General Chat

Todays quack remedy topic is magnet therapy. You know - the magnetic bracelets that take away joint pain, etc.

These magnets are weaker than fridge magnets and have have absolutely no effect whatsoever on any part of the human body - yet they are still sold in huge quantites and for amazing prices.....

Science has shown that they have no effect whatsoever, absolutely none. But people buy them and they claim they work!

How can this be?

All in there minds probably. But maybe its one of those things that work for some, not for others. My mum has had 2 and they done nothing for her. She thought the first one was faulty. Bless her.

well if they don't work when these people claim they do wouldn't trading standards...or some such body...be looking into it by now?

I must say I have been "drawn" [pun] - to magnetic items but have never purchased one - as you say Eldrick, probably totally useless but if you believe they work, perhaps they will!!

It's simply the power of belief overcoming the voice of reason.

If some one strongly wants to believe magnets work, despite all the evidence to the contrary, then magnets will work.

If people want to buy them, well it's their money and their choice - I have no problem with it and must say that some of the bracelets I've seen look quite nice!

Jac

I guess trading standards don't do anythin gabout it because it falls into the same category as acupuncture, homeopathy, etc. As long as it doesnt do any harm - which it doesn't - then who cares?

Yes, I agree that people can spend their money on anything they want.

Like all the quack cures and medicine, it is the placebo effect that interests me - the power of the mind to heal or relieve pain....

I'm thinking about setting up a business selling magnetised spring water - different flavours of course :-)

sounds good to me - lemon please!

did anyone see tht woman undergoing keyhole surgery on her knee without anaesthetic - she self-hypnosed. It was a news item on BBC news about three days ago.The camera was on her face during the op and only on initial contact with the drill did she slightly wince and that was it. She is now going for a major op using the same method. Spose it's a bit like those people who walk on hot coals - mind over matter blocks the pain out!! Fascinating stuff

just been thinking, there are a number of people in the world who have no feeling of pain whatsoever - a very dangerous condition indeed, but that proves that there is a signal in the brain that isn't working, so it's a signal that can be blocked by these "mind over matter" people

my sil bought the tummy magnet and swore blind it worked but she got fed up with getting stuck to the handles on her kitchen units lol

Kim

have to say my best frioend who is absolutey not one for quack cures had chronic arthritis in her knees and ankles ....had to sell her house as she couldn't get up stairs except once a day on hands and knees...bought a magnetic bracelet and found within the month she could tackle the three flights of stairs in her new job....??? pays your money and takes your choice as to why it worked for her....but it did!

Rose xx

I know people for whom it worked but we both have bracelets (they are quite attractive ones, but they did nothing for us. probably because, like Eldrick, we are both sceptical about such things!

Ann
Glos

Hi Anne - walking on hot coals isn't mind over matter. Anyone can do it. But only for a certain distance.......it is explainable by simple physics regarding conductivity.

There is an excellent report on this - and the whole pschology of belief....on this link:

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=1931702

I know someone who swears the bracelet works...a very sceptical man otherwise.....so I bought one for Oh.....didn't work for him.

S :)

I love the fact that you are quoting SCIENCE as if what science can't explain, it can't be real!! What about the fact that science isn't as advanced as it will be in 50 years from now!!!

We are learning new scientific things every day so your theory doesn't actually stack up to me!

I'm sure they do work. Like homeopathy, they will work for some people.

But NOT for the reasons that are claimed, lol. Think about it....if magnetism were to be such a powerful force for altering circulation, re-aligning water molecules, etc - what on earth would happen to you in an MRI machine? These machines are so magnetically powerful that women cant wear certain types of make up - it will peel it off their faces! So what on earth would that do to your circulation, lol - being stuck inside a spinning super magnet would be bound to produce some effect - but it doesn't. Nothing at all. Zilch. Zero.

Occams razor tells you that the reason they work is therefore purely down to the placebo effect. Which is good.

Sorry, Pink, I dont quite understand your point Im afraid....I'm quoting science....? Yes.......I am indeed.....

ahh, but Eldrick....wouldn't that be a case of...a little bit of magnestism does you good but too much ( as in one of those machines ) is harmful?.....just a thought ...no science to back me up :-)


edit......neither a believer or non believer.....was just a thought.

to the contrary - the enormous magnetic field in an MRI machine is NOT harmful. It has no effect on your system whatsoever.

WHich I suggest tends to show that a weak fridge magnet cant have any effect either - other than stimulating a belief - which could be effective or may not.

Hi Eldrick - so walking on hot coals is not mind over matter - life is stranger than fiction ain't it!!