BTL Magnetotherapy 5000 User manual
BTL-5000
Magnetotherapy
USER’S GUIDE
V100RK13/07/2006
MAGNETOTERAPIE - UŽIVATELSKÁ PŘ ÍRUČ KA BTL Physiotherapy
CONTENTS
1 MAGNETOTHERAPY............................................................................................. 4
2 MAGNETOTHERAPY – PHYSICAL BACKGROUND.................................................... 5
2.1 Magnetic Field ................................................................................................. 5
2.1.1 Stationary Magnetic Field .............................................................................. 5
2.1.2 Alternating Magnetic Field ............................................................................. 5
2.1.3 Pulse Magnetic Field..................................................................................... 6
2.1.3.1 Device Options......................................................................................... 6
2.2 FMF Technology............................................................................................... 6
2.3 Magnetic Field Units ......................................................................................... 8
3 THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF MAGNETOTHERAPY ................................................... 9
3.1 Analgesic Effect ............................................................................................... 9
3.2 Antiphlogistic Effect.......................................................................................... 9
3.3 Trophic Effect .................................................................................................10
3.4 myorelaxation and spasmolytic effect, ................................................................10
3.5 Vasodilatation Effect........................................................................................10
3.6 Antiedematous Effect .......................................................................................10
4 RECOMMENDED DOSAGE OF MAGNETOTHERAPY ................................................11
5 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................................12
6 SETTING AND CONTROL OF MAGNETOTHERAPY – TECHNICAL PARAMETERS .......15
6.1 Magnetic Field Intensity ...................................................................................15
6.2 Therapy Time..................................................................................................15
6.3 Physiological Effects........................................................................................15
6.4 Selection of Th e rapy ........................................................................................15
6.4.1 Magnetic Pulses ..........................................................................................15
6.4.1.1 Pulse, Pause, Frequency – Setting ............................................................16
6.4.2 Series of Magnetic Pulses ............................................................................16
6.4.2.1 Pulse, Pause, Frequency, Repeating – Setting of Series...............................16
6.4.3 Continuous Magnetic Field............................................................................17
6.5 Pulse Shape ...................................................................................................17
6.5.1 Rectangular Pulses......................................................................................17
6.5.2 Rectangular Protracted Pulses ......................................................................18
6.5.3 Exponential Pulses ......................................................................................19
6.5.4 Sinusoidal Pulses ........................................................................................19
6.5.5 Triangular Pulses ........................................................................................19
6.6 Modulation......................................................................................................20
6.6.1 Random Frequency ......................................................................................20
6.6.2 Burst..........................................................................................................20
6.6.3 Sine Surges ................................................................................................20
6.6.4 Trapezoid Surges ........................................................................................20
6.6.5 Symmetric Surges........................................................................................22
6.7 Test of Connected Applicator ............................................................................22
7 APPLICATORS....................................................................................................23
7.1 “DISC" Applicator ............................................................................................23
7.1.1 Technical Parameters...................................................................................23
7.1.2 Shape of the Magnetic Field of the Applicator .................................................24
7.2 “DOUBLE DISC" Applicator ...............................................................................25
7.2.1 Technical Parameters...................................................................................25
7.2.2 Shape of the Magnetic Field of the Applicator .................................................26
7.3 “Multi DISC" Applicator ....................................................................................27
7.3.1 Technical Parameters...................................................................................27
7.3.2 Shape of the Magnetic Field of the Applicator .................................................28
7.4 “Solenoid 30” Applicator ...................................................................................29
7.4.1 Technical Parameters...................................................................................29
7.4.2 Shape of the Magnetic Field of the Applicator .................................................29
7.5 “Solenoid 60” Applicator ...................................................................................30
7.5.1 Technical Parameters...................................................................................30
7.5.2 Shape of the Magnetic Field of the Applicator .................................................30
7.6 “Linear" Applicator...........................................................................................31
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MAGNETOTERAPIE - UŽIVATELSKÁ PŘ ÍRUČ KA BTL Physiotherapy
7.6.1 Technical Parameters...................................................................................31
7.6.2 Shape of the Magnetic Field of the Applicator .................................................31
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MAGNETOTERAPIE - UŽIVATELSKÁ PŘ ÍRUČ KA BTL Physiotherapy
1 MAGNETOTHERAPY
Magnetotherapy is one of the basic physiotherapy procedures. Its basic form - application of
static magnetic field. i.e. the permanent magnet - has been used since time immemorial as
one of natural healing sources. However, only the coming of electronics and powerful
switching elements enabled rapid development of low-frequency pulse magnet therapy, the
effects of which are several times higher than those of the static magnetic field. The recently
performed studies imply that therapy performed by means of pulse electromagnetic field is up
to 100 times more effective than the application of stationary magnetic field. That is why the
pulse magnetotherapy is nowadays becoming one of widespread physiotherapy methods. At
some conditions (e.g. chronic pains in degenerative articular diseases) this method has
proven successful as therapy with long-lasting therapeutic effect even when other therapy
methods failed.
