PEMF therapy can be effective at treating and relieving a wide range of conditions and symptoms, but which one is best for you?
This short guide explores the basics of frequency as it relates to PEMF therapy, and we provide you with the latest guidelines for using PEMF to treat a wide range of conditions.
If you have a chronic disease or symptom that would benefit from electrotherapy, keep reading to learn more about how PEMF can help you and how to get the most from your treatment sessions.
In case if you are looking for a PEMF device, please read this article where we compare the best PEMF devices currently available on the market.
What is PEMF Therapy
Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is the use of low-intensity, low-frequency electromagnetic fields to restore cells to their proper function.
It has been approved for use in treating many medical conditions, and medical research has also pointed to its effectiveness in treating a wide range of issues.
Doctors and medical professionals have long known of the benefits of using electromagnetic fields to heal the body.
One of its earliest applications was in the healing of bone fractures, particularly those that are at risk for non-union or delayed union.
Doctors have been claiming since the mid-1800s that electricity could help heal bones, but it was not until 100 years later that these claims were studied and verified.
The earliest studies in the use of PEMF therapy were fort his purpose, and since that time, we have learned a great deal about what it can do to heal the body.
Electromagnetic fields are generated from a change in the magnetic field of an object.
To create the electromagnetic pulses necessary for PEMF therapy, an electrical current is passed through a metal coil, which generates a magnetic field.
When a magnetic field is created using a changing electrical current, it is referred to as an electromagnetic field.
Pulses of this electromagnetic energy are emitted from devices in various wavelengths, frequencies, and intensities to heal the body.
How Electromagnetic Fields Can Affect the Body
When an electromagnetic field is introduced, it affects the behavior of all charges objects that are within the range of the field.
Because your body’s cells have an electrical charge and indeed emit their own magnetic field, they are influenced by these pulses of energy, as well.
When you pass a magnetic field over the body, then, it changes you at your most basic, cellular level.
Every cell in your body contains organelles known as mitochondria, which are responsible for generating the energy the cell needs to perform its basic functions and to repair itself, eliminate wastes, and to create new cells.
These mitochondria need nutrients to perform their functions, and when you expose your cells to electromagnetic fields, you increase the movement of nutrients, ions, and other helpful components into the cell, thereby boosting the ability of each mitochondrion to do its job.
The healthier your mitochondria, the healthier your tissues, and your whole body.
PEMF therapy also provides a boost of energy to your cells because the frequencies that are most often used in this form of treatment are similar to those that your cells natural resonate with.
The closer the match, the better you will be able to influence the function of the cell.
When the magnetic field affects the cell membrane channels, they open up and not only allow nutrients to enter but also wastes to exit the cell, thus restoring balance and function to damaged, aging, or dysfunctional cells.
Each cell in your body has a specific purpose that is related to the type of tissue that it is a part of.
Some cells are part of muscles or other soft tissues, while others make up organs, skill, or nerves.
Every cell has a specific function, and when large groups of cells are unable to work correctly, that tissue starts to malfunction or becomes injured, which can lead to disease, symptoms, or other problems.
The more you can focus the PEMF therapy on the correct cells, the better you are able to influence their function and improve your overall health.
The Role of Frequency in PEMF Therapy
Pulsed waves of electromagnetic energy that are emitted by PEMF devices vary in three ways.
They may have different waveforms, intensities, or frequencies.
While waveform can vary, there is little evidence that different waveforms have different effects on cells.
Because all PEMF devices use low-intensity energy, they are all considered to be safe to use.
The most significant difference and the one that will likely have the most considerable influence on your condition or symptom is the frequency of the waves that you use.
Frequency is a measure of how many waves per second are emitted.
The longer the wave, the fewer pulses per second you will experience. The frequency of electromagnetic fields is measured in cycles per second, which is called Hertz or Hz.
Nearly all PEMF devices that are available for at-home use produce very low-frequencies, usually ranging from 1-100 Hz.
