What It Is
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy uses gentle, pulsing electromagnetic fields to stimulate tissue. The reasoning behind it is simple enough: the activity of your cells is partly electrical, and the pulses are intended to support that activity.
We use Qi Coils, which convert audio frequencies into electromagnetic pulses. The system is silent, nothing touches you, and you stay fully clothed. You lie near the coils and the field does the work. It is non-invasive and there is nothing to recover from afterwards.
What people come in for. Most of our patients book it hoping for relief from stiff or aching joints, help winding down and sleeping, or a passive way to recover after hard training. Some are already here for something else and add it to the visit.
What we are careful about is the gap between what PEMF is studied for and what it is often marketed for. The research section below lays out honestly where the evidence is solid, where it is mixed, and where it is thin.
What a Session Is Like
If you have never done this before, the honest answer is that there is very little to it.
You lie down on the treatment bed, fully clothed, with the coils positioned near you. The system is silent. Nothing is attached to you, nothing is applied to your skin, and there is no heat, no buzzing and no sensation to brace for. Most people feel nothing at all beyond becoming quite relaxed. A fair number fall asleep.
The room is dimly lit and quiet. You can rest, nap, or just lie there and let the time pass.
Sessions and pricing
| Single | 5 sessions | 10 sessions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | $60 | $270 ($54 each) | $510 ($51 each) |
| 60 minutes | $120 | $540 ($108 each) | $1,020 ($102 each) |
No assessment is needed and you do not have to be an established patient. Book a session on its own, or add one to a visit you are already making.
If you are trying it for the first time, book a single session rather than a package. We would rather you found out whether you like it before committing to ten.
Who It Is a Good Fit For
Most people who book this are not trying to treat a diagnosis. They are describing something more ordinary:
- Joints that feel stiff or achy, particularly first thing or after sitting
- Feeling run-down and not recovering the way they used to
- Trouble winding down at the end of the day
- Recovering from hard training and wanting something passive to do on a rest day
- Already in the building for something else and wanting to make the visit count
It pairs well with what you are already doing here. Many patients add a session after a chiropractic adjustment, Acupuncture, or hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It asks nothing of you physically, so it sits comfortably at the end of a longer visit.
What the Research Says
We would rather tell you where the evidence actually stands than imply more than is known.
PEMF has been studied for decades, and the strongest, most established use is in bone healing — devices in that category are regulated and prescribed for specific fractures and spinal fusions. That is a narrow, well-defined application, and it is not what we are offering here.
For the things people more often come in for, principally joint pain, there is a reasonable body of placebo-controlled research, and the results are best described as encouraging but mixed. Some trials report meaningful reductions in pain and stiffness; others find little difference from placebo. The studies tend to be small, and they vary widely in the frequencies, intensities and session lengths used, which makes it hard to compare them against each other or against any particular device.
For sleep, energy and general wellbeing, the evidence is thinner still and largely rests on what people report rather than on objective measurement.
So: this is a comfortable, low-risk thing to try, and plenty of our patients like how they feel afterwards. What we will not tell you is that it is proven to do a specific thing for you. If you try it and notice nothing, that is worth knowing too, and we would rather you spent your money elsewhere.
Who Should Not Use It
PEMF is considered low-risk, but it is not for everyone. Please tell us before booking if any of these apply:
- You have a pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, or any other implanted electronic device. Electromagnetic fields can interfere with implanted electronics. This is the firmest of the cautions.
- You are pregnant, or think you might be. PEMF has not been established as safe in pregnancy, so we do not offer it.
- You have a known heart rhythm problem.
- You have an implanted medication pump, cochlear implant or neurostimulator.
If you are under the care of a specialist for any of the above, check with them first. If you are unsure whether something counts, mention it at the front desk and we will work it out before you book rather than after.
Payment
We accept cash, check, credit card, and HSA and FSA payments. The office can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance as an out-of-network provider. What your plan will reimburse is set by the plan, so check with your administrator if you are unsure.