Pulsed Magnetic Field Treatment of Anxiety, Panic and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders

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Anxiety Disorders Include:
• Separationanxiety
• Selectivemutism
• Specicphobia
• Socialanxiety(socialphobia)
• Panicdisorder
• Agoraphobia
• GeneralizedAnxietyDisorder(GAD)
• Substance/medication-inducedanxiety
• Anxietyduetoanothermedicalcondition
 Anxietycanbeverydisablingandalthoughtheavailablemethods
oftreatmentaresafeandeffective(thatis,medications,psychother-
apyandcognitive behavioral therapy), about25%of people do not
respond[1].Manymedicationscarrytheriskofaddictionorlifetime
dependencewithproblematicwithdrawalreactions.Withadvancesin
*Corresponding author: William Pawluk, PEMF Training Academy, Towson,
Maryland, USA, Tel: +1 8664557688; E-mail: DrPawluk@drpawluk.com
Citation: Pawluk W (2019) Pulsed Magnetic Field Treatment of Anxiety, Panic
and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. J Altern Complement Integr Med 5: 075.
Received: September 15, 2019; Accepted: September 23, 2019; Published:
September 30, 2019
Copyright: © 2019 Pawluk W. This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestrict-
ed use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author
and source are credited.
theunderstandingoftheneurobiologyinvolvedinanxietydisorders,
newtreatmentsare being considered, including PulsedElectromag-
neticFields(PEMFs).
 Many people with anxiety disorders experience physical symp-
tomsrelatedtoanxietyandsubsequentlyvisittheirprimarycarepro-
viders.Despite the highprevalence rates oftheseanxiety disorders,
theyoftenareunder-recognizedandunder-treatedclinicalproblems.
What Happens in the Brain that Relates to Anxiety?
 Somebelievethatthereisanimbalancebetweenthehemispheres
ofthe brainand/oradecitof limbicandbrain cortexcontrol. This
couldmeanthatanxiety,considereda“withdrawingfromasituation”
related emotion, is located in the right hemisphere, whereas emo-
tionsrelatedto being able to“approach”,suchas joy or happiness,
arebasedinthelefthemisphere.Thereappearstobeincreasedright
hemisphereactivityinanxietydisorders.
 Panic Disorder (PD) is considered to be a more severe form of
anxiety.PDisseen withrecurrentandunexpectedattacksofsudden
onset and short duration (10 - 15 minutes).A panic attack may be
followedfor upto onemonth bypersistentworryregardinganother
panicattack.Itmayconsistofsymptomssuchasfeelingsofshortness
ofbreath,hyperventilation,palpitations,chestpain,sweating, chills,
nausea,trembling,fearofdyingor losing control, numbness and a
feelingofdetachmentorunreality.Brainneuroimagingstudies have
veriedspecicabnormalitiesinvolvedinpanicdisorder.
 In Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) brain scanning shows
thatlimbicorfrontalbrain regions were activated in people with a
high degree of hesitation in reacting to stressful stimuli. The same
areaswerefoundtobenotactivatedinlessanxiousindividualswhen
exposed to anxiety provoking situations. Repetitive Transcranial
MagneticStimulation (rTMS) giventoGAD patients overtheright
upperforeheadfor15minutes(900pulses/day)signicantlyreduces
anxiety.
 Quantitative EEG (QEEG) gives a glimpse into the underlying
electrical patterns of the brain. The electrical activity of the brain
causesvariousneurochemicalchangesorcanbethe resultofneuro-
chemicalprocessesinthebrain.Thediagnosticandtherapeuticclini-
caldisciplineofneurofeedbackreliesonQEEGmeasurements.Neu-
rofeedback uses the latest developments in neuroscience. Through
neurofeedback, changes in EEG patterns result in improvement of
cognitive, psychological and emotional symptoms and conditions.
There is a large body of neuroscience research to support this ap-
proachtomanagingbehavioralhealthconditions[2].
Conventional Treatments for Anxiety
 Psychological interventions are still the keystone to non-med-
ication management of anxiety disorders. There are a few studies
comparing the value of psychological interventions versus medical
therapies.Thelong-termeffectivenessofCognitiveBehavioralTher-
apy(CBT)comparedtomedicationsinpanicdisorderwasevaluated.
HSOA Journal of
Alternative, Complementary & Integrative Medicine
Review Article
William Pawluk*
PEMF Training Academy, Towson, Maryland, USA
Pulsed Magnetic Field Treatment
of Anxiety, Panic and Post-
Traumatic Stress Disorders
Abstract
Anxiety is a normal adaptive response to stress that allows cop-
ing with adverse situations. However when anxiety becomes exces-
sive or disproportional in relation to the situation that evokes it or
when there is no special reason for it, such as irrational dread of
routine stimuli, it becomes a disabling disorder and is considered to
be pathological. Anxiety disorders comprise the most frequent psy-
chiatric disorders and can range from relatively benign feelings of
nervousness to extreme expressions of terror and fear.
