PEMF and Laser Therapy

PEMF & Laser Therapy

People often ask us to compare laser/light therapy to Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) systems. There is so much confusing information about both technologies, so we wanted to make the technology and its’ surrounding excitement easier to understand.  We will also make some recommendations about what equipment is appropriate for various applications. 

In general, Light therapy and PEMF work very well together. They are both working at the cellular level and together they have several synergistic effects.  Although laser therapy has a wider range of potential applications based on its mitochondrial ATP stimulation, PEMF is a great secondary modality because it electrically stimulates cell charges to provide more cellular activity. When we have cells that are damaged or malfunctioning, we want to apply as much technology as possible to promote positive changes.

To a certain point, PEMF is much simpler than Light/laser therapy because there are 3 main factors and several minor factors that control the application. The major factors are field strength and pulsing frequency. In addition to that, some say that the shape of the pulse (square, sinusoidal, or custom) can also change the therapy.  The treatment time could also be a factor, although less so than in laser therapy where the dosage is accumulative. The typical treatment time is about 15 minutes per area for higher power systems, but some people try to accomplish the same effect by sleeping overnight on a low or ultra-low power system.

Although their mechanisms are distinct, PBM and PEMF are synergistic and complementary. Both therapies help the body restore cellular homeostasis, reduce inflammation, and support regeneration. Both are excellent adjuncts in integrative and regenerative medicine. If you're choosing between them (or considering both), the best choice often depends on the desired applications, treatment goals, and budget.

Smart Technology?

Some of the most interesting feedback comes from users who know where they have a problem but use a broad application of PEMF. We often see that when a user utilizes a larger PEMF mat, they are getting an even distribution of energy over a large part of their body, but they feel it more in the area that has damage. This is purely anecdotal, but it sometimes feels like our body knows where PEMF is needed.

Field Strength

Really, the single most important specification for choosing a PEMF system for each application is the field strength. At higher field strength, the magnetic field will take over control of the muscles, and the pulsing effect can feel similar to convulsions. You may have seen a similar effect with a pulsing TENS unit turned up to higher power levels, but PEMF is stimulating the muscle magnetically and not just electrically along the surface of the skin.

PEMF systems can be separated into 2 main groups with several subgroups.

 

Within the low power group, there are several subgroups:

Be careful because some systems are specified in milligauss so they can publish a “big beautiful” number.

Most Professional therapists and doctors use higher power systems. Many med spas and biohacker facilities offer medium FS to people in their waiting room or while they are doing other therapies.  These systems often provide a noticeable and immediate change.

The low and super low power systems are sometimes marketed to correct the negative field that you are exposed to from your surrounding environment. These tend to be more consumer-based products.  These systems can sometimes take months or even years to see a change, but they are targeting overall cellular activity and not acute and chronic injuries.

Higher strength systems are very heavy and can use some very expensive switches to control the pulsing. Everyone can feel when these systems are turned on. They range in cost from $10,000 to $50,0000.  At these field strengths, doctors can treat chronically tight muscles and exhaust them so that they can finally relax. 

At the low-end of the spectrum, Ultra-low power system can typically not be felt during the treatment. They are typically producing less EMF than the computer many people sit next to all day at work, but the concept is that the pulsing is still recalibrating the cells' electrical charge but does not cause deep stimulation like the higher FS systems.  These systems are looking for a long-term change and not an immediate or noticeable one.

Applicators

PEMF systems can also be separated into applicator types, with large pads (typically single sided) for larger areas on one side and coils that can treat one or both sides and focus more energy into a smaller area. Because the smaller loop can focus ALL the power into a small area, the field strength is much, much higher. Some systems have dual coils allowing them to be placed on either side of a treatment and deliver a more 3-dimensional magnetic field. Dual Loop systems can deliver up to 25,000 Gauss but will deliver less in single coils and mats.

Field Strength and Product Design

As the potential field strength increases, so does the price. To reach higher field strengths requires more turns in the coil and large diameter wires to carry the power.  You can often instantly guess the field strength based on the weight and size of the controller and wires.  The following graphic shows the wire size for different field strength systems.

Some quick math shows that to achieve 5000 gauss in a 20cm coil with 1000 turns will require 80 amps, which requires a 4 AWG wire which is 0.52 cm in diameter and weighs .163 lbs. per foot.

 

If a company is claiming high field strength in a system with tiny wires and electrical components, they are claiming to defy physics.

 

Units and Measuring EMF

We are all constantly surrounded by EMF from all the electrical equipment in our lives, like computers and phones.  In our environment, fields are measured microgauss (µG) or milligauss (mG). A typical PC is around .1 to .5 G (100 to 500 mG) at 60Hz, while a cell phone tower is higher and can operate above 1,000,000 Hz.

When we are trying to get cellular reaction, systems are typically much higher in field strength and much lower frequency than our surrounding environment.

It can be a challenge to find calibrated EMF meters that are optimized in the range we want for therapy.  There are lots of options for meters that peak at 0.1 Gs that are designed for measuring cell phone fields, and then they make ones that will measure 25,000 Gs. It also gets complex because these systems often use different units including the tesla. Here is a quick reference to make conversion between units easier.

