DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY:
In 2017, according to the National Survey on Drug Use & Health, 17.3 million adults (7.1%) in the US experienced a major depressive episode. Among these, 63.8% had severe impairments that interfered with their ability to carry out the major activities of daily life. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, with 31.1 % of adults experiencing it at some point in their lifetime, according to Harvard University’s National Comorbidity Study.
Depression is a sustained feeling of dejection and despondency. Some doctors and scientists believe depression (and some other mental and emotional disorders) is associated with an imbalance of neurotransmitters among neurons in the brain. In the case of depression, they relate the condition to inadequate levels of serotonin. Anxiety is a natural response to stress and takes the form first and foremost of a feeling of fear or apprehension. Most if not all of us feel anxiety on occasion, but when the feeling is frequent and persistent, is exaggerated, or gets in the way of normal activities. Long-term pain, both physical and emotional, can have a profound impact on the brain. Mental distress caused by depression and anxiety can trigger pain signals the same way a physical issue can. Traditional approaches, particularly medications, don’t address these brain changes. They simply cover up the problem without addressing the root cause of the pain. As of 2006, the FDA approved PEMF therapy for anxiety and depression
Depression is a sustained feeling of dejection and despondency. Some doctors and scientists believe depression (and some other mental and emotional disorders) is associated with an imbalance of neurotransmitters among neurons in the brain. In the case of depression, they relate the condition to inadequate levels of serotonin. Anxiety is a natural response to stress and takes the form first and foremost of a feeling of fear or apprehension. Most if not all of us feel anxiety on occasion, but when the feeling is frequent and persistent, is exaggerated, or gets in the way of normal activities. Long-term pain, both physical and emotional, can have a profound impact on the brain. Mental distress caused by depression and anxiety can trigger pain signals the same way a physical issue can. Traditional approaches, particularly medications, don’t address these brain changes. They simply cover up the problem without addressing the root cause of the pain. As of 2006, the FDA approved PEMF therapy for anxiety and depression.
HOW DO PEMFS HELP WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY?
PEMF involves applying electromagnetic waves from the harmless part of the electromagnetic spectrum to the body. There is reason to believe that resulting extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic stimulus (PEMF) interacts with the cells to increase oxygen circulation, reduce inflammation, improve mobility, ease pain, and promote faster healing. It may increase cell metabolism, decrease inflammatory cytokines, and perhaps restore balance between free radicals and antioxidants. Though your body needs both of these for bodily functions including the immune response and cellular respiration, an imbalance could conceivably lead to protein and fat degradation, DNA damage, and cell and tissue death. Stimulation with PEMFs directly impacts the brain, causing changes to the underlying EEG patterns through entrainment of brainwave oscillations. It thus addresses the chemical and hormonal imbalances associated with depression and anxiety disorders. The benefits can be numerous, one example being to correct the sleep disturbance often associated with depression and anxiety disorders. PEMF therapy can guide the brain toward the delta rhythm associated with deep, restful sleep. The stimulation from PEMFs has an effect on the electrical activity of neurons, which changes the neuronal networks that alter the areas of the brain that control mood. Today, hundreds of thousands of people turn look to PEMF therapy to relieve depression and improve mental health, as do thousands of chiropractors, pain clinics, naturopathy clinics, etc.
*Source:The information shared above are excerpts from Articles written by William Pawluk, MD, MScBoard Certified Family Physician and Holistic Health Practitioner; Former Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and University of Maryland. To read his full article, click here.