Zap Therapy For Bones

A new electromagnetic therapy is the 
remedy for rheumatoid arthritis, writes Biplab Das 

The days of excruciating joint pain afflicting rheumatoid arthritis patients may be over. A research team led by Dr. Rabi Ranjan Chattopadhyay at the Biometry Research Unit (BRU) of Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) is using pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy to alleviate joint pain in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. 

This is the first time that this therapy is being used in India. "In PEMF therapy, an affected joint is exposed to a pulsating electromagnetic field produced by a computerised machine attached to an applicator coil," says Chattopadhyay. "It is painless, non-invasive and works wonders in RA." The research team was supported by Dr. S. Mathai, former head of Plant Chemistry Unit, ISI, Dr. K. S. Ganguly, a specialist in orthopaedics formerly attached with the National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped (NIOH) and Dr. T. K. Basu, former head of BRU of ISI. 

In RA, the immune system goes into overdrive. Responding to an unknown stimulus, T cells, a type of white blood cell, invade the synovium, the connective tissue that protects the cartilage of a joint. In the synovium, the T cells proliferate and activate other immune cells. Excited B cells, another type of white blood cell, produce antibodies, leading to full-fledged inflammation. Thus, the inflamed synovium secretes fluid profusely. 

In an auto-immune disease like RA, the immune system indiscriminately attacks even healthy parts of the body. After the synovium, cartilage is attacked and becomes rough and pitted. In the worst cases, destruction of cartilage is followed by erosion of the bone. 

The symptoms experienced by RA patients are joint pain with warmth, swelling and redness. The blood shows abnormally high levels of uric acid and glucose and a sharp rise in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). After receiving PEMF therapy, patients of RA showed normal levels of uric acid, glucose and ESR," Chattopadhyay says. "Redness and swelling of the affected joints too faded away." 

The research team studied the effects of PEMF on 22 patients with RA aged between 25 and 60. Of all the affected joints, effects of PEMF on elbow and knee joints were studied. 

As blind immune cells devour bone marrow cells, production of red blood cells is greatly reduced. "But with PEMF therapy, red blood cells production resumed," says Chattopadhyay. "The therapy was given to RA patients at a frequency of 72 Hz (Hertz) for 10 minutes to each affected joint, thrice a week for 16 weeks." 

For normal cell metabolism and functions, a steady electrical potential is necessary, which is maintained by ion exchange across the cell membrane. This ion exchange facilitates oxygen utilisation of the cell and the activity of enzymes and coenzymes. 

The normal resting cell potential is approximately 90 millivolts. "In inflammations like RA, an inflamed cell's potential increases by 30 millivolts, disrupting the normal activity of a cell," says Chattopadhyay. "When an affected joint was exposed to pulsating magnetic field, it enhanced the ion exchange at the cell membrane level, thus restoring the normal functions of a cell." 

According to him, a pulsating magnetic field stimulates the exchange of paramagnetic ions of the inflamed cells, which, in turn, restore the normal cell potential, and the activity of enzymes and coenzymes. 

"PEMF therapy did not show any harmful side effects," says Chattopadhyay. "But certain immunosuppressive drugs that are used to lull the hyperactive immune system in RA show toxic effects." 

Prolonged use of such drugs has shown to have adverse effects like cancer and toxic effects on the urinary bladder, reproductive organs, liver and kidneys. Some of the drugs have been reported to have side effects like gastrointestinal intolerance, nausea, vomiting and pancreatitis. Other drug-induced side effects include headaches, flushing, tremors and hypertension. 

"Till date, 3,00,000 patients throughout the world have been treated with PEMF therapy without showing any detrimental side effects," says Chattopadhyay. He adds that "this therapy selectively affects the ailing cells, sparing healthy cells." PEMF therapy is even better than the machine that alleviates joint pain by generating heat, because heat indiscriminately kills healthy cells along with diseased cells. 

Besides boosting ion exchange, the therapy also increased blood flow to the affected joints. "The patients did not show any sign of relapse even a year after PEMF therapy was withdrawn," says Chattopadhyay. "Their condition is still being monitored." 

If RA is caused by a genetic defect, there is a possibility of relapse despite of PEMF therapy. But according to a recent report in the British Medical Journal, genes are of minor importance in the development of RA. 

A study published in the Journal of Rheumatology showed that PEMF also healed the patients of osteoarthritis. Now Chattopadhyay's team plans to include osteoarthritis patients in their future research. 

Barring RA, women are more prone to bone diseases than men. After menopause, when they stop producing oestrogens, women often develop osteoporosis, or loss of bony tissue. "Since we know that PEMF therapy helps in bone growth, we also want to extend our research to post-menopausal women," says Chattopadhyay.