Magnet Therapy for Pain: What the Science Really Shows

Author: Ian C. Langtree - View Credentials
Published: 9 Apr 2015 - Updated: 8 Nov 2026
Publication Type: Informative

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This information looks at magnet therapy, the use of static magnets in bracelets, straps, insoles, mattress pads and other products to try to relieve pain, and what scientific research has found. Drawing on the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and a randomized controlled trial of copper and magnetic bracelets in rheumatoid arthritis, it explains that there is no conclusive evidence that static magnets help any kind of pain, and why small, poorly controlled studies and the placebo effect can make them seem to work. It also separates magnet jewelry from medical electromagnetic treatments such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, and covers safety, especially for people with pacemakers or insulin pumps. The guide is useful for people with arthritis and chronic pain, seniors and caregivers weighing whether magnet products are worth buying.

At a Glance

• 1 - Some studies applied a magnet only once, for less than an hour.
• 2 - A paper clip test can reveal whether a trial magnet is real or a sham.
• 3 - Claims that magnets boost energy, soften water or help plants grow are not backed by research.
• 4 - Magnets can interfere with pacemakers, defibrillators and insulin pumps, so people with these devices should avoid them.

Topic Definition

Magnet Therapy

Magnet therapy is an alternative medicine practice that uses static magnets placed on or near the body, in products such as bracelets, straps, insoles and mattress pads, with the aim of relieving pain or improving health. Scientific studies have not shown that static magnets have any health benefit beyond a placebo effect. It is different from medical electromagnetic treatments such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, which use electrically generated magnetic fields under medical supervision.

Overview

Magnet therapy, also called magnetic therapy or magnotherapy, is an alternative medicine practice that uses static magnets, or sometimes electromagnetic devices, on or near the body in the hope of relieving pain and other health problems. Static magnet products include bracelets and other jewelry, wrist, ankle, knee and back straps, shoe insoles, mattress pads, blankets with magnets woven in, creams, supplements, patches and so-called magnetized water. Despite their popularity, research has not shown that static magnets relieve pain or have any other proven health benefit.

How Static Magnets Are Used for Pain

Static magnets are made from iron, steel, rare-earth elements or alloys and produce a constant magnetic field. They are usually placed directly on the skin or worn inside clothing, jewelry or bedding close to the painful area. They can be unipolar, with one pole facing the skin, or bipolar, with both poles facing the skin, sometimes in repeating patterns. Some manufacturers claim that one design works better than another, or that the north and south poles have different effects, but these claims have not been scientifically proven.

What the Research Shows About Static Magnets

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, reports that research on static magnets for pain is limited and has not found conclusive evidence that they work for any kind of pain [National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, n.d.]. Trials have produced mixed results, and many were small, short or lacked a good placebo comparison. Reviews of the evidence note that some studies applied a magnet only once, for less than an hour, and that magnet strengths varied widely from study to study.

Testing magnets fairly is also difficult. A sham magnet must look and feel exactly like a real one, and participants can sometimes tell which they have been given, for example by checking whether a paper clip sticks to it. Pain relief while wearing a magnet may also come from a placebo effect, or from whatever holds the magnet in place, such as a warm wrap or a cushioned insole.

Copper and Magnetic Bracelets for Arthritis

Copper bracelets and magnetic copper bracelets are often sold to people with arthritis and chronic joint pain, sometimes with claims of very high magnet strengths. When researchers at the University of York tested them in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of 70 people with rheumatoid arthritis, they found no meaningful difference between a standard magnetic wrist strap, a weaker strap, a demagnetized strap and a copper bracelet in pain, inflammation, physical function, disease activity or medication use [Richmond et al., 2013]. The authors concluded that any benefit people notice is likely to be a placebo effect, or the result of starting to wear a bracelet during a flare that would have eased anyway.

Other Health Claims for Magnets

Magnet products are also marketed to boost energy, improve sleep, reduce stress, lift mood, purify air, soften water, help plants grow and treat pets. None of these claims is supported by good scientific evidence. Promotional wording such as users report or magnets seem to is a sign that a claim rests on testimonials rather than research.

