Hi Hollysmum - you are absolutely right that too many people/companies cash in on the discomfort and misery of others and the menopause magnet industry is one such. As far as I am aware there is absolutely no evidence that they work at all - although I am sure there could be a placebo effect for psychological symptoms.
As for pets - well this has nothing whatsoever to do with menopause!!!! We're talking about human beings and menopause here! Extrapolation from a couple of anecdotal observations on the effect of one therapy on animals and various conditions, to women and menopause is scientific nonsense! Please do not waste your money Hollysmum!!!!
The animal thing was dicussed a few months ago and I found this (nothing to do with menopause and women though!):
I am not saying magnets don't work on pets, but you should be aware that the owners' belief/non-belief in an alternative therapy can affect how the animal responds to a therapy. I knew someone who was involved in research in this area, and they found that a placebo given to a pet with an owner who believed in the therapy was more effective than the real therapy give to a pet whose owner was a sceptic!
Here is the thread:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26632.msg427141.html#msg427141If something appears to work in peri-menopause then there are three possible options:
1 It works - ie the treatment is effective for that/those symptom(s)
2 The effect is placebo - and this therefore won't work on physical symptoms but perhaps a limited effect on those more within control of the mind
3 The symptoms were going to subside/reduce anyway
It is no coincidence that all these remedies for which little reliable evidence is available - mostly concern women in peri-menopause - when hormones fluctuate and symptoms come and go. This is why anecdotal observations are no help whatsoever and why we need to turn to scientific trials to see if a treatment ("alternative" or conventional) has a chance of success. We can ask people's opinion for example about different pain-killers for migraine - because all of these have been developed, tested, are regulated and have been shown through trials to work - but we still need to know how different people react to different types - at least though we start from the point that they do work for a significant percentage of people!
If it were an effective treatment it would be available on NHS.....but....if you really want to try then buy a cheap ordinary magnet (rather than an expensive magic menopause one
) and put it in your knickers!!! Please don't give more money to any of these companies.
What symptoms are you having problems with that you would like to alleviate and where are you in menopause? We can try to help!!
Hurdity x
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Topic: Magnet therapy - any thoughts? (Read 12076 times)