1 tesla is 10,000 Gauss, 1 milli tesla = 10 Gauss, 1 micro tesla is .01 Gauss

 1 Gauss = 1,000 milligauss = 1,000,000 microgauss

Comparing Light and PEMF

Both types of systems use energy to stimulate a cellular reaction, but it can be difficult to generalize comparing different technologies without first looking at the huge differences in systems with the same technology. Lasers range from class-1 systems that will deliver less than 1 joule in 15 minutes to class-4 systems that can deliver 90,000 joules in the same time. Since dosage is the single biggest factor in cellular stimulation, there is a dramatic difference in performance between different lasers, which makes it hard to compare high power lasers to low power lasers. The same is true for high and low power PEMF solutions. In PEMF, the field density varies dramatically from system to system. High power systems are strong enough to contract your muscles with a field strength of 10,000 gauss while many consumer PEMF systems deliver 1 to 5 gauss that cannot be felt by most people.

The following chart shows some general comparison details.

Many chronic diseases negatively affect ATP production, so light therapy can be a supplement to a wide variety of care programs through inflammation reduction and ATP promotion.

Dosage

There is no measurement of accumulated dosage in PEMF, like in light therapy. Any good light therapy protocol will use the depth of the damaged cells and the total treatment area to create a target zone. Then, the absorption rate (based on the wavelength) and delivery rate of the laser are used to calculate the total time to deliver an optimum dosage at the surface. There is no equivalent in PEMF. The main variables in PEMF are peak power level , measured in gauss (or tesla), and pulsing frequency. Most systems have treatment times between 5 and 20 minutes, but they are not targeting a specific dosage so it difficult to build a knowledge base around the best total dosage in PEMF.

 

Pulsing and Oscillation Frequency

The pulsing frequency (typically from 1-12Hz) is the rate at which the magnetic field is turned on/off and affects the cell membrane. Within each pulse, the magnetic field also has an oscillation frequency (around 4500Hz, like a carrier frequency) that can affect penetration depth and tissue interaction.

There are lots of medical devices that use pulsing to accomplish specific tasks. PEMF, Rife, Shockwave, Ultrasound, Microcurrent, TENS, and light therapy all use pulsing as one of the control variables, but they often work in hugely different ranges. PEMF systems have very low pulse frequencies up to around 30 Hz to target cells, while Rife systems often go up to 30,000 Hz to target pathogens.  There is little agreement on what the perfect pulsing frequencies for each application is, but here are some of the more commonly used PEMF frequencies:

1–3 Hz (Very Low Frequency)

Applications: Deep relaxation, sleep support, stress reduction

Use Case Examples: Insomnia, anxiety, adrenal fatigue

7.83 Hz (Schumann Resonance)

Applications: Grounding, resetting circadian rhythms, balancing mood

Use Case Examples: Jet lag, depression, general well-being

10–14 Hz

Applications: Cognitive function, focus, mental clarity

Use Case Examples: ADHD, brain fog

15–30 Hz (Beta Range)

Applications: Muscle stimulation, alertness, physical readiness

Use Case Examples: Athletic performance prep, physical therapy, rehab warm-up

 

33 HZ

Only one consumer-focused system has fixed pulsing at 33Hz.

 

Contraindications for PEMF

Absolute Contraindications: implanted electronics including pacemakers, cochlear implants, insulin pumps, or deep brain stimulators.

High Risk Contraindications: Pregnancy, cancer, organ transplants, tuberculosis, Epilepsy or Seizure disorders.

Contraindications: children under 5, people with metal implants, any active bleeding or hemorrhagic conditions, patients on blood thinners or with hypertension or arrhythmia.

Treatment Protocols

All the best laser therapy systems offer internal protocols that adapt the performance of a specific machine to a specific application. It is just common sense that a 60-watt laser will have a shorter treatment time than ½ watt laser. This takes the guesswork out of getting consistent results. Unfortunately, most of the older PEMF systems do not have internal protocols. If you are new to PEMF, we probably want a machine that takes all the guesswork out of using the equipment by using internal protocols.

Product Design

It is easy to guess the rough power output of a PEMF system based on the size and weight of the controller. Higher power systems require a lot of heavy copper to carry enough current, so the size of the controller and wire gauge for the coils controls field strength.  Any system that advertises a huge output from a tiny or light-weight package with small wires is not physically plausible.

Recommendations

Although their mechanisms are very different, PBM and PEMF are synergistic and complementary modalities. Both therapies help the body restore cellular homeostasis, reduce inflammation, and support regeneration. Both are excellent adjuncts in integrative and regenerative medicine. If you're choosing between them (or considering both), the best choice often depends on the condition, treatment goals, and budget.

For muscular issues, higher power devices are superior. Higher power devices also have greater potential for more cellular activity.

For more delicate issues like patients who need autoimmune support or support for degenerative conditions, lower field density can be easier for the patients. Low and medium-power devices have less immediate impact but can still produce great results over time, and they cost less.