Some are capable of emitting much higher frequencies, up to 10,000 Hz, while still others may exceed these levels to emit extremely high frequencies.
Your body and all organisms and objects on Earth generate a range of frequencies.
And because the distinct types of cells in your body must communicate not only with like cells but also diverse types of cells, they use different frequencies for these communications.
You do not have to look any farther than the brain to see this in action, as your mind has found distinct brain wave states, commonly referred to as Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Theta.
Each of these uses a discrete frequency and, when you match those using external electromagnetic waves, you can influence your brain activity.
While some frequencies can excite the brain, others can calm it.
Scientists are still learning about how specific frequencies may be more or less beneficial for treating a particular condition, but it requires a great deal of data and subjects to obtain reliable results.
What we do know from the years of study on PEMF therapy is that different people may respond in different ways to the same type of PEMF treatment, which means that what works for one person may not work for you.
And, as your body heals and becomes stronger, you may respond differently to the same frequencies over time.
Thus, pinpointing the exact frequency that is best for your disease, condition, or symptom can be difficult.
For most, it will require some amount of trial and error to determine which wavelengths will provide you with the best possible outcome, and you should always pay attention to your body’s response to therapy sessions so that you can make adjustments over time.
None of the frequencies listed will cause your body any harm, and PEMF therapy is deemed to be quite safe for the vast majority of people to use.
The following chart represents the recommended frequencies or frequency ranges that can be used to treat the listed conditions.
The duration of your sessions can be anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes depending on your need and whether your condition is chronic or acute.
Optimal PEMF Frequencies for Common Conditions
| Condition/Symptom/Disease | Optimal Frequency/Range |
| Acne | 10 – 15 Hz |
| Allergies | 5- 10 Hz |
| Alzheimer’s Disease | 2- 8 Hz |
| Arrhythmia | 7- 8 Hz |
| Angina | 2- 8 Hz |
| Arteriosclerosis | 7- 10 Hz |
| Asthma | 7- 10 or 12- 15 Hz |
| Anxiety | 2 – 8 Hz |
| Bronchitis | Acute- 4 Hz, Chronic- 12 Hz |
| Bruises | 10- 14 Hz |
| Carpal tunnel syndrome | 6 or 20 Hz |
| Cervical Vertebra Pain | 15 – 20 Hz |
| Chronic blepharitis | 1- 2 Hz |
| Chronic pelvic pain | 5- 7 Hz |
| Circulatory dysfunction | 7- 10 Hz |
| Constipation | 5 Hz |
| Crohn’s Disease | 12- 22 Hz |
| Cystitis | 5- 8 Hz |
| Dental and oral diseases | 30 Hz |
| Depression | 3 or 20 Hz |
| Diabetes | 12- 22 Hz |
| Dizziness | 10 – 15 Hz |
| Eczema | 10 – 15 Hz |
| Erectile Dysfunction | 6 Hz |
| Fibromyalgia | 18 Hz |
| Fractures | 10 or 20 Hz |
| Frozen shoulder | 7- 8 Hz |
| Glaucoma, atrophy of the optic nerve | 12- 22 Hz |
| Headache | 3 or 6- 10 Hz |
| Hepatitis | 12- 22 Hz |
| Herniated disc | 16- 20 or 30 Hz |
| Hyperactivity | 20 Hz |
| High blood pressure | 1- 5 Hz |
| Immune system enhancement | 24 Hz |
| Joint dislocations and sprains | 10 Hz |
| Ligament injuries | 10- 15 Hz |
| Low blood pressure | 20 – 24 Hz |
| Lumbago | 10 or 20 Hz |
| Lymphatic disorders | 12- 22 Hz |
| Menopause | 5 – 8 Hz |
| Menstrual pain | 5- 7 Hz |
| Migraines | 4 – 10 Hz |
| Multiple Sclerosis | 5, 13 or 20 Hz |
| Muscles strains | 11- 15 Hz |
| Musculoskeletal pain | 10 Hz |
| Nerve pain or neuropathy | 6 Hz |
| Neuralgia Trigemini | 15 – 20 Hz |
