by the magnetic field to function more effectively and the energy production in the cells is improved.

PEMF mat- Charlotte enjoys a treatment too!

There are PEMF units available for home use, which is more practical because the most benefit is seen with daily use. I have a system made by Swiss Bionic. It includes a mat that is for full body treatment, a cushion for more localized therapy and a probe that is very localized. The intensity used ranges from sensitive to 400. Different parts of the body have different intensity recommendations. I decided to purchase one last year because of persistent headaches and started using it twice per day as well as seeing a chiropractor for upper cervical spine adjustments. It seemed to make a significant difference in the frequency of my headaches. I have also used the mat for musculoskeletal injuries with improvement noted. It is not a one treatment and you’re healed kind of therapy. It takes daily use and then on going maintenance therapy once acute symptoms are better. There are other systems out there as well and I do not have financial interest in any of them. Unfortunately they are pricey- in the several thousand dollar range depending on the brand you choose.

Another interesting treatment modality is LENS neurofeedback. LENS stands for Low Energy Neurofeedback System. A great resource I used to learn more about this is: https://www.site.oschlabs.com You can also find practitioners in your area on this site.

LENS measures each person’s specific EEG (electroencephalogram) signals and then matches the feedback to the person’s neurologic fingerprint. It is different from traditional neurofeedback because it does not require focused attention and the sessions are shorter. It typically takes fewer sessions to see results. It works well with symptoms of anxiety, depression, attention deficit, sleep disorders, headaches, PMS, and emotional disturbances. I started seeing a naturopath here in Portland recently to see if it would help with my insomnia. The first appointment involves mapping my brain by using electrodes on different parts of my scalp and measuring the EEG in different areas of my brain. The electrodes are on the surface of the scalp, so no needles or punctures in case you were wondering! Then based on the EEG findings, the practitioner decides how to administer the therapy. I have only had a couple treatments, so a little early to tell how it is working. I did not feel any physical sensations on my scalp and so far have felt more focused and alert after the treatments. I have not yet noticed a change in my sleep, but it is still early. This is not an at home sort of treatment, but it usually can produce results in about 10 treatments or less, given weekly at the practitioners office. The cost ranges from $100-$175 per session and may be covered by your insurance depending on your carrier and the provider you are seeing.

The third modality I want to mention is Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM). I have not personally had experience with this, but listening to podcasts and reading about it has been enlightening. Carolyn McMakin is a pioneer in this field and has great information on her web sites.

https://frequencyspecific.com She also wrote a book called “The Resonance Effect”.

FSM delivers sub sensory micro amperage current. It has been shown to increase ATP production inside cells and increases amino acid transport into the cell. FSM repairs tissues at a cellular level.

I realize this is just a very brief overview of a few different energetic treatment modalities, and hopefully it will spark (pun intended) an interest in learning more.

Resources:

Body Electric Summit hosted by Dr. Klinghardt, MD, PhD and Christine Schaffner
Bulletproof Radio Podcast by Dave Asprey
Doctor’s Farmacy podcast with Mark Hyman, MD
Broken Brain podcast with Thru Purohit