Anxiety disorders are the most common type of psychiatric disor-
ders. In the United States the lifetime presence of anxiety disorders
is about 29%.
Pawluk W, J Altern Complement Integr Med 2019, 5: 075
DOI: 10.24966/ACIM-7562/100075

Citation: Pawluk W (2019) Pulsed Magnetic Field Treatment of Anxiety, Panic and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. J Altern Complement Integr Med 5: 075.
• Page 2 of 8 •
J Altern Complement Integr Med ISSN: 2470-7562, Open Access Journal
DOI: 10.24966/ACIM-7562/100075
Volume 5 • Issue 3 • 100075
AreviewoftheresearchdoneusingCBTshowedamodestprotective
effectofCBT in panic disorder patients. CBT plusmedicationhad
a70%benet butCBTalone only hadbenetfrom 14 to28%[3].
Effectiveness of different types of psychological interventions are:
IndividualCBT-notvery effective, group CBT 8%, exposure and
socialskills14%,self-helpwithsupport14%,self-helpwithoutsup-
port25%andpsychodynamicpsychotherapy38%.IndividualCBT
comparedwithpsychological placebohada44%benet.SSRIsand
SNRIscomparedwith pill placebo were 56% effective[4].Oneof
thebiggestchallengeswithpsychologicalinterventions,isthatmany
peopleareresistanttodoingthem,preferringtheanonymityandthe
assumedeffectiveness(withoutconsideringtherisk)ofmedications.
 Useofcomplementaryandalternativemedicineingeneralhasin-
creasedoverthepastdecade.Avarietyofstudieshavesuggestedthat
thisuseisgreaterinpersonswithsymptomsordiagnosesofanxiety
anddepression.Datasupporttheeffectivenessofsomepopularherbal
remediesanddietarysupplements;insomeoftheseproducts,particu-
larlykava,thepotentialforbenetmaybegreaterthanthatforharm
withshort-termuseinpatientswithmildtomoderateanxiety[5].
 Themostcommonmedicalapproachtomanaginganxietyiswith
theuseof medications.MedicationtreatmentsforGADcurrentlyli-
censedin the UnitedKingdomwere ranked: duloxetinewasranked
rstforresponse(thirdacrossalltreatments,3%effectiveness);escit-
alopramwasrankedrstforremission(secondacrossalltreatments,
27%)and pregabalinwas rankedrstfortolerability(secondacross
alltreatments,8%).A3%responserateis clearly notthateffective
[6].Therefore,medication treatmentof anxietyisnotapanaceaand
isassociatedwithsignicantlong-termrisks,nottheleastofwhichis
drugdependencyanddementia[7].
 Few economic evaluations of pharmacological treatments for
GADhave beenpublishedto date.However,theevidenceindicates
thatforone drug in particularitwouldcost over $20,000 USDper
extraQualityAdjustedLifeYear(QALY)gained.AQALYofzeroin-
dicatesthatthereisanequalbenettocost.AnegativeQALYwould
indicatethatthere’smorebenetthancost.TherearefewQALYstud-
iesforanyhealthcareintervention,nevermindthemedicalmanage-
mentofanxiety.Nevertheless,thisstudyindicatesthatforatleastone
drug,which appearsto beone ofthemosteffectivemedicationsfor
anxiety,itisextraordinarilyexpensiveforitsvalueinimprovingqual-
ityoflife[8].Thisevidenceclearlyindicatestheneedforalternative
approachestothemanagementofanxiety.
Withadvancesintheunderstandingoftheneurobiology involvedin
anxiety disorders, new treatments are being considered, including
PEMFs.
Neuroscience and Anxiety
 QEEGresearchhasfound fairly typical patterns in thecomplex
disorder of anxiety.Anxiety has been found to have at least six or
sevenpatterns.QEEGpatternsseeninanxietyinclude:imbalancein
thefrontal lobes inalphafrequencies, excessivebetafrequencies in
manypartsofthe brain, and possibly high alpha frequencies>11.5
Hz.Basedonthesendings,neurofeedbackpractitionersrecommend
treatingeitherbothfrontallobeswithloweralphaoralphaatthesides
ofthehead.Somecallthisalphatraining[2].
 Whileneurofeedbackistypicallyappliedinapractitioner’sofce,
itisaverydifferentapproachtoPEMFstimulation.Thereisevidence
thatPEMF stimulationcauseschanges tothe underlyingbrainEEG
patterns.Thisiscalledentrainment.Manyotherformsofentrainment
havebeen testedand used,particularlycranialelectricalstimulation
(CES)andAudiovisualStimulation(AVS).ThevalueofPEMFsover
theseotherformsofentrainmentis that PEMFs could do the same
kind of entrainment stimulation but penetrate deeper into the brain
andhavetheopportunitytobeabletohealtheunderlyingcausesofa
probleminthebrain.