| Neurodermatitis | 10 – 15 Hz |
| Nonunion fractures | 10 or 20 Hz |
| Osteoarthritis | 8- 12 or 18 Hz |
| Osteonecrosis/osteochondrosis | 10 or 19- 20 Hz |
| Osteoporosis | 8- 10 or 15- 19 Hz |
| Pain from wound healing | 11- 15 or 17 Hz |
| Parkinson’s Disease | 20 Hz |
| Periostitis | 6 Hz |
| Phantom pain | 16- 19 Hz |
| Poor circulation | 2- 6 or 20 Hz |
| Prostatitis | 3- 8 Hz |
| Psoriasis | 12- 22 Hz |
| Psoriatic arthritis | 12- 22 Hz |
| Psychosomatic Syndrome | 22 Hz |
| Raynaud’s Syndrome | 15 Hz |
| Respiratory diseases | 12- 22 Hz |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | 10 or 20 Hz |
| Sciatica | 16- 20 Hz |
| Skin Allergies, Decubitus, Ulcus Cruris | 10 – 15 Hz |
| Sleep disorders | 1- 5 Hz |
| Spinal injuries | 12- 22 Hz |
| Stomach aches | 10 Hz |
| Stress | 3 or 5 Hz |
| Stroke | 7- 10 or 20 Hz |
| Swelling (Edema) | 10 Hz |
| Systemic Lupus Erythemasosus (SLE) | 12- 22 Hz |
| Tendinitis | 8 Hz |
| Tinnitus | 10 Hz |
| Tuberculosis (TB) | 4 Hz |
| Wound healing | 1- 5 Hz |
As you can see, there is a wide range of applications for PEMF therapy, and each has a different frequency that is known to work best.
Those with chronic conditions may find that more prolonged exposure to lower frequencies can help improve their condition or symptoms, so sleeping on a PEMF mat, for example, may require an even lower frequency than on the chart above.
If you are unsure which is the best frequency for you to use, you can always talk with your doctor or physical therapist to learn more about how PEMF therapy has been tested and used to treat your specific symptom or condition.
They will be able to guide you in the best use of your particular device, as well.
As you can see by looking at the chart, most conditions can be treated using frequencies between 0 and 32 Hz, which means you do not really need a machine that emits pulses higher than these ranges to be sufficient for home use.
It should come as no surprise that the earth’s natural magnetic waves and fields are also known to fall within these ranges, which provides further evidence for the inextricable connection between our bodies and our planet.
The Benefits of PEMF Therapy
As you can surmise from the chart listed above, PEMF therapy can be used to treat a wide range of illnesses and conditions.
Because it is incredibly effective at reducing inflammation and treating pain, it is an excellent addition to many conventional therapies for all sorts of degenerative and autoimmune problems that cause excess levels of inflammation in the body.
Also, because it can restore healthy circulation and enable cells to regenerate and repair, PEMF therapy is also great for improving the healing process in general, whether from an illness, injury, surgery, or some other condition.
PEMF therapy even acts to slow the natural aging process, which presents many essential benefits.
Because PEMF energy can influence all the body’s tissues safely, you can use this form of therapy to treat everything from neurological problems to joint issues, from mental health problems to chronic diseases.
PEMF therapy is quite effective at improving joint and bone health, repairing skin and nerve tissues, and improving your ability to sleep, as well.
Final Thoughts
PEMF therapy is a useful therapeutic tool that, when used currently, can improve your health in many ways.
Knowing which frequency is the best for your symptoms and condition no longer needs to be confusing when you use this handy reference chart to guide your at-home use of your PEMF device.
Richard Hoover is a PEMF expert and content contributor to PEMF Advisor. With a bachelor’s degree in physics and multiple certifications in natural health programs, he is one of the best PEMF experts around.