It can be quite confusing to get the correct magnetic bracelet for the
treatment of your particular hand, wrist, finger or arm pain. There are
stainless steel magnetic bracelets, hematite expandable bracelets, hematite
coil magnetic bracelets and copper magnetic bangles also known as open
magnetic bracelets. Here’s a quick guide on what these magnetic bracelets
are made of and what to look for when buying one.
Firstly, the copper magnetic bracelet or bangle is by far the most common on
the market and is also known as the open ended magnetic bracelet. It usually
comes in one size fits all. To put it on, simply pull apart the ends, place
around the wrist and squeeze the ends together until it fits comfortably
around the wrist. You should not wear this tight to the skin or so loose
that it falls off.
The magnetic bracelet should be able to move a little way up and down the
arm. Most of this type of magnetic bracelet available tends to have a 1700
gauss magnet at each end of the bracelet although, a few suppliers do have
the ones with six 1700 gauss neodymium rare earth magnets. The latter is
recommended as the more healing magnets the better pain relief you will
achieve. Magnetic bangles are usually made from copper and some have either
a gold or/and silver plated finish. Do not wear this type of bracelet if you
are generally allergic to metals.
The hematite magnetic bracelets are more popular with the ladies as they
usually contain other precious stones too. They come in two types:
expandable and coil.
Most hematite expandable magnetic bracelets contain nickel so you should
choose a design that does not have any metal parts if you have a nickel
allergy. These magnetic bracelets are usually stringed on strong elasticated
nylon. Expandable magnetic bracelets are ideal if you have difficulty in
fastening clasps or have very painful fingers, as they simply slip over the
hand and onto the wrist. Expandable hematite magnetic bracelets differ
widely in magnetic strength and the number of magnets per bracelet is
dependent on the amount of hematite beads in each bracelet. Most expandable
bracelets have 800-1200 gauss magnet in each hematite bead.
Hematite coil bracelets do not have a conventional clasp. They fasten by
wrapping around the wrist and the magnets adhere to each other preventing
the bracelet from falling off. This makes them perfect for people who suffer
from metal allergies as these magnetic bracelets are totally hypoallergenic.
Coil hematite bracelets should contain 1,000-1,200 gauss magnets and
depending on the length they will contain between 16—20 magnets. Best of
all, they will fit all wrist sizes due to their wrap around style.
By far, the most effective magnetic bracelet is the stainless steel type.
This is purely because they usually have the highest strength magnets in
them. Always look for stainless steel magnetic bracelets that have a 3,000
gauss neodymium rare earth magnet in each link and that are made from
surgical stainless steel. The number of magnets in a bracelet depends on the
length of the bracelet and the individual link size. The smaller the links,
the more healing magnets per bracelet.
It is important to select the correct size when choosing a stainless steel
bracelet. The magnetic bracelet needs to be between ¼ and ½ inch larger than
your tight wrist measurement. This will allow for the natural expansion of
your skin during the day and especially at night. If the bracelet is tight
to the skin when you get warm it will become too tight and possibly restrict
the circulation to your hand and fingers. At the other end of the scale if
the bracelet is too loose and moves up the arm or falls over the hand you
will not have sufficient contact with the magnets and you will not receive
the maximum benefits.
As a rule of thumb you should be able to place your index finger between the
bracelet and your skin once it is fastened. Before you choose a design you
should take your tight wrist measurement and add on ½ of an inch and then
check that the bracelet you have selected is available in that size.
Stainless steel magnetic bracelets are mostly fastened with clasps.
There are also some titanium magnetic bracelets that are available. But from
a pain relieving perspective, they are no better than a stainless steel
magnetic bracelet since they contain the same strength magnets and are much
more expensive. So I would suggest you save yourself some money and opt for
a stainless steel magnetic bracelet instead.
A final word of caution! Always ensure that you know what strength healing
magnets are used in the bracelets. Therapeutic magnets need to be at least
800 gauss to be able to relieve pain.