Can PEMFs Can Entrain to the Alpha Level Fre-
quencies?
 Oscillatory brain wave activity within the EEGalphab and has
many brain function aspects, including memory processing and at-
tention.Braincellsresponsibleforperception,cognition,andaction
havedistinctvibrationpatterns.Increaseinrestingstatealphaactivity
inthebackofthebraindenotesastateofrelaxedwakefulness[9].
 Magnetic eld strength is measured in Tesla (T) or Gauss (G).
OneTequals10,000G.OnemilliT(mT)isabout10G.TheEarth’s
magneticeldintensityaveragesabout0.5G(50microT).Evenvery
weak0.01G(1microT)PEMFat<1Hz(Hzisfrequencyatcycles/
second)appliedacrossbothsidesoftheheadcausetheEEGfrequen-
cychangepresentinthebraintochangetotheapplied PEMF fre-
quency - called entrainment. Even very weak PEMFs in the micro
Trangecancauseentrainmentor“synchronization”oftheEEGfre-
quencies[10].Oneofthemoreobviousresultsofapplyingextremely
lowfrequency(ELF)PEMFstimulationtothebrainismoreEEGal-
pha(8-13Hz)activity[11].
 Wherever there is electrical activity there are magnetic elds.
Thebrainproduces itsownveryweakmagneticelds.Alphawaves
havebeenmeasuredinhumansbyMagnetoencephalography(MEG).
Thenaturalmagneticeldsofthebrainwillinteractwithexternally
appliedmagnetic elds likePEMFs.The electromagneticforcethat
isgeneratedinthebrainduringrhythmicTMS can cause local en-
trainment of natural brain oscillations. TMS tuned to the alpha (α)
frequency (called α-TMS), entrains alpha-oscillations in the brain
areastimulated, increasing progressivelywiththe durationofexpo-
sure.Thegreater theunderlyingamountofalpha inthebrainbefore
startingstimulation,thefasterandthegreatertheentrainment.These
frequenciescanlookverysimilar tothetypesofbrain rhythmsseen
naturallyduring mental tasks.Theend resultisthat TMSactionon
brainactivitycanresultinbehavioralchangesthatarefrequency-spe-
cic[12].
 Inaddition,researchinGermanyfoundthat10Hz(alpha)entrain-
mentstabilizedcircadianrhythms[13].Useofthisfrequencycanre-
storejetlag and othersleepdisturbances.Circadian rhythm control
thehormoneorchestra of the body andwhentheyare out of align-
mentornotinproperphase,manyproblemsbegintoshowupinthe
bodyrelated topoorhormone function.Stressand anxietyareclear
examples of how they can cause circadian rhythms and brainwave
frequencypatternstobecomedisrupted.So,10Hzstimulationcan
beveryusefulforreducingmoneyofthephysicaleffectsofstressby
balancingcircadiandisruption.
 Intensemagneticeldbrainstimulationhasalsobeenreportedto
affectmonoamineneurotransmitterfunction.Dailyexposureto10Hz
eldsat1.8–3.8milliT(18-38G)increasedsynthesisofdopamineand
5- Hydroxytryptamine (5-HTP) in the frontal cortex of rats. So, in

Citation: Pawluk W (2019) Pulsed Magnetic Field Treatment of Anxiety, Panic and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. J Altern Complement Integr Med 5: 075.
• Page 3 of 8 •
J Altern Complement Integr Med ISSN: 2470-7562, Open Access Journal
DOI: 10.24966/ACIM-7562/100075
Volume 5 • Issue 3 • 100075
addition to entrainment, alpha frequencies also increase signicant
amountsofneurotransmitterproduction[14].
What is the Evidence those PEMFs can Improve
Anxiety?
 Theevidencecomesfromanimalstudiesandhumanstudiesusing
bothhighintensity(TMS)andlowerintensityPEMFstimulation.
Animal Studies
 Aspecic pulsed low-frequencymagneticeld of 100 microT
peak intensity was studied in a mouse experiment of anxiety.The
micehadareductionof“anxiety-like”behaviors,seenintherst10-
15minutesofexposure.Whencomparedtoarelativelylowdoseofa
classicalanxietymedication,benzodiazepine,behaviorwassimilarly
improvedbythemagnetic eld [15,16]. Rats havealsobeenfound
to have similar results in reducing anxiety levels [17]. PEMF at a
modulationfrequencyof4and 6 Hz in rats signicantly decreased
theemotionally negativereactions ofanxiety andfear by370%and
450%,respectively.Bycontrast,environmentalEMFwithamodula-
tionfrequencyof20Hzsignicantlyincreasedemotionallynegative
reactionsofanxietyandfearby200%[18].
 rTMSonratsselectivelybred for High (HAB) and Low (LAB)
anxiety-related behavior found that rTMS of frontal brain regions
inducesprofoundreductions in acute stress reactionsandhormonal
systemreactions tostress.This onlyhappenedin HABratsand not
in LAB rats. The HAB results were similar to antidepressant drug
treatment[19].
