Andy Smith 00:00 
A quick disclaimer before we begin, the PEMF podcast does not contain any medical advice and the content provided is for informational purposes only. If you have any health concerns, please visit a healthcare professional. Welcome back to the PEMF podcast. Today, we're diving into something that affects millions of people worldwide, headaches and migraines. Whether it's a dull and nagging ache that makes it hard to focus or a full blown migraine that puts you in the dark room for hours, these conditions can be debilitating. We'll explore the science behind headaches and migraines and how PEMF might help, what the research says and practical tips on timing, duration and tracking progress.

Joshua Roberts 00:42 
And yeah, I think a good place to start would just be to clarify what is the difference between a headache and a migraine.

Andy Smith 00:48 
So a headache is usually a dull aching pain in the head, scalp or neck. It can range from a mild to moderate and is often caused by things like tension, dehydration or stress. Migraine on the other hand is a neurological condition. It's often severe throbbing pain in one side of the head and it can come with nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light or sound and even visual disturbances called aura. Migraines can last for hours or even days and they're often triggered by specific factors like certain foods, hormonal changes or stress.

Joshua Roberts 01:24 
OK, so what are some of the main triggers and then as well some conventional treatments?

Andy Smith 01:29 
Yeah, well, migraine triggers can include hormonal fluctuations, lack of sleep, dietary factors like caffeine or alcohol, stress, sensory overload, and even changes in weather or barometric pressure. Conventional treatments often include over-the-counter painkillers for mild headaches, prescription medication for migraines like tryptans or CGRP inhibitors and preventative drugs such as beta blockers or anti-seizure meds. Some people also use lifestyle approaches, keeping a migraine diary, improving sleep hygiene, stress management and diet adjustments. The reality though, these treatments can work for some but not for everybody. So medication side effects, incomplete relief or the need to limit use because of overuse, headaches can all be challenging. This is why many people are exploring complementary approaches like PEMF.

Joshua Roberts 02:26 
And just in case this is someone's first time in 30 seconds, what is PEMF?

Andy Smith 02:30 
Yeah, so PEMF stands for pulse electromagnetic therapy, it uses magnetic fields like the earth to stimulate and support the body at a cellular level to create the ultimate environment to heal.

Joshua Roberts 02:42 
And even though PEMF does use fields like the earths, it isn't similar to grounding. If you want kind of a full deep dive on that, go and listen to our PEMF versus grounding episode, which is a few episodes back.

But let's do a little comparison now as well. What is the difference between PEMFs and EMFs on headaches and migraines?

Andy Smith 03:00 
Yeah, this is a really important distinction to make because electromagnetic field is a broad term and simply means an area of energy produced by electrically charged objects. The key differences are in the frequency, waveform and dose. The kind of EMFs that most people are exposed to daily from Wi-Fi routers, mobile phones and similar devices are radio frequency RF. These fields are megahertz and gigahertz range. These are high frequency, non-ionizing waves, continuous in nature and designed for data transmission. A 2016 cohort study from Iran followed 114 migraine patients and found that higher mobile phone and Wi-Fi use was linked with significant, more frequent and severe migraines. The authors suggested reducing exposures to these RF sources to improve the outcomes. PEMF therapy on the other hand uses very low frequency pulsed fields, typically in the range of like one to 100 hertz. These are delivered in short bursts with specific waveforms. These mimic the body's own natural electromagnetic signals. Instead of stressing the system, low frequency PEMFs can influence cellular processes just like improving blood flow, modulating inflammation and supporting mitochondrial activity. So while both fall under the EMF umbrella, the frequencies, intensities and biological effect are worlds apart. It's a bit like comparing sunlight to X-rays, both for in the electromagnetic radiation, but the impacts on the body are completely different.

Joshua Roberts 04:36 
Yeah, definitely a noteworthy distinction to make. But has there been any kind of studies on PEMF for headaches or migraines?

Andy Smith 04:43 
Yeah, there's a great example, a double blind placebo controlled study from 1999 that looked at 42 participants who met the International Headache Society migraine criteria. Participants kept a one month baseline log of their headaches, then received either real or placebo PEMF applied to the inner thighs for one hour a day, five days a week for two weeks. During the first month, the follow-up 73% of those receiving actual PEMF reported fewer headaches with 45% seeing a good decrease and 14% an excellent decrease. In contrast, only 20% of the placebo group reported a good decrease. None reported excellent results and 15% actually got worse. The study also allowed some participants to continue treatment. 10 people from the active group did an extra two weeks of PEMF and every single one improved with nearly 90% recording good or excellent results. Even those who didn't continue still showed gains at the two month mark. placebo participants who later tried two weeks of real PEMF also saw 75% improvement. Interestingly though, the biggest effects were seen after three or four weeks of exposure and the author suggested this might be linked to PEMF's ability to increase peripheral blood flow, which has been associated with migraine relief in other research.