Pulse magnetotherapy can be very effective in case of correct indication and application. It
can also be recommended for use in combination with other therapy methods, such as
pharmacotherapy, the effects of which are usually supported by magnetotherapy. That is why
magnetotherapy should neither be left out in case of comprehensive approach to treatment,
nor given preference as monotherapy.
The latest findings about physiological response of the organism to the electromagnetic field
imply the following effects of magnetotherapy:
• analgesic effect,
• antiedematous effect,
• antiphlogistic effect,
• trophic effect (acceleration of healing and growth),
• myorelaxation and spasmolytic effect,
• vasodilatation effect.
The following chapters contain brief explanation of physical background of magnetotherapy
and physiological mechanisms of its effect with emphasis on application in individual fields of
medicine.
The Encyclopaedia, which is a separate attachment of this User’s Guide, contains the list of
recommended parameters of magnetotherapy at selected diagnoses.
The designing of this device utilizes the experience acquired during the development,
manufacturing and long-standing clinical operation of the BTL-09 device and state-of-the-art
devices of the BTL-4000 and BTL-5000 series.
During the designing of new magnetic applicators for this device there was developed a brand
new technology - so called “FMF“ (“Focused Magnetic Field”) technology. Thus we managed
to increase the electromagnetic field intensity on the patient side and significantly reduce the
electromagnetic field intensity on the applicator side, turned away from the patient.
Colloquially said, the magnetic field was moved from the improper side to the side where it is
desired.
Thanks to these construction elements and thanks to state-of-the-art sources based on the
principle of electronic switching elements we have managed to reduce the power consumption
significantly while preserving the same electromagnetic field intensities.
Note
The authors of this User’s Guide are aware that such a small space is not sufficient for
detailed description of the entire magnetotherapy issue. They therefore had to make some
generalizations and simplifications resulting from the limited scope of this text. More details
you can find in the available literature (see Chapter 5 Bibliography)
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MAGNETOTERAPIE - UŽIVATELSKÁ PŘ ÍRUČ KA BTL Physiotherapy
2 MAGNETOTHERAPY – PHYSICAL BACKGROUND
2.1 MAGNETIC FIELD
Magnetic field is an integral part of electromagnetic field which consists of the electric and the
magnetic components. Both components of the electromagnetic field are mutually closely
connected and cannot exist without each other, , except in the following two special cases:
• electrostatic field in which the magnetic component of the field is zero, and
• stationary magnetic field in which the electric component is zero.
Owing to the used frequencies up to 150 Hz and owing to the design of the BTL applicators,
the magnetic component of the field predominates over the electric. For short we will call the
field by the commonly used term “magnetic field” hereinafter.
The presence of a magnetic field is sensed primarily through its force effects by which it
affects magnetically conductive things, moving charges and conductors with electric current
flowing through them. The force effects are not very important for our theory, because
biological objects are diamagnetic. However, it is necessary to take these force effects into
account in case of metal implants, especially those which are fixed in soft tissues and are not
made of antimagnetic materials.
Another interaction between the magnetic field and the matter occurs at the moment when the
matter is exposed to the magnetic field. At that moment, individual free molecules are
orientated in a way to minimize the energy inside the field. In case of biological objects, these
forces act against the bonds between atoms, molecules and ions in the tissues, which
consequently influences also the cellular processes.
The effects important for physiotherapy are based on electrodynamic induction discovered
by the physicist M. Faraday in the 19
conductor in the magnetic field, voltage appears on it. If you make a closed loop of the moving
conductor, electric current will flow through it. As Faraday discovered, this phenomenon also
works the other way around – if the magnetic field moves or changes in the course of time
(instead of the conductor), a similar effect occurs. These discoveries were only a short remove
from the application of alternating magnetic fields in therapy.
In case of living organisms, the moving charges (the conductor moving in the magnetic field)
are represented by the circulating body fluids (blood, lymph). In case of exposition to
alternating magnetic field it refers to its individual more electrically conductive parts - the
vascular bed (including circulating fluids), peripheral nerves, CNS neural paths and, last but
not least, also individual ions and charges on cellular membranes.
th
century. In practice, if you are moving the electric
2.1.1 Stationary Magnetic Field
Stationary magnetic field arises around permanent magnets but also around moving electric
charges which move at a constant speed (direct current)
Electric charge may be carried e.g. by ions (electric current flowing in liquids) and electrons
(electric current flowing in conductors). In the latter case, a magnetic field similar to that
around the permanent magnet arises around the electric conductor with constant direct
electric current flowing through it.