 WhiledataevaluatingforpossibleoriginsofGADandpanicdis-
orderhave beenobtainedusing imagingstudies,tissue studieshave
foundresultstoo.LowintensityPEMFspositivelyaffectsbrain5-Hy-
droxytryptamine(5HT)receptorsat 0.1-2 mT (1-20 G), withabout
50% of the effect at 0.5 mT [20].This means that PEMFs lead to
physiologicalchangesinthecentralnervoussystem,helpfulformood
disorders,wherethe5HTsystemplaysamajorrole.Thismayexplain
thebenets seenwith higherintensityPEMFstimulationintreating
depression.
Human Studies - Low Intensity
 Mostalphabrainstimulationresearchisconductedbystimulating
thebraindirectly.However,stimulatingotherpartsofthebody may
haveanindirectactiononthebrainaswell.AlphaEEGbrainactivity
inhealthyindividuals with PEMFappliedseparately to therightor
lefthandwasincreasedin77%.ThesmallestEEGchangeswereseen
inthosewho were self-reliantandshowed little indicationofstrain
andanxiety.Thegreatestchangeshappenedinthoseshowinganxiety,
constraining activity,and less addictiveness. Other PEMF research
also reveals that healthy cells, tissues or individuals show little re-
sponsetoPEMFs[21].
 Ontheotherhand,verylowintensityPEMFinhealthywomen
appliedsimultaneouslyto2brainareasatthetop ofthe sidesofthe
head for only 9 minutes at 10 Hz (mid-alpha),14 Hz (high alpha)
and18Hz(lowbeta)causedEEGchanges.The10Hzstimulationalso
signicantlysimultaneouslydecreasesbeta(15-25Hz), sensormotor
rhythm(13-15Hz)andtheta(4-8Hz)by12-27%afterexposure.This
studyshowsthatPEMFtothetopoftheheadat10Hzalphaalsode-
creaseshigher anxiety-associated frequencies,adding to theanxiety
treatmentbenet[22].
 Peoplewithothermedicalconditionscanexperiencesignicant
anxiety.A62yroldmalewithParkinson’sdiseaseatage51hadtyp-
icalsymptomsofParkinson’s.Healsoexperiencedsleepdisturbanc-
esand continuousanxiety.He wastreatedwith avery lowintensity
PEMFfor6minutes(2minutesovereachtempleareaand2minutes
overthetop ofhishead). ImmediatelyfollowingPEMF,hereported
decreasedanxiety,completedisappearanceofmuscle aches,marked
elevationsinmoodandlevelofenergy,increasedappetite,andgen-
eralizedfeelingof well-being.Healsohadmarkedimprovementsin
abilitytomovehismuscles.Theeffectsofthissingletreatmentlasted
about3days.Becauseofthistreatmentsuccesshebegansimilarmag-
neticeldtreatmentsathomenightlyusingaportabledevice[23].
 WhilePEMFsmaybehelpful inthemanagementofanxietydis-
orders,whether appliedlocallyor tothewhole body,someofthese
effects may be due to coincidental stimulation of the acupuncture
pointsunderthemagneticapplicator.Asearlyas1990,PEMFshave
been used in the local treatment of so-called biologically active
points (BAP; acupuncture points or “acupoints”). They called this
“Magnetic Puncture” (MP). In addition to coincidental stimulation
of acupuncture points, small and focused magnetic applicators can
beapplied directly toverysmall acupuncturepoints.This approach
wasused inmen withduodenalulcers,well-knownto becaused by
signicantlevels ofanxietyandstress.BAPs forgeneral adaptation
wereexposedfor1minute.Painand dyspepsiawerecontrolledin3
daysandulcerhealingin18days,9daysfasterthanamedicationonly
group.CombiningMP and medicationtherapyactuallytook longer
tocontrolpainanddyspepsia(9daysandsixdays,respectively)and
healingtimewasthesame. MP therapy,like needle or electro-acu-
puncture,effectively controlledanxiety.The authorsstatedthatcor-
rectionofanxiety-relatedautonomicnervoussystemdysfunctionwas
thephysiologicalmechanismofthetherapeuticeffectofMP[24].
 LowEnergyEmission Therapy(LEET)isa way of givingther-
apeuticlow levelsof electromagneticenergy.Electricaldeviceslike
theLEETdeliverbothanelectricalandamagneticeld.Itisimpossi-
bletosegregatewhichcomponentisproducingtheresults.Therefore,
itiscommonlybelievedthatelectrostimulationsystemsproducevery
similarresultsbiologicallytoPEMFsystems,throughacoupleofdif-
ferentmutuallyhelpfulmechanisms.SowhathappenswiththeLEET
isalsolikelytohappenwithPEMFs.
