Evidence Against (Pain)

A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, crossover pilot study recently published in JAMA (Bipolar Permanent Magnets for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain A Pilot Study) tested the effectiveness of permanent magnets in pain reduction in 20 VA patients with a history of low back pain. For each subject, active and sham magnets were applied to the low back on alternate weeks for 6 hours a day, 3 days per week for 1 week, with a 1 week washout period between the 2 treatment weeks. Outcome was measured using the visual analogue scale (a 10 cm line with "no pain" indicated at 0 and "severe pain" indicated at 10), the Pain Rating Index of the McGill Pain Questionnaire, and formal range of motion testing. The results of the study showed there to be no significant difference in pain relief provided by the real vs. sham magnets.