2.1.2 Alternating Magnetic Field
Time behaviour of this field is usually derived from the sinusoidal mains voltage. In common
practice, devices most often generate the fields of a frequency of 50 Hz and the sinusoidal
waveform. The magnetic fields of these devices change their polarity in the course of time.
These fields, even though with much lower intensity, exist in the surrounding of each electric
conductor, transformers and motors supplied from the AC mains.
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MAGNETOTERAPIE - UŽIVATELSKÁ PŘ ÍRUČ KA BTL Physiotherapy
2.1.3 Pulse Magnetic Field
This field is characterized by fast changes of field; individual pulses are close to rectangular
pulses, their edges are very steep. That is why in the pulse magnetic field the electric
component is higher and is permanently present beside the magnetic component. Some
studies, which deal with comparison of individual magnetic field types, point out the very high
efficiency of the pulse magnetic field in comparison with the stationary magnetic field.
Therefore the question arises whether the positive results of the pulse magnetic field are not
caused by the more intensive electric component of the field.
Out of all possible pulse types, the BTL – 5000 device has been equipped with the following
ones. These pulses cover the entire spectrum of required applications, from acute to chronic
states.
2.1.3.1 Device Options
The device can be set to generate the following
pulse types:
• rectangular pulses,
• rectangular protracted pulses,
• exponential pulses,
• sinusoidal pulses,
• triangular pulses and
• continuous magnetic field.
All the above listed magnetic field waveforms can
be further modulated and the following surges of
basic pulses can be created:
• trapezoid surges,
• sine surges,
• symmetric surges.
It is also possible to create groups of magnetic pulses - so called bursts.
The option of random sweep of the basic selected frequency is available
too.
All these parameters can be set in well-arranged manual mode. Preset
programs and recommended diagnoses are available too.
2.2 FMF TECHNOLOGY
FMF = Focused M agnetic F ield
In dependence on their spatial distribution, magnetic fields are divided into uniform and nonuniform. The uniform field has the same intensity and the same direction in all points of the
space.
The applicators were designed using state-of the-art ferromagnetic and magnetic materials
which allow to assemble highly effective magnetic concentration systems. These elements
focus the electromagnetic field into the desired space towards the treated body part.
Therefore the magnetic field of the BTL applicator is intentionally non-uniform and focused.
Standard Magnetic Applicator FMF Technology Applicator of DISC Type
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MAGNETOTERAPIE - UŽIVATELSKÁ PŘ ÍRUČ KA BTL Physiotherapy
The sides of the applicator are identified as the patient side, from which the magnetic field is
emitted to a higher extent, and the operator side, at which the field intensities are several
times lower.
blue indicator light
Patient / Application
Side of the Applicator
The side is marked with the
pictograph of a “patient in the
magnetic field”. The intensities at
this side of the applicator are much
higher than those at the operator
side. During the operation of the
device the operator should not touch
Side turned away from the patient
(operator side)
Side marked with the BTL logo.
It is also equipped with blue
indicator lamp which indicates the
operation of the applicator
(continuous light, fast blinking)
and its readiness for operation (slow
blinking)
this side of the applicator.
Example of possible use of the magnetic applicator with FMF technology:
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MAGNETOTERAPIE - UŽIVATELSKÁ PŘ ÍRUČ KA BTL Physiotherapy
The magnetic field of the solenoid type applicators is focused inward:
Standard applicator and its FMF technology applicator magnetic
field - focused magnetic field
2.3 MAGNETIC FIELD UNITS
Devices BTL-4000 and BTL-5000 use for the magnetic field induction (B) the unit according to
the SI international unit system – Tesla (T) or its one thousandth - millitesla (mT).
Owing to the fact that the formerly used unit Gauss (G) has the following relation to millitesla:
1mT = 10 G, the display shows the converted value in mT/10.
Then, 1mT/10 = 1G.
Other magnetic field units:
Then unit of magnetic field intensity is ampere per meter (A/m).
An older unit of intensity is Oersted (Oe).
The relation between these two unit is: 1 Oe = 79.577 A/m.
The relation between the magnetic induction and the magnetic intensity is the following:
B = µ
. µo . H
r
where: B is the magnetic induction
H is the magnetic intensity
µ
µ
is the permeability of vacuum, which equals to 1.2566 . 10-6
o
is the relative permeability of the environment which expresses the magnetic
r
properties of the environment
• for vacuum it equals to 1
• for magnetically conductive materials the values are much higher than 1 (e.g.
for steel the values range from 100 to 5800)
• for air the value is similar as for vacuum, i.e. approximately 1 (1.00000038 to be
accurate)
• biological tissues from this view can be compared to water, for which the value
equals to 0.999991
It can be calculated that for biological tissues a magnetic field induction of 1mT corresponds
to a magnetic field intensity of 795.8 A/m.