 TheLEETisabattery-powereddeviceemittingacarrierfrequen-
cyof27.12MHz,modulatedatspecicfrequenciesbetween0.5and
300Hz.LEETisapplied inthemouthbyanelectricallyconducting
mouthpiece.The backofthe palate isveryclose tothespinal cord.
This where the ReticularActivating System (RAS) is located. The
RAScontrolssleepdepth.
 Healthyvolunteersreceived 15-minutes of either activeofinac-
tiveLEET.EEGsduringthe15-minperiodfollowingLEETtreatment
showedadecreasedtimetofallasleepanddeepersleepthanplacebo
andimproved feelings ofrelaxation.LEET wasalsotested onindi-
viduals with chronic anxiety.They received a 15-minute treatment
inthe morning anda30-minute treatment intheevening everyday
for six weeks.Anxiety measured with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale
(HAM-A)improvedbymorethan50%in 61%of theindividualsat
theendoftherstweekandin90%bytheendofthethirdweek[25].
Unfortunately,whileLEETiseffectiveforsleepandanxiety,itisnot
commerciallyavailable.

Citation: Pawluk W (2019) Pulsed Magnetic Field Treatment of Anxiety, Panic and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. J Altern Complement Integr Med 5: 075.
• Page 4 of 8 •
J Altern Complement Integr Med ISSN: 2470-7562, Open Access Journal
DOI: 10.24966/ACIM-7562/100075
Volume 5 • Issue 3 • 100075
 LikeLEET,CranialElectroStimulation(CES)maybeconsidered
a form of PEMF stimulation. CES has been used as an alternative
therapy for the treatment of insomnia, anxiety,and depression and
avariety of other conditions and symptoms worldwide. One group
conductedareviewofrandomized,controlledstudiestoevaluatethe
efcacyof CESfor selectedpsychological andphysiologicalcondi-
tions. Eight studies were for CES to treat anxiety,2 to treat brain
dysfunction,2totreatheadaches,and2totreatinsomnia.Analysisfor
treatinganxiety showedCES tobesignicantlymoreeffectivethan
shamtreatment[26].
 CESwas alsotestedfor itsabilityto relieveanxietyin morese-
verely affected psychiatric inpatients. They received either active
CESor placebostimulation. Stimulationwasat100Hz for30 min-
utesforvesessionsonconsecutivedays.They wereretestedsixto
ninedaysfollowingthelasttreatment.TheactiveCESgroupshowed
signicantlygreateranxietyreductionthanthecontrolgroup[27].
 Amore complicatedgroupof individuals withanxietyare those
who are chemically dependent. The more severe need treatment in
a hospital setting. Chemically dependent hospital in patients was
evaluatedfortheeffectivenessofCESinadouble-blindstudy.About
60%werealcoholabusersand40%weresingleorpoly-drugabusers.
CESwasat100Hzappliedthroughelectrodesplacedjustbehindthe
earlobe. Fifteen 30-minute treatment/sham treatment sessions were
giventoeach person, once a day for3weeksexcluding weekends.
Sham-treatedpeoplehad minimal improvement.Those treated with
CEShadsignicantlyreducedanxietylevelscomparedtotheirinitial
levelon everyanxietymeasure. So,even thischallengingtreatment
group,commonlyresistanttomostforms oftherapy,benetedfrom
thisformofelectromagnetictherapy[28].
Human Studies - High Intensity
 SomestudiesshowbenetusingrTMSinthetreatmentofGAD.
rTMSappliedtotherightforeheadareaatlowfrequencywasfound
tobeeffectiveinrelievingdepressionandpanicsymptoms,andaddi-
tionallyitreducedthecorticalexcitabilityassociatedwithanxiety.On
theotherhand,treatmentwith lowfrequencyrTMS(<10Hz)ofthe
rightupperforeheadinpanicdisorderpatientsunderSSRImedication
hasbeennotsignicant[29].
 Anxiety can occur in people with other psychiatric disorders.
Reducingtheiranxietycan often have an impactontheunderlying
condition as well.A study in which 1-Hz, 1-T rTMS was given to
schizophrenicandmajordepressionpatientsfor10daysreportedthat
thedepressedpatientsappearedtoshowimprovementsinmoodand
theschizophrenicpatients showed somedecreasein their degreeof
anxietyandrestlessness[30].
 Inindividuals withmajor depression,taken offtheir usualmedi-
cations,singlesessionrTMSmadethemfeelmorerelaxedorcalmer
aftertreatment,butthiseffectdisappearedbynextmorning[31].
