It has been a long debate on whether a back brace works or not over the years. Some say it doesn’t help, and others say it does.
There’s a third party (like me) who believes that it partially does. It can’t magically blow all your back pain, but it definitely can reduce some of it. In some cases, most of it.
The questions and doubts get densified regarding a specific type of back brace: Magnetic. Few people are going crazy over magnetic brace’s utter supremacy, whereas some always say it’s nothing but a calculated hoax. Who’s right here?
The answer is not that easy. We need to break down a few things to understand it properly. In this whole article, I’ll try to discuss all of it.
First, I’ll try to give you a rough idea about magnetic therapy and later discuss with you whether it works or not. So let’s get to it, shall we?
Does Magnet Really Work on Pain Relief?
Well… It’s a new topic with barely two or three “Actual” scientific tests. So, it’s not easy to give you concrete proof. That’s why I divided this section into two ways. Where one will be on people’s experiences, and the other will say what science says about it.
What Do Everyday Users Say?
I’m a bike enthusiast, and I ride a lot. A few years back, I had a minor accident that hurt my back. But for some reason, the MINOR thing became significant. I had too much back pain and couldn’t stand for a longer time.
As a result, my doctor recommended a semi-rigid brace for me. The device had 28 magnets in it.
I had to wear it for 20-30 minutes a day for six weeks. Then, believe it or not, just a few medications and everyday-brace-wearing fixed my back pain. After that, I did my own research and concluded, “Magnets Work on Pain Relief.”
If you go to any of the online marketplaces and search terms like “Magnetic Back Brace,” “Magnetic Brace,” or “Semi-Rigid Magnetic Brace,” you’ll find a lot of results. If you click the first item and scroll down, you’ll see many reviews.
Most of it will back the idea that magnets DO work on pain relief. So, if you ask me what users say about it reducing pain, the answer will always be positive. It worked on me and a big chunk of customers. Hence, it would be a shame to cancel any chances of the device being useful.
What Does Science Say?
National Institute of Health conducted the first research on this topic. It was a big step because traditional doctors were still skeptical about it. However, the results of the first few experiments were not similar. That’s why the debate continues its way till today.
At first, NIH found positive results when using magnets to treat lower back pain. So, the scientists became happy. But their dreams of using magnets as an alternative to medicine shattered as soon as they did the same experiment with fake magnets.
The results were somewhat close to each other. For this reason, they concluded that magnets have a say in reducing back pain, but not that loud enough to label it as the “Prime Solution.”
Mostly these magnets are made of either pure metal or alloy metal. NCCIH warns people not to use these kinds of magnets for some reason. However, they didn’t tell us why.
The bottom line is, Magnets are not harmful, and you CAN use them to treat your back pain. Maybe, they don’t provide splendid results, but they do provide some sort of positive result. Hence, using it as your treatment would not be a total waste.
Now, it’s time for you to understand how a magnetic back brace works.
The Mechanism Behind a Magnetic Back Brace
There are three types of back braces: Rigid, Semi-Rigid, and Flexible. Let me give you a quick definition of these.
Rigid Braces are mostly made with solid bars that hold your back firmly. Doctors recommend this type of braces for mainly back surgeries and spinal injuries.
Flexible Braces are the regular ones you see on different online marketplaces such as Amazon or Walmart. These are entirely made with elastic bands for your everyday use.
Semi-Rigid Braces are a mix of rigid and flexible braces. Generally, it contains solid bars under an all-around elastic cover.
As a Magnetic brace have solid magnets inside of an elastic belt, it falls into the Semi-Rigid belt category. Earlier, we joined in a debate about whether magnets work for pain relief or not. Now, it’s time to discover its work mechanism.
The General Theory
Naturally, the human body has both electric and magnetic fields. People believe that most of our pains come from the micro disturbance in these fields. That’s where magnetic back braces come into play.
You see, most of these braces have 20 to 30 magnets. The numbers are not fixed. Generally, Chinese belts have 28 pieces of bars because they believe it’s a lucky number. In most cases, these devices have 26 magnets inside. Most of them stay at the back, and the remains in the front.
Generally, all magnets have their magnetic field. And we already know that pain starts from the disturbance in our body’s magnetic field. So if the magnets are placed near the body, their magnetic field gets sorted from all the imbalance and gives you relief from pain.
That’s why, depending on the magnet’s quality, it helps you to get lower back pain. Most of the magnetic braces contain therapeutic ones. However, people are also using bio-magnets these days.
Implementation
Most magnetic belts have Velcro to adjust them firmly with your lower back. When you do that, your body gets closer to the magnets inside the brace.
As a result, when your body’s micro-movement disturbs its magnetic field, the belt’s magnets sort everything out. How?
As I’ve said earlier, magnets contain both positive and negative charges. And magnetic field’s imbalance means either the positive ions are higher or the negative. That’s where magnets come to the rescue. It provides the necessary electrons to balance everything out.
People Also Ask
There are too many questions surfing on the internet regarding magnetic back braces. So I’ve chosen a few questions to answer. I hope this section will also be a big help for you.
How much does a magnetic back brace cost?
It varies from $20 to $90. There are different types of magnetic braces available on the market. Generally, the pricing depends on the manufacturing country.
For example, if you buy a supporting belt from China, the pricing will cut down to a reasonable point. On the other hand, Europe or USA-made products are costly.
Can I sleep with a magnetic back brace on?
The answer is a big NO. Magnetic Braces are helpful in terms of pain relief. But you should wear it with strict punctuality to get the best out of it. Also, doctors prohibit wearing these for a more extended period. Especially sleeping with a brace on.
Sleeping with a brace on amplifies your pain rather than reducing it. That’s why you shouldn’t sleep with a magnetic back brace on.
How many hours do I need to wear a magnetic back brace daily?
It’s important to understand that back braces aren’t meant to be worn all the time. Depending on your spinal problems, the wearing time varies.
Generally, wearing a brace for 15 to 30 minutes daily is beneficial. This applies to magnetic ones too. So, wear a magnetic belt for 15 to 30 minutes daily to solve your back pain.
Can I wear a magnetic back brace over a t-shirt?
Yes, you can. Generally, it’s recommended to wear a back brace over thin clothing or against naked skin. A T-shirt qualifies as thin clothing. So, you can wear a magnetic back brace over a t-shirt.
How long does it take for a magnetic brace to work?
It depends on your problem. The magnetic brace isn’t like Ginnie from the lamp, who can solve your problems just like that. Instead, it’s a medical device that takes the required time to help you.
Generally, wearing a magnetic brace for four to six weeks is recommended. So, it’s safe enough to say that the device takes somewhat similar to it to work.
The Bottom Line
There are too many debates on the magnetic brace’s credibility. But you can’t deny the fact that there are too many people in the world who got benefited from it. This means it WORKS. Maybe a teeny-tiny bit of science backs the idea, but it also doesn’t cancel out all sorts of possibilities that it’ll work or not.
In this whole article, I’ve tried to discuss the working mechanism of a magnetic back brace. I put every little detail behind it. Last but not least, thrown away a few critical QnAs too. I hope the article will be a big help to you.
