I have had chronic knee and back pain from arthritis for years. My friend lent me her magnet to see if I could get some pain relief. The magnet seemed to help my back pain but not my knee pain. Do magnets really work or is this psychological?

Magnetotherapy is the latest treatment being touted as a cure for what ails you. It has been recommended for treatment of sore muscles, chronic back pain, tennis elbow and lactic acid burn during and after workouts. The theory of how magnets work is based on two principles. More than 100 years ago, blood was found to have an electrical charge. Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that magnets increase the blood flow of an electrically charged fluid such as blood. Proponents of magnetotherapy explained that the increased blood flow from magnets hastens the healing process and speeds the removal of lactic acid and other harmful blood products in the tissues. Nerve fibers are also known to have an electrical charge. It is thought that magnets produce an electromagnetic impulse that is thought to block pain. One thing that most experts agree on is that use of magnets appears to be safe. But, there are several contradictions for those who have pacemakers, pregnancy, or serious bleeding after surgery. The use of magnets for pain treatment is unconfirmed. One of the main reasons for this attitude among clinicians and physicians is the lack of scientific research.