 High-frequency20 Hz (HFrTMS),as anadd-onanti-depressive
treatment,was usedin individualswith medication-resistantdepres-
sionandanxiety.They continued their regular medication. Patients
weredividedinto2groupstoreceiveHFrTMSorplacebotreatment
for two weeks with two weeks of follow-up in a randomized dou-
ble-blinddesign. Next,rTMS wasoffered fortwo weeksto patients
whofailedtoimproveor who were in the placebo group. Eachre-
ceived 10 sessions of HF rTMS treatment on consecutive days.
TheywereallassessedbytheHamiltonAnxietyRatingScale(HARS)
at baseline and after weeks 1, 2, and 4. Real HF rTMS decreased
HARSscoressignicantlymoreinHARSscoresinbothgroupsafter
therst week.This amountedto a34fold, 18fold, and10foldim-
provementbetweenthescores,byweek,respectively[32].
 Apregnantwomanwithclinicaldepressionwassuccessfullytreat-
edwithrTMSduringweek19ofherpregnancy.Shereportedexperi-
encinganacutepanicattackwithbeinginopenspaces(agoraphobia)
while recovering from bronchitis. Her symptoms rapidly worsened
over the course of several days to include depressed and anxious
mood,severerestlessnessand insomnia, constant anxiety about the
healthofherbaby,obsessivefeelingsaboutherlackofappetite,and
fearaboutbeinghospitalizedforherbronchitis.Atthetimeofevalu-
ation,shewasunabletositstill,wasconstantlypacingandclenching
hersts,haddifcultymaintainingfocus,andcouldmaintainacon-
versationonlywithdifculty.An extensive medical and obstetrical
workupruled outanymedicalcausefor hersymptoms.She refused
antidepressant medications because of their unknown effect on her
fetusanddecidedtotry1sessionperweekofactivecounseling.She
hadonlyminimalimprovementafter2weeks, anddecided toenroll
inanrTMSstudy.
 Atweek22ofpregnancy,shereceivedactivelowfrequencyrTMS
onceadayfor5daysovera9-day period at 5-Hz, for 20 minutes
eachtime.rTMSproducednochangesinherbloodpressure,oxygen
saturation, or heart rate.After the 2nd week treatment session, she
wastaperedoffrTMSoverthecourseof5sessions(totalof14days
oftreatment over3 weeks).She toleratedthe treatmentwell andre-
peatedlyexperiencedacalmingeffectaround12minutesintotherst
treatmentsessionand reported being “relaxed andtired”.Onday 6
ofstimulation,thisrelaxedeffectoccurredaround3minutesintothe
session.Anxietyreturnedto normal. Shealsoshowed improvement
inheragoraphobia. For example,onher rst weekendoftreatment
shewent shoppingwitha friendandattended anengagementparty.
After 9 days of treatment, she attended a job meeting out of town
andhasnot experienced anyrecurrenceofher anxieties. Hermood
becamebright,conversationmoreelaborate,andshewasminimally
preoccupiedwithherbody.Periodicfollow-upevaluationsindicated
thatsheremainedinremission.Shedeliveredahealthy(3.4-kg)baby
boyat term.rTMS maybe consideredin circumstancessuch asthis
becauseitinvolvesnofetalexposuretoanesthesia,usedwithECT,or
tomedications[33].
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
 PTSDisoftenconsideredatypeofanxietydisorder.Inthestrictest
senseit is consideredtobe the psychologicalandemotional effects
following experiencing or observing trauma. In the broadest sense
PTSDresultsfrom symptomsarisingfrom anynegativepsychologi-
caleventorevents.Itischaracterizedbysymptomsthatappearsud-
denly,cause psychological withdrawal and hyper arousal that may
resultinsignicantsocialoroccupationaldysfunction.Itisestimated
that 8% of the United States population experience PTSD in their
lifetimeanditisestimatedthatitcausesimpairedabilitytoworkthat
costs in excess of $3 billion per year in lost productivity.There is
nodenitive medicaltreatment forcorePTSDsymptoms.Although
medications and psychotherapy have been shown to help reduce
symptomsandtreatcomorbidanxietyanddepressivesymptoms,in
onethirdofindividualsthereisnoimprovementinsymptoms.

Citation: Pawluk W (2019) Pulsed Magnetic Field Treatment of Anxiety, Panic and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. J Altern Complement Integr Med 5: 075.
• Page 5 of 8 •
J Altern Complement Integr Med ISSN: 2470-7562, Open Access Journal
DOI: 10.24966/ACIM-7562/100075
Volume 5 • Issue 3 • 100075
 In PTSD, EEG studies have shown alpha decreases in the right
hemisphere compared to control groups while they are exposed to
trauma-related pictures. These ndings have been corroborated by
SPECTstudies thathaveshown brainblood ow tothe righthemi-
sphereis increasedinPTSD whentheyhear trauma-relatedsounds.
