HI Ray
   This is what I am after . Great !!
>
> I =
> became interested in the possibilities offered by external magnetic =
> fields after seeing references in Medline to papers by R. Sandyk, where =
> he claimed that the application of low power low frequency magnetic =
> fields to the skull provided considerable relief.

What relief ?
>
> I got photostats of a number of Sandyk's papers, and found that the =
> original work had been done in Greece, and had been used to treat =
> epileptic seizures.  The lead author was a Prof Anninos
> of the University of Thrace, which I though gave it some credibility. =
> The paper also gave a description of the device being used, which I have =
> not seen repeated in other papers.
>
> A further line which I turned up was a paper by a Biophysicist, Dr. =
> Jerry I. Jacobson, who had developed what he called the Jacobson =
> Resonance theory, to explain how the Sandyk treatment worked. This paper =
> was published in Pan Minerva Med., (1994:36 pp 201-5) which can be =
> regarded as being more subject to peer review than Int.J.Neurosci. where =
> Sandyk's papers are published, as Sandyk is a part owner and deputy =
> editor of this   =20
>
> Subsequently Jacobson set up a company in Florida, called Pioneer =
> International to develop and exploit devices based around his resonance =
> theory.  Reports of the companies progress used to appear fairly =
> regularly on a web site associated with Yahoo business section, but the =
> site disappeared about 6 months ago.
>
> I found a further, and completely independent strand when I came across =
> the Medical Device and Instrumentation's  site (MDI)  which gave details =
> of their Empluse device.  This is worn round the patient's neck, and =
> provides a much stronger magnetic impulse than used by Sandyk, but with =
> the frequencies in the same range - 5-10 Hz..  These are set after =
> taking readings from the patient's skull, and the device is set to give =
> frequencies which MDI believe are optimum for the particular patient. =
> The cost is around #40 for the first session, when patient details are =
> taken and the device is setup.  Subsequent sessions are around #20, and =
> the device costs #160, but is hired out at #15/month whilst it is tried =
> out.  It is claimed that the impulses are picked up by the skin nerve =
> cells and transmitted to the brain.  They claim thier main success is in =
> the treatment of migraine, slightly less success for MS, and a limited =
> success for PD.
>
> We thought that, at the fees charged, it worth having a go, and Helen =
> tried it for about a month.  On the first settings it greatly =
> exacerbated her tremor, she tried it a two other settings, both of which =
> made the tremor worse, but not as much as the initial trial.  Concerned =
> that it might be doing permanent damage we discontinued its use.   The =
> only reason that I've dwelt so much on here, is that whilst I was =
> initially very sceptical of it having any effect, I am now satisfied =
> that the impulses do have some effect on the brain ( if not what we were =
> looking for) and that people with migraine and MS may get some benefit.

 If my alt explanation of PD ir right then you should always
discontinue if tremor gets worse . Increasing the spasm reinforces it
.
Last night while typing out my posting " alt explanation of PD " my
leg started acting up as it does in the evening so I took the
opportunity of putting the pads of the EMS/TENS machine on the instep
of my foot . IT stooped the tremor provided I was continually
altering either the intensity or the frequency . I was unable to find
a frequency and intensity that permanently stopped the tremor .Any
new setting would immediately stop the tremor but it  would slowly
build up again. . This suggest two possibilities  1) constantly
varying electrical stimulation . 2 ) a feedback system that
altered.the frequency/intensity to maximise the dampening effect .
          I use foot stimulation because there seems to be a lot of
direct communication between the foot and the brain . This is a
necessity  if the body is to maintain its balance . Reflexology uses
this fact also .
>
> I hope that some of the above will be of use to you, and save you =
> reinventing the wheel.

As you can see I am coming from a different angle . This might provide
new answers .

>
> I also give below a number of items that I recovered from my files.  =
> There are some more there, but I'm sure that you find this message long =
> enough. Please forgive any repetions which are present.
>
> With kind regards,
>
> Ray   ([log in to unmask])     =20
>
e.There have been a number of =
> postings on the Listserver about  Sandyk's treatment, and you can find =
> these by going into the  archives, which can be found in "Welcome to =
> James"  http:/James.Parkinsons.org.uk/ and using "Sandyk: as  the search =
> term. Probably the most informative is part of a report by some Danish  =
> Students who reviewed current treatment for Parkinsons in 1994,   I give =
> the relevant extract below:

Thanks I tried 2 weeks ago these excelent archives for " magnet" ,but this
information did not show . I tried today to look up MF therapy but
could not raise the URL ( James) . Iwill go into everything in more detail
when I have fully read  it .
>
> "         Magnetic field (MF) therapy has also been tried in treatment =
> of PD. Reuven Sandyk have made a study of the effect of MF in =
> parkinsonian patients.  A summary  theory of MF-therapy would  be: The  =
> pineal gland is impacted by the magnetic fields, and melatonin ( a =
> neuro-transmitter) secretion are inhibited. Melatonin is thought to =
> inhibit dopamine production, therefore its inhibition would improve =
> dopamine production. The treated patients experience mood elevation,  =
> less fatigue, clearer and louder speech, diminished tremor, better =
> handwriting, better facial expression and more normal gait. The =
> improvement of the  symptoms last for 3 to 4 days. It is not clear, =
> whether there are side-effects, or how the patient will respond to =
> long-term treatment."

Is the magnetic field pulsating ?
I feel this theory  is a bit weak. Sort of invented to explain the
facts .
I take 3 mg of melatonin at night . It seems to help me get a longer
night's sleep .

>
> About a year ago Sandyk gave a demonstration of his treatment to a =
> Symposium held at the Parkinson Klinic at Bad Nauheim, near Frankfurt, =
> and a Dietmar  Wessel gave a very encouraging report on the success of =
> the treatment. The Klinic tried to come to an arrangement with Sandyk to =
> carry out trials based on his work, but they were unable to come to a  =
> satisfactory arrangement, and I understand that they are carrying out =
> work using picotesla therapy with equipment from other sources.  I have =
> no knowledge as to how these trials are going.
>
> The other analogous treatment I have come across is this field is that =
> offered by MDI with their "Empulse" device.  You will find details of  =
> this on their web site :      =20
>
>                                      http://www.empulse.com/index.htm

I just looked around this site . I was NOT impressed . NO theory of
why it should work or test to show that it does work and in what
conditions . I dont mind a suck it and see medecine but there has to
be a rigorous assessment . My criticism of all PD drug medication
is that no proper theory that even begins to accurately predict the
effect of the medication .
. I tried to hyppertext to the site justifying their medical basis (
Sandyk ) and got told that the site did not exist . I will try again
soon and will reply more fully
>
> This device is worn round the neck, and whilst it gives a pulsed signal =
> the magnetic field is much stronger than those used by Sandyk.It was =
> developed in the UK by an electronic engineer who had been  involved in =
> a car accident and the hospital had used pulsed magnetic fields to =
> accelerate healing.  He was sufficiently impressed by this to see if he =
> could cure his migraine by similar means and came up with the Empulse =
> device, which it is claimed makes contact with the brain through the =
> nerve cells in the skin. Something like 50 clinics in the UK offer this =
> treatment.  Most of them offer forms of alternative medicine, but there =
> are several conventional medical practitioners on their list. It is =
> aimed primary at migraine sufferers, where they claim an  success rate =
> in excess of 70%, and they only claim limited success with Parkinson's. =
> In all cases there is a need to keep wearing the device, otherwise the =
> symptoms return. They tell me that migrane sufferers can tell when the =
> battery needs to changed as their migrane returns.

I got more information from you than I got at the Web site . They
were comparing their machine with others and it is all so wooly and
vague
 I know someone who is using something similar for ME .
>
>
>
> I hope that all of the above has not bored you.

Not in the least bored  . But at present I cannot see why they choose
those specific frequencies or strenths of magnetic fields or
locations of these fields on a persons body . I am strickly a cause
and effect person and only  accept things when I see this pattern .

  My own feelings are  =
> that there is something in magnetic therapy for neurological diseases, =
> and I would like some main stream research body to take it up. However =
> as so much research nowadays is drug industry led, and there are no =
> drugs involved in this therapy it is unlikely to be taken up in a major =
> way. So far as Sandyk is concerned, which is where we started, I am very =
> uncertain.  My main reservation lies in the fact that Dr Iacona, who is =
> a leading specialist in palidotomomy operations, collaborated with =
> Sandyk in a number of his papers. Would he be drilling holes in peoples' =
> heads if the cure was as easy as Sandyk's papers would imply?.With best =
> wishes - I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas, and have a healthy 1998.
>
> Ray   ([log in to unmask]  =20
     peace
          Alastair     ( [log in to unmask] )