Joshua Roberts 06:14 
But yeah, once again, that study kind of highlights how PEMF needs to be used on a more kind of consistent basis, kind of a few weeks at least, but as you use it more and more over the months, you can start seeing more and more benefits. But in our PEMF and depression episode we did quite a while back now, and we spoke about how PEMF actually helps with treatment resistant depression, obviously a type of depression that doesn't normally respond well to traditional treatments. There's also a similar kind of thing to this with refractory migraines, just once again, kind of a type of migraine that doesn't respond well to conventional treatments. Is there any studies that looked at how PEMF can actually help with these refractory migraines?

Andy Smith 06:58 
Yeah a really interesting 2016 randomized single-blinded placebo controlled trial looked specifically at refractory migraines where standard medications hadn't worked. Participants had lived with migraines for at least a year with mida scores showing a significant impact on daily life. The treatment involved 10 hertz PEMF at 40 to 50 gauss delivered for a large coil around the head for 30 minutes, three times a week over two weeks. The active group then continued for another two weeks followed by up to eight months of follow-ups. After just two weeks the active group had significantly fewer headaches, shorter durations and fewer work loss hours compared to the placebo. These improvements persisted over the second treatment phase and were still present at the four to eight month follow-up suggesting that PEMF effects can last way beyond the treatment window. One important finding as well was that the reductions in headache intensity and medication use were only seen in participants whose migraines were not linked to their menstrual cycle which kind of hints that PEMF may be less effective for hormonal driven migraines. The authors proposed mechanisms including improving blood flow, normalized calcium signaling, reduced neuroinflammation, boosted dopamine and serotonin turnover and enhanced mitochondrial function for the success.

Joshua Roberts 08:29 
Okay, so we kind of covered some there, but what are some of the key kind of ways PEMF might help with headaches and migraines?

Andy Smith 08:36 
Yeah, because migraines are more than just painful headaches. They're complex neurological events. They can involve changes in blood flow in the brain, shifts in electrical signaling between neurons and inflammation in the trigeminal vascular system, which connects facial and cranial nerves to the brain's blood vessels. This combination can create that classic throbbing pain plus symptoms like nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and visual disturbances, known as aura. PEMF works on multiple systems that are relevant to migraine biology. For example, in the 1999 study we mentioned earlier, the author suggested one of the reasons participants saw such a strong result was because PEMF improved peripheral blood flow. That's important because many migraines are associated with blood vessel constriction or instability in cerebral circulation. By improving oxygen and nutrient delivery, PEMF may prevent or shorten attacks. PEMF is known for anti-inflammatory effects and it can also help here. Migraines often involve elevated inflammatory markers in the nervous system and PEMF has been shown in other research to reduce cytokine activity and calm overactive immune responses. Less inflammation can mean less irritation of pain processing nerves.

Joshua Roberts 09:53 
Yeah that's great but there was also two other areas as well that we looked at.

Andy Smith 09:58 
So in a 2024 double blind randomized control trial on adults with chronic rhinosinusitis, a condition that trigger or worsen sinus related headaches, found that just four weeks of PEMF at 20 gauss, seven hertz, 10 minutes, three times a week led to a 66% reduction in headache intensity. Along side improvements in sinus health confirmed by CT scans, this shows PEMF's potential to address headache pain from both vascular and inflammatory pathways. From a neurological perspective, PEMF influences the movement of ions like calcium and sodium across cell membranes. And in the 2016 HATF refractory migraine trial, one of the mechanisms proposed was normalized calcium signalin, which may stabilize overactive nerve cells and prevent the runaway firing that contributes to migraine pain and aura. And finally, there's the mitochondrial connection, which as we mentioned before, the brain consumes a huge amount of energy and during a migraine, this demand can spike. The second study also suggested that PEMF's ability to enhance mitochondrial function could help neurons cope with these surges in energy demand, potentially reducing the duration or the severity of the attacks.

Joshua Roberts 11:20 
So we've spoken a lot about the migraine kind of associated symptoms like aura, light sensitivity, etc. Can PEMF help with these?

Andy Smith 11:28 
Yeah, well, whilst most PEMF migraine studies focus on headache frequency and intensity, there are indications it may also help with associated symptoms. Migraines are often accompanied by neurological changes that lead to aura, as well as disruptions in brainstem and vascular function that can cause nausea, vomiting, and light or sound sensitivity. In the 1999 study that we mentioned earlier, some participants reported not just fewer migraines, but also less severe overall episodes, which likely reflects improvements in the symptoms beyond pain. This could be due to the PEMF's stabilizing effect on neuronal firing, its support on healthy blood flow, and its ability to calm the inflammation in the trimino vascular system, which can contribute to sensory hypersensitivity. So while more targeted research is needed, these mechanisms suggest PEMF could play a role in easing the broader migraine experience, not just the pain itself.

Joshua Roberts 12:29 
Okay, great. So when should someone use PEMF for headaches or migraines?