Trauma-related stimuli during visual memory tests in combat vet-
eranswithoutPTSDandcombatveterans with PTSD are different.
Thereisgreateractivationintherightfrontalbraincomparedtothe
control group in PTSD. PTSD patients may require more effort to
ignoreemotionallydistractingstimuli[34].Thesendingsmeanthat
peoplewithPTSDcouldbenetfromPEMFtreatment.
 Relatively few studies have investigated the effects of TMS on
anxietydisorders,andevenfewerinPTSD.InPTSDpatients,one
sessionof single-pulseTMSappliedover thetop ofthe headfor 15
minutesproducedasignicantimprovementthatlasted24hrs.How-
ever, the symptoms returned to baseline by 7 days after treatment.
PTSDanddepressionshowdifferentbrainchangesonimagingstud-
ies[35].
 OnestudydescribedIndividualswithaccidents,combatreactions
andassault,experiencingtheirtraumaaboutsixyearsearlieronaver-
age.Amajoritywerebeingtreatedwithmedications.Inaddition,they
receivedasingleTMStreatmentwith30stimuli,maximumoutputof
25,000gauss(2.5T)overthetopofthehead.Resultswereassessed
at2hoursbeforetreatment(baseline),24hours,1week,and28days
aftertreatment.Allindividualsshowedsignicant improvements in
symptoms during the rst 24 hours after TMS which gradually re-
turnedtobaselinelevels.Psychologicalwithdrawalsymptoms,which
arecorePTSDsymptoms,weresignicantlydecreasedforupto7
daysafterTMS.Anxietyandphysicalpreoccupationweresignicant-
lydecreasedafter24hoursandthedecreaseinthephysicalpreoccu-
pationpersisted for28days.So,even witha singleTMS treatment,
PTSDsymptoms improvedmarkedly.Multiplecourses oftreatment
would be expected to produce more enduring results [36]. Similar
higherintensityPEMFdevicesarenowavailableforhomeusefor
bothinitialtreatmentandmaintenance.
 Anotherpaperdescribed2peoplewithPTSDinwhomrTMSap-
peared to normalize the hyper metabolic areas around their limbic
system. One was a 29-yr woman with a 12-year history stemming
fromtraumaticevents when she wasbetween8and 12. Her symp-
tomsincludeddepressed mood,cognitivedysfunctionwith poorat-
tentionskills, irritability,chronic fatigue,decreasedappetite, abnor-
malsleeppatterns, frequent senseofnot feeling herself,unpleasant
memoriesthat would intrudeonother thoughts,andoccasional sui-
cidalthoughts.Theotherwasa42-yearoldwomanwithPTSDfor2.5
years, associated with a shooting incident. Her symptoms included
ashbacks, sleep disturbances, exaggerated startle responses, pan-
icattacks, depression andirritability.Bothwomenhad beentreated
withavarietyofmedicationswithonlyminimalimprovement.1-Hz
rTMSwasfor20minutes/day,seventeentreatments3timesperweek
fortherst2weeks,thenincreasedto5timesweekly.Improvement
in symptoms was more pronounced during the second half of the
4-weektreatmentperiod.FrequencyofPTSDsymptomswassigni-
cantly decreased and personal sense of cognitive clarity improved.
ThebenetsofrTMSslowlyreducedandPTSDsymptomsgradually
returnedtobaseline1monthafterthelastrTMSsession.The42-year-
oldwomanwastreatedwith30sessions ofright frontal1-HzrTMS
given20minutesdaily,3-4times/weekfor3weeksthenincreasedto
4-5times/weekfor another 3 weeks. Duringtreatmentshehad sig-
nicant symptomatic improvement. She felt greatest improvement
in symptoms when treatments were more given more frequently.
Her symptoms returned to baseline 1 month after rTMS ended. In
both women, regional brain metabolic rates were measured before
andwithin24hrafterthenalrTMStreatmentbyPETscans.rTMS
causedoverall decreases in hyper-excitedbrainmetabolism toward
normal.Themostprominentdecreaseswereseenovertherighthemi-
sphere[37].
 Low-frequency TMS (1 Hz) is inhibitory, and high frequency
TMS(frequency above10 Hz)isrelativelyexcitatoryto underlying
braintissue.Areviewpaperofverandomizedclinicaltrialsstudying
118individualsfoundthat activeTMSwas signicantlysuperiorto
shamTMSfortreatmentofcorePTSDsymptoms[34].
Caution: EMFs Can Make Anxiety Worse
 Sofar,emphasis hasbeen on the therapeutic actions of PEMFs
onanxiety.It appearsthatindividualsliving near power lines, who
aresufferingfromsignicantanxietydisorders,needtobeevaluated
forthepossibilityofEMFexposureintheirresidences,asapotential
contributingfactorfor their anxiety.Over the range of 50-Hzmag-
neticuxdensitiesencounteredinhomes(>1-100mG),longermag-
netic-eldexposure maybeassociated withpoorer healthandmore
“chronicanxiety”symptoms,consistentwithadirecteffectofchronic
50-Hzmagneticeldexposureonthenervoussystem[38].
