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Math 1030
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Magnets and Pain Relief Statistical Project

Is it possible that magnetic fields can reduce pain? A fascinating study by Dr. Carlos Vallbona
suggests it is.

Background

Magnetic fields have been shown to have an effect on living tissue as early as the 1930's. Plants
have been shown to have an improved growth rate when raised in a magnetic field (Mericle et a1.,
1964). More recently, doctors and physical therapists have used either static or fluctuating
magnetic fields to aid in pain management, most commonly for broken bones. In the case study
presented here, Carlos Vallbona and his colleagues sought to answer the question "Can the
chronic pain experienced by postpolio patients be relieved by magnetic fields applied directly
over an identified pain tn'gger point?"

Mericle, R. P. et al. "Plant Growth Responses" in: Biological eflects of magnetic fields. New
York: Plenium Press 1964. p183—195.

Vallbona, Carlos et. a1., "Response of pain to static Magnetic fields in postpolio patients, a double
blind Pilot study" Archives ofPhysical Medicine and Rehabilitation. V01 78, American congress
of rehabilitation medicine, p 1200—1203.

Experimental Design

Summary

Patients experiencing post-polio pain syndrome were recruited. Half of the patients were treated
with an active magnetic device and half were treated with an inactive device. All patients rated
their pain before and after application of the device

Details

The experimenters who not only had post—polio syndrome but also reported
recruited 50 patients
muscular 0r These patients had significant pain for at least 4 weeks and had not
arthritic pain.

taken any painkillers or anti—inflammatories for at least 3 hours before the study. The subjects all
had a trigger point or painful region and had a body weight of less than 140% of the predicted
weight for their age and height, and had a trigger point or circumscribed painful area.

The magnets and placebos (described below) were supplied in equal numbers from Bioflex. Each
magnet or placebo was placed in number coded envelopes and delivered according to its shape.
The code for placebos and magnets was not broken until the end of the study.

One site of reported pain was evaluated and a trigger point for this pain was found by palpitation.
The patient was asked to subjectively grade pain at the trigger point under palpitation on a scale
from 1 to 10 (1 is the least pain, increasing to 10).
Following the pain assessment, an envelope containing a device was randomly selected
initial

from the box containing both active and inactive devices. This device was applied to the pain area
for 45 minutes and then removed. The patient then evaluated his or her pain again at the region or
trigger point. This second pain rating is the score analyzed here.

Materials

The magnets used were Bioflex magnets. The magnetic field consists of
in the study
concentrically arranged circles of alternating magnetic polarity. Seventy active devices and
seventy identical inactive devices were used.

Data
Active Magnets Placebos

Pre Post Change Pre Post Change

0 8’ 4 H
4 10 7 3
7 10 5 S
'L
0 10 8

4 9 8 \

2 10 6 '-|

5 9 8 l

5 10 10 O
3 10 10 0
2 7 7
7 6 l

2 7 10 10 0
2 8 8 0
3 10 10 o
5 10 10 O
6 10 10 O
4 10 10 o
3 9 9 O
0 10 9 \

2 10 10 O
0 7 10 10 0
4 10 9 l

4
5
9
 M ath 1030 PI‘Oj ect
(Work in groups of two to four.)

Magnets & Pain Relief Names 1 /—1 ¢ch 2 67 , Lu J

section

date 51101151

Compare the mean, range, and distribution (graphing both a double histogram using relative

frequency and box plots) of the pretest for the active magnet group and the placebo group.

Active Magnets: mean :51. 6106(6‘1 555 Placebo: mean = [.51330c1 5 ZL(
range=g'/(1 range: 7"!)

Pretest
0.80
0.70
uency 0.60

U 0.50
fre
0.40
0.30
relative

0.20
0.10
0.00
012345678910
PainReported

Active: "—’’m
Placebo:
1 E“

Tel] why you think the groups appear to be similar or different in a complete sentence.

THE (MUN?! APPEAFL T0 6-3 Limp“ GELAu/ .3 TI—h I IS THE, Vlzu’xé/r fléju L1“!

NW4 u Geauze ANY WEMMNTI,H’Hfi—SEWH Fm a’mzm Hm)

\ZEanEmzmTf 10 Wm: 5mm mzv “5‘1": S'M‘MJ-

Compare the mean, range, and distribution (using both histograms and box plots) of the post-test

for the active magnet group and the placebo group.

Active Magnets: mean 2 L1. {413756 03 '

Placebo: mean = 3."! 135'“ "qu
range=0"0 range: Li'IO

Post Test
0.35

50.30
5 0.25
:3

50.20
0.15
E
__
3
2:
0.10
005
I
‘ %
Vx
127“
I
.
Ki’d/v
,

1';
,,.
9
.

“‘-
.,
000 flg‘guh .‘
1:
3‘5;

0123456789,10
ReportedPain

0 7- H .0
q,

Active: i—fr—‘TZI
H 3 '1 \ °
Placebo:

l
|

I
|

l
|

l
1

I
LI
} l
|

I
1

l I
| I

l
|

o 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Tell Why you think the groups appear to be similar or different in a complete sentence.

TH .: (7.7/0va APPEACL 0m; in Eur \Z‘Emw «Z rm: g 125m? mix)

2. DuFFEQEN‘I’ TnéArmzm’J NHLH HA0 Dffiidéhfi’ 0vT wm'ff. 7,
 Calculate the “pain relief,” i.e. the change between the initial pain and that reported after the
treatment. Explain how you calculated the difference and what the numbers mean. Compare the
mean, range, and distribution (using both histograms and box plots) of the change for the active
magnet group and the placebo group.

Active Magnets:
range = A
mean = 52-09 3c“? 55 l Placebo: mean = l. 0 £15 2/3 8
range = O '5
O ((5

Change in Pain
0.60
>-
g 0.50
g 040 .

3
u‘: 0.30 -'

g 0.20 {CA
.5 #47], 7

2 010 /;§
e
I

0.00
X
5/7] l
{, I:_-,JJ
'35!
_
'

U
--
5
f1;-

012345678910
Active:

Placebo:
flwfi
D r r t-‘
ReportedPain

Tell why you think the groups appear to be similar 01‘ different in a complete sentence.

TH E [7 Izddljf
A (”AI “J A \7l76qu’l, T0 \3 c: DI FFEJ 5le T JE (A u/I;
'
Tl-Hi (ZELnEx/EO l7tl:n:«3tZ:E/JT TlY/EA‘I’ME’OT/I ONE VJ, MA (7Nl3'f/ I UNI:

UxTHouf.

Type a one paragraph essay reflecting how these statistics either support, refute, or are

irrelevant to the Claim that magnets can help relieve some types of pain and attach to this

document Discuss the limits for which the data can be used and why you think this is, or is not, a

good study.
 Taylor Gillis

Magnets and Pain Relief Statistical Project

The results of the study support the claim that Magnets can help relieve types of

pain on your body. The fact that those with the actual magnet procedure saw on average

a 50% relief of pain where the placebo or the treatment that actually didn’t have any

magnets saw only a reduction of about 10%. I think this study is very credible as they

found people With similar pain and injuries and introduced them to the treatments,

nobody knew which treatment was real and which one was fake which helps it’s

credibility when those with the real treatment felt a reduction in pain. I did think it was

funny that those with the placebo test on average still said they felt a difference though it

was minimal it does show that the expectation of less pain is a factor to results. All in all

the consistency of magnet treatment reducing pain is definitely worth the try for those

in pain.