PEMF therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury

Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has regenerative effects that allow healing the injury faster. Research on PEMF for TBI shows that it can indeed greatly enhance the healing possibilities.

TBI is a serious health issue, everyday more than 150 people in the United States suffer from brain injuries and concussions. These include mild concussions to serious brain injuries due to sports like rugby and accidents at work, home and streets.  Sports injuries are sometimes overlooked as micro-concussions are not immediately detected but when left untreated can lead to major deterioration in brain function as well as long-term mental depression. PEMF therapy for TBI when applied before and after such sports activities can greatly reduce the chances of such injuries becoming serious. While it is imperative to see a doctor if you have any symptoms of concussions, in general PEMF therapy is a great tool to enhance recovery, so doctors should also be aware of this novel technology to help improve the outcomes of brain injury victims.

The University of Virginia recently published an article where they are working out computation models and there is some interesting insight. Brain injury is not a singular event but series of connected events. This insight shows that it is important to treat the injury continuously and we can’t really have a single treatment and call it a day.

Compared to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatments where it would be necessary identify the exact injury site and target the magnetic stimulatio, PEMF therapy is easier to apply as the field is large enough to cover the entire brain with some PEMF systems PEMF therapy would also be a much more economical option to heal concussions and TBI, and most PEMF systems today are affordable to a point where individuals can treat themselves at home.

Similarly, there has been research on applying tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) where they introduce electrical stimulation to the brain to kick start cellular healing, and again we find PEMF to have much better results, as magnetic fields do not meet the same level of tissue resistance that current stimulation would, thus it would require lesser amplitude to penetrate and provide the same level of energy healing.

PEMF for TBI Research

Pulsed electromagnetic fields are known to reduce inflammation and inducing healing in non-union bone fractures^​1​. This happens as the magnetic fields stimulate mitochondria to absorb oxygen better, improving blood circulation and enhancing cellular repair.

In 1999, scientists from Israel conducted a study on applying slow-rate or low-frequency magnetic stimulation to 64 patients with moderate head injury^​2​. They concluded that magnetic field stimulation is beneficial and should be considered as a complementary therapy.

In 2012, a research on applying pulsed electromagnetic fields after TBI at the Department of Neurosurgery, The Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center in New York found that they can indeed reduce inflammation in the brain^​3​.

In 2016, scientists from the Department of Anesthesiology, University of California conducted a trial to study the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on mild TBI related headaches and found that it helps reduce chronic pain without any side-effects and warranted further randomized clinical trials^​4​.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University also conducted a study on the safety of magnetic stimulation for brain injuries and reported that low frequencies are recommended to be used as they are void of any negative side-effects^​5​.

In 2014, scientists from France conducted a data synthesis of studies using magnetic stimulation for brain injury and stroke and found it beneficial for improving recovery, however they also warned against using it due to risk of seizure^​6​.

TMS usually means powerful and narrow magnetic fields (compared to PEMF), so you’re essentially providing high amount of energy to a small area, it might help some conditions but a more holistic approach such as PEMF allows natural cellular regeneration to happen with fewer risks. Some good amount of research has also been conducted which points towards what we already know, use less amplitude and lower frequencies for better safety. Most PEMF therapy for TBI protocols today would do the same, start slow, observe and increase amplitude only if needed.

In 2009, The Department of Veterans Affairs, Illinois published that magnetic stimulation does indeed have merit to improve recovery in disordered consciousness due to TBI based on treating one patient^​7​.

One study from Laboratory of Cerebral Dynamics, Plasticity and Rehabilitation, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine found that 10 Hz magnetic stimulation provided benefit to at least 50% of the participants in recovering from chronic brain injury^​8​.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center conducted a study to publish the safety guidelines on use of magnetic stimulation in moderate to severe TBI^​9​.

Another study from University of Palermo in Italy studied the effects of magnetic stimulation for auditory hallucinations after TBI, and found that it is indeed helpful in reducing such symptoms^​10​.

The Neural Regeneration Research journal published a study on applying magnetic stimulation for alcohol use disorder, mild TBI and PTSD occurring at the same time. According to their gathered research evidence, the treatment is well suited for treatment of these conditions occurring together^​11​.

Worldwide there have been hundreds of studies on studying the effects of various configurations of pulsed electromagnetic fields for brain health. Neurosurgeons and neuro-rehabilitation practitioners would find it an exciting area of research. Many of the popular PEMF systems fulfill the basic requirements of a good brain stimulation magnetic stimulation device and are supported by experienced professionals, so getting support and getting started with treatments has become more accessible.

Conclusions

While PEMF therapy for traumatic brain injury requires more research and randomized clinical trials to prove its efficacy, there has been a great deal of research that shows its benefits in treating depression, it also safe, non-invasive treatment that has neuro-regenerative effects helping cellular regeneration for tissues, neurons and bones. This makes it an ideal adjunct treatment that should be explored by researchers and doctors in improving the outcomes of concussions and TBI patients.