 From clinical experience, some individuals, regardless of how
muchtheytrytoreducetheiranxietywithanyparticulartherapeutic
approach,justdo not respond.Manytimes this canactuallybe due
tothebackgroundEMFsin theirenvironment[39].Asnotedabove,
EMFsinthehomeenvironment,thatwouldenterthebedroominpar-
ticular, can be potent irritants to the nervous system, especially in
electrosensitive individuals[40].Unless theseEMFsare dealtwith
andreducedoreliminated,itbecomesverychallengingforanytreat-
menttowork.
Conclusion
 Thetreatment of anxiety,panicdisordersand PTSD leavemuch
tobedesired.Alternative therapiesareneededandavailable. Brain
stimulation using Electromagnetic Fields (PEMFs) have numerous
physiologicactionswhichcontributetoabenettohelpingwiththese
conditions.Theyalsoappeartosatisfyanimportantconditionofsafe-
tyandlowrisk, along with effectiveness.PEMFs,includinghigher
andlowerintensityPEMFs,havebeenfoundtobeveryhelpfulinthe
treatmentofanxietydisorders,includingPTSD.ThevalueofPEMFs
isthatthereis a great potential for ongoingPEMFtherapiesinthe
homesettingtoprovideenduringandlong-lastingbenetswithcon-
tinuedtreatment.Thiscanbedonewithshort-termhometreatments
orpotentiallywithlongertimesofusewithportablePEMFsystems
applyingprimarily alphabrainwave stimulation.These home-based,
longer-term PEMF approaches would appear to produce the most
benet.Nevertheless,sinceanxietydisordersarecomplex,combina-
tionapproaches,includingcognitivebehavioraltherapyandmedica-
tions,maywellbenecessarytoproducethebestresultsandlong-term
use may be necessary.Another benet of commercially available,
portable,battery-operatedPEMFdevicesofaround200-700Gaussis
theabilitytodotreatmentathomethroughoutthenighttotheheador
underthepillowtoenhancesleepandanxietydisorders.Whilethese

Citation: Pawluk W (2019) Pulsed Magnetic Field Treatment of Anxiety, Panic and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. J Altern Complement Integr Med 5: 075.
• Page 6 of 8 •
J Altern Complement Integr Med ISSN: 2470-7562, Open Access Journal
DOI: 10.24966/ACIM-7562/100075
Volume 5 • Issue 3 • 100075
arenotaspowerfulasthehighintensityTMSdevices,theyaremore
affordableandpersonallycommerciallyaccessible.
Conict of Interest Statement
 Dr.William Pawluk owns a website www.drpawluk.com which
hascommerciallyavailable PEMFdeviceswithcharacteristicssimi-
lartosomeofthemagneticeldsmentionedinthisreview.
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Citation: Pawluk W (2019) Pulsed Magnetic Field Treatment of Anxiety, Panic and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. J Altern Complement Integr Med 5: 075.
• Page 7 of 8 •
J Altern Complement Integr Med ISSN: 2470-7562, Open Access Journal
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Volume 5 • Issue 3 • 100075
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JournalofModernChemicalSciences
JournalofMedicine:Study&Research
JournalofNanotechnology:Nanomedicine&Nanobiotechnology
JournalofNeonatology&ClinicalPediatrics
JournalofNephrology&RenalTherapy
JournalofNonInvasiveVascularInvestigation
JournalofNuclearMedicine,Radiology&RadiationTherapy
JournalofObesity&WeightLoss
JournalofOrthopedicResearch&Physiotherapy
JournalofOtolaryngology,Head&NeckSurgery
JournalofProteinResearch&Bioinformatics
JournalofPathologyClinical&MedicalResearch
JournalofPharmacology,Pharmaceutics&Pharmacovigilance
JournalofPhysicalMedicine,Rehabilitation&Disabilities
JournalofPlantScience:CurrentResearch
JournalofPsychiatry,Depression&Anxiety
JournalofPulmonaryMedicine&RespiratoryResearch
JournalofPractical&ProfessionalNursing
JournalofReproductiveMedicine,Gynaecology&Obstetrics
JournalofStemCellsResearch,Development&Therapy
JournalofSurgery:CurrentTrends&Innovations
JournalofToxicology:CurrentResearch
JournalofTranslationalScienceandResearch
TrendsinAnatomy&Physiology
JournalofVaccinesResearch&Vaccination
JournalofVirology&Antivirals
ArchivesofSurgeryandSurgicalEducation
SportsMedicineandInjuryCareJournal
InternationalJournalofCaseReportsandTherapeuticStudies
JournalofEcologyResearchandConservationBiology