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Med. Pr. 2003;54(4)

EFFECT OF LOW FREQUENCY PULSATING MAGNETIC FIELDS USED IN MAGNETOTHERAPY AND MAGNETOSTIMULATION ON THYROID GLAND HORMONES IN HUMANS

WPŁYW IMPULSOWYCH PÓL MAGNETYCZNYCH NISKIEJ CZĘSTOTLIWOśCI STOSOWANYCH W MAGNETOTERAPII I MAGNETOSTYMULACJI NA WYDZIELANIE HORMO

Marta Woldańska-Okońska1,2, Jan Czernicki2 1 Z Oddziału Rehabilitacji Samodzielnego Publicznego Zakładu Opieki Zdrowotnej w Sieradzu 2 Z Katedry Rehabilitacji Akademii świętokrzyskiej - Filii w Piotrkowie Trybunalskim

Abstract

Background. It was proved that magnetic fields used in magnetotherapy and magnetostimulation had the biological effect on cellular structures in alive organisms. Then there is possibility of activity modulation of cellular, mitochondrial and nuclear membranes and the thyroid gland production by magnetic fields. The different potential activity of magnetic fields is their possible influence on T4 śT3 conversion. Therefore the aim of our paper was to test the influence of magnetic fields applied during magnetotherapy and magnetostimulation over a long period of time (the same way as in physiotherapy) on thyroid gland hormones secretion in humans. Methods. Two groups of patients were covered by the study: 16 men who underwent magnotherapy and 10 men subjected to magnetostimulation. Magnetotherapy in the form of magnetic field induction (2.9 ľT, frequency: 40 Hz, square wave, bipolar; Magnetronic MF-10 devices) was applied for 20 min to the lumbar area in patients with chronic low back pain. Magnetostimulation (Viofor JPS system, M2P2 program-induction 25 ś80 ľT, frequency 200 Hz, complex saw-like shape with a plateau halfway the height of the wave, bipolar) was used for 12 min in patients treated for the same health problem. Both groups received 15 applications (about 10:00 in the morning), one every day except for weekends. The data were statistically analyzed using paired and unpaired Studentśs test. Results. Magnetostimulation affects the thyroid gland secretion by decreasing the TSH level in all patients under study. Magnetotherapy affects fT4 secretion in all patients and fT3 secretion in a selected group of patients, by increasing their levels. Magnetostimulation affects the thyroid gland secretion by decreasing fT3 level in a selected group of patients. Conclusions. Magnetic field affects the activity of thyroid gland and pituitary gland without correlation with a regulatory mechanism of the pituitary-thyroid gland axis and exerts a stronger effect on the thyroid gland secretion in patients sensitive to its action.

Key words

thyroid gland hormones, pulsating magnetic fields, magnetotherapy, magnetostimulation