Some researchers went around this by using weak magnets as the placebo treatment. Others used complicated placebo devices to confound the patients. Here are the results of some of the double-blind tests. Rheumatoid arthritis A double blind, controlled trial of patients with rheumatoid arthritis of the knee compared the effects of strong alternating polarity magnets with the effects of a deliberately weak unipolar magnet. Magnet healing could also increase the production of enzymes which are important in reducing inflammation. There are studies who are trying to prove the benefits of magnets of arthritis. The studies are not that conclusive since the results showed improvement, the effects or the statistics are too minimal be considered significant like in the study published in the The New York Times in 2009 by Anahad O Conner. Nonetheless, based on the increasing number of people who use magnets as complementary treatment it would be best for them to know at least the basic Dos and Donts of magnetic therapy. As you probably already know, magnetic therapy uses the magnetic fields to help relieve pain and induce healing. The magnetic field has varying effects. Bipolar magnets On the other hand, the bipolar magnets are considered more effective in stimulating surface tissues. The two-pole configuration is deemed better to treat injuries like wrist sprains. Additionally, some practitioners believe that the north side of the magnet calms a person while the south end stimulates. The gauss rating is the maximum amount of magnetic energy that a magnet can hold at its core. Thicker magnets with a large diameter produce a stronger, deeper penetrating magnetic field than a smaller and thinner magnet with the same gauss rating. The overall strength (and effectiveness) of a magnet is determined by its gauss rating, its thickness, diameter and spacing. Placing magnets on the two sides of the spine would help solve your back pain problem. Similarly, attaching a pair of magnets on your temple or at the back of your head will help keep that headache at bay. The magnet s South and North poles have different applications as well. One thing you should remember is that the magnet s north pole is magnetically negative while the south is magnetically positive.