Electromagnetic Therapy and TMS Are Different

Static magnets should not be confused with electromagnetic medical devices, which use an electric current to create changing magnetic fields. Pulsed electromagnetic field devices have long been used to help some bone fractures that are slow to heal, and NCCIH notes that there is some evidence electromagnetic therapy may help certain kinds of pain. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), in which a coil held against the head sends magnetic pulses into the brain, was first cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2008 to treat major depression that has not responded to medication. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is also being studied for chronic pain, migraine and other conditions. These treatments are given under medical supervision and are very different from magnetic jewelry.

Safety and Who Should Avoid Magnets

Static magnets sold to consumers are generally considered safe on the skin, and reports of side effects are rare, though some people have had skin redness or bruising where a magnet was worn. Magnets should not be used near implanted medical devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators or insulin pumps, because they may interfere with them. Manufacturers also commonly advise against using them during pregnancy and with medicine patches worn on the skin.

What Consumers Should Know

• Talk to your health care providers about any complementary therapy you are using or considering, so your care can be safe and coordinated.
• Do not use magnets in place of proven treatment, or to put off seeing a doctor about pain.
• Be wary of products that promise to cure or relieve a long list of unrelated conditions.
• If you buy a magnet product, choose a seller with a clear return policy, and pay by credit card for extra protection.
• Read more in the NCCIH guide to magnets for pain.

More on this topic: Home Medical Devices Publications - Alternative Medicine Publications - Pain Publications

Frequently Asked Questions

How strong are therapeutic magnets?

Consumer magnets are often sold with strengths of a few hundred to a few thousand gauss, but the strength reaching the skin is often lower than advertised and falls off quickly with distance.

Do magnetic mattress pads help fibromyalgia?

Studies of magnetic mattress pads for fibromyalgia have not shown a clear benefit, and people with fibromyalgia are encouraged to focus on exercise, sleep and treatments with stronger evidence.

Can magnets heal broken bones?

Static magnets cannot. Some medical pulsed electromagnetic field devices are used under a doctor care to help certain fractures that are slow to heal.

Is it safe to sleep with a magnetic bracelet on?

For most people it is generally harmless, but people with pacemakers, defibrillators or insulin pumps should not wear magnets close to their devices.

Does insurance cover magnet therapy?

Health insurers generally do not cover static magnet products because they are not proven treatments, though some medical electromagnetic treatments may be covered.

What is the placebo effect?

The placebo effect is a real improvement in symptoms that happens because a person expects a treatment to help, even when the treatment itself has no active effect.

Are copper bracelets harmful?

Copper bracelets are usually harmless, though they can leave a green mark on the skin and may irritate people with a metal allergy.

What helps arthritis pain that is backed by evidence?

Regular physical activity, weight management, physical therapy, heat or cold, and medicines recommended by a doctor have the strongest evidence for arthritis pain.

References

• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (n.d.). Magnets for pain: What you need to know. National Institutes of Health.
• Richmond, S. J., Gunadasa, S., Bland, M., and MacPherson, H. (2013). Copper bracelets and magnetic wrist straps for rheumatoid arthritis - analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects: A randomised double-blind placebo controlled crossover trial. PLoS ONE, 8(9), e71529.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: Magnet products remain popular because pain is common, often long lasting and frustrating to treat, and a bracelet or insole feels like a simple, drug-free fix. The evidence, however, points the other way: well-designed trials have not found that static magnets do more than a placebo. That does not mean the relief people feel is imaginary, but it does mean money and hope may be better spent on treatments with stronger evidence, such as exercise programs, physical therapy, weight management and properly supervised medications. People living with arthritis or chronic pain should feel free to ask their doctor or pharmacist about any product they see advertised before buying it.

Author Credentials: Ian C. Langtree is a writer, editor, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, which he established in 2004 as one of the longest-running independent resources for disability news and information. Over more than two decades, he has written and edited thousands of articles on disability rights, health, accessibility, and assistive technology. Drawing on a global perspective shaped by extensive travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed advocate of the Social Model of Disability, the framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that focuses on removing societal barriers rather than on individual impairments. His writing is grounded in that framework and in a lasting commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.