Andy Smith 12:34 
there's two main approaches, preventative and acute. Preventative use means regular daily or near daily sessions, which is what both studies did. In the 1999 study, participants saw the biggest effects after three or four weeks of consistent daily use, showing like what we're saying about using PEMF for a long and consistent period of time. Benefits build up. Preventative sessions can help support circulation, reduce inflammation and maintain nervous system balance, potentially lowering attack frequency. Acute use means applying PEMF at the first sign of an attack, for example, when you notice your early warning symptoms like aura, neck tension or light sensitivity. While fewer studies have looked at the acute use specifically, some people report shorter or less intense migraines when PEMF is applied right at the onset.

Joshua Roberts 13:30 
Okay, great then. So knowing this, how long should someone apply PEMF for headaches and migraines?

Andy Smith 13:36 
Yes, a great question. I mean, the research suggests starting point of 20 to 30 minutes per session.

In the 1999 study, participants used PEMF for an hour a day, five days a week, for two weeks, with some continuing for four weeks. In the 2016 study, they did 30 minutes, three times a week, up to four weeks, and the benefits still persisted months later. For prevention, many people stick with a daily routine of at least three to four weeks before judging the results, for acute use, shorter, more frequent sessions can be tried, but the key is always with PEMF its consistency over time to see the lasting change.

Joshua Roberts 14:15 
Okay, so then how is PEMF normally applied for migraines?

Andy Smith 14:19 
Yeah, good question. If your goal is like general prevention, a full body mat is always a good option because it supports circulation and the nervous system throughout the entire body. This approach was used in other systemic PEMF studies for wellness and performance, for example, but for more of a targeted applications, headband style PEMF device or calls placed around the neck or the head can be used like in the HATEF study, because this actually allows direct influence over brain activity and cranial blood flow. Sherman's team used an unconventional but effective placement applying PEMF to the inner thigh to stimulate the femoral arteries and improve blood flow indirectly to the brain. Some people combine both starting the day with a full body session and then using a portable head applicator if they feel like an attack coming on.

Joshua Roberts 15:07 
OK, great. So kind of knowing all of these factors, looking at the studies, what kind of device would you now recommend?

Andy Smith 15:13 
Yeah, it really depends what you want to do in terms of just something for the migraine support, or if you want to get a PEMF device for wider wellness benefits too. For headaches and migraines, many people prefer to go for like a localized PEMF applicator that can be positioned around the head, neck, or upper spine. This allows you to focus on areas directly involved in migraine pathways, and you can use it during like the early signs of an attack, or as part of it, or like prevention routine. But I would say like a two-in-one system can be a great choice because that has both a localized applicator for on-the-go use, and a larger applicator like a full-body mat for systemic sessions. The localized option means that you can target symptoms discreetly during the day, while the full-body mode supports wider wellness goals like recovery, energy, and sleep. So it's better really if you've got the localized device, also if it's a rechargeable battery, because then you can use it on the go, and seamlessly fit it into your daily life. From the studies, most migraine PEMFs had used the lower frequencies, often from the 1 to 15 hertz range, and a low to moderate intensity, typically around 20 Gauss.

Joshua Roberts 16:27 
Okay, great. And for people using it kind of on the head or near the head, is there any kind of more advice you would give there?

Andy Smith 16:33 
Yeah if you're planning using it directly on the head we would always say go for the low and slow approach. If you're going to use intensities over a thousand gauss then it should always be approached with caution and with medical assistance if you need it.

Joshua Roberts 16:47 
I know we spoke about this a little bit at the start as well. And we spoke about in our Alzheimer's episode before. But if someone wants to kind of track their progress with PEMF and migraines or headaches, how could they go about the tracking?

Andy Smith 17:01 
Yeah, it's a good question because it's just like losing weight. When you look in the mirror, you don't see an immediate response. So it's always best to track and keep a record of like a migraine diary, ideally starting from two to four weeks before using PEMF. So you have a baseline. So each day you record whether you have a headache or a migraine. The severity could be like on a zero to 10 scale. How long it lasted? Any associated symptoms like nausea or aura? And what medication you took to to dampen those symptoms? You can also note that possible triggers, sleep quality and stress levels for more structured approach. You could use the MIDUS score migraine disability assessment or HIT6 headache impact test, which are more of a standard clinical tool for measuring the impact of headaches on daily life. But this might be overkill for some. So migraine diary works just as well.

Joshua Roberts 18:01 
And how long would you kind of keep this tracking for? How long would you go on with this tracking?

Andy Smith 18:06 
Yes, a good point, because no matter which one you choose, consistency is always key. By tracking over several weeks or months, you can see trends like reduced frequency, short duration, or less intense pain. This helps you objectively assess whether PEMF is making a difference rather than relying on just memory or gut feeling.

Joshua Roberts 18:24 
And yeah, like PEMF, consistency is always key. But if you want to check out any of these studies that we've spoken about in this episode, a little bit more in depth, I'll link them all below this episode. While you're there, make sure to leave us a like and subscribe if you're on YouTube or a five star review on audio platforms.

If you're there, it just really helps us make more and more of these episodes in the future and get bigger and better guests on.

Andy Smith 18:46 
And if you guys have any guest suggestions or topic suggestions that you'd really want us to answer in one of these episodes, please leave it in the comments below and we can try and make that happen for you. Thanks again for listening to another episode of the PEMF podcast.