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MAGNETOTERAPIE - UŽIVATELSKÁ PŘ ÍRUČ KA BTL Physiotherapy
3 THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF MAGNETOTHERAPY
Magnetotherapy is one of the commonly used physiotherapy procedures. This method has
proved successful in some diseases as therapy with long-lasting therapeutic effect (e.g. at
chronic pains of vertebrogenous aetiology or at degenerative joint diseases) even when other
therapy methods failed. However, it is necessary to consider that, like every therapeutic
procedure, magnetotherapy also has a certain failure rate.
It has been proved that for treatment of patients in acute stages it is better to use static
magnetic field at the beginning; in chronic diseases it is better to use pulse magnetotherapy.
Application of magnetotherapy must always be based on thorough medical history and detailed
examination of the patient.
It is suitable to take into account that the natural magnetic field of the Earth equals
approximately to 0.04 – 0.05 mT (0.4 – 0.5 Gauss). Devices BTL-4000 / BTL-5000 work with
magnetic fields the intensity of which may be up to 1000 times higher. Therefore the
application requires particular caution, also with respect to the fact that man has no specific
receptors for magnetic field and therefore does not perceive it directly – unlike e.g. electric
current.
The latest findings about physiological response of the organism to the electromagnetic field
imply the following effects of magnetotherapy:
• analgesic effect,
• antiphlogistic effect,
• trophic effect (acceleration of healing and growth),
• myorelaxation and spasmolytic effect,
• vasodilatation effect.
• antiedematous effect,
3.1 ANALGESIC EFFECT
The analgesic effect of magnetotherapy applies in most algesic states of muscular as well as
articular aetiology. Detailed description of this effect is quite complicated; its physiological
effects have been specified in recent years. According to these findings, the analgesic effect
of magnetotherapy is accounted for by increased secretion of endogenous opioids caused by
myorelaxation, antiphlogistic and antiedematous effect and maybe also the impact on
presinaptic inhibition of nociceptive signals at the level of medullary dorsal horns.
The treatment should be combined with aimed pharmacotherapy, manual treatment and
relaxation therapy, at least in the initial stage.
3.2 ANTIPHLOGISTIC EFFECT
This effect has not been convincingly explained so far, but recent studies agree on the
following principle:
The antiphlogistic effect is induced by increased phagocytosis of neutrophils and increased
production of hyperoxide. This is followed by induction of hyperoxide dismutase bound to
endothelium, which all probably leads to higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the
exposed area. Owing to the fast that hyperoxide inhibits the activity of catalase, the hydrogen
peroxide is not degraded and thus it is able to destroy leucotriens, which belong to the
strongest activators of phagocytosis.
This mechanism also explains the initial controversial acting of the magnetic field in sterile
inflammations as well as in the microbially induced inflammations. This effect also accounts
for temporary impairment of rheumatic conditions during the first two or three expositions,
when the inflammatory symptoms are intensified by increasingly produced hyperoxide.
Simultaneous medication and physical therapy is necessary; the patient must be monitored
during the therapy and in case of longer negative reaction the therapy must be stopped.
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MAGNETOTERAPIE - UŽIVATELSKÁ PŘ ÍRUČ KA BTL Physiotherapy
3.3 TROPHIC EFFECT
The magnetic field accelerates healing of the skeleton and soft tissues. It is caused by better
blood circulation in the exposed area and by irritation of cytoplasmatic membranes. This
activates the metabolic chain, the key point of which is the change of the cAMP/cGMP ratio.
The acceleration of healing, especially of the skeleton, is described in details in the literature
(Chvojka, 1993, 2000).
3.4 MYORELAXATION AND SPASMOLYTIC EFFECT,
Increased blood circulation in the area improves washing away of acidic metabolites which
cause painful irritation. In the muscles exposed to the magnetic field there also proceeds
increased activity of LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) and efflux of the Ca
2+
ion from muscle cells.
3.5 VASODILATATION EFFECT
This effect is caused by the efflux of Ca2+ ions which causes relaxation of the tonus of the
vascular musculature and precapillary sphincters. Probably the n. vagus is also directly
influenced and the increased metabolic activity of cells in the exposed area results in creation
of EDRF and prostacyclins.
3.6 ANTIEDEMATOUS EFFECT
This effect results from the two above described effects - antiphlogistic effect of the magnet
and acceleration of healing and improved blood circulation.
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