PEMF stands for pulsed electromagnetic field. This glossary explains eleven terms you will meet in a maker’s guide. Some name the equipment and some name its settings.
The field, the pulse and the coil
A pulsed electromagnetic field is the field an electric current produces, made to rise and fall over and over in a pattern the system sets. PEMF is also the short name for the technology and the devices that use it.
A pulse is one rise and fall of that field.
A coil is copper wire wound into loops. When an electric current passes through it, a magnetic field forms around it, and when the current stops the field falls away. PEMF equipment builds its coils into the mat or applicator.
Frequency, intensity and waveform are settings
Frequency is how many pulses the field makes each second, counted in hertz (Hz). One hertz is one pulse a second, so a higher setting means more pulses.
Intensity is how strong the field is, in units such as gauss or tesla. A higher setting means a stronger field. The two settings are separate: one is how often, the other is how strong.
Waveform is the shape of the pattern the pulses follow. On the iMRS system, the mat uses a triple saw-tooth waveform and the pillow pad uses a square-tooth one.
Mat, pillow pad and applicator
- A mat is what you lie on. It surrounds the whole body with the field, which is why this kind is called full-body equipment.
- A pillow pad is a pad you lean back against while you sit on a chair. It applies the field to one area instead of the whole body.
- An applicator is a handheld piece that you hold over the area you choose. The iMRS probe, sometimes called a wand, is one.
The machine and the session
The machine is the unit the mat, pad or applicator connects to. It holds the electronics that switch the current on and off in the pattern the system sets.
A session is one period of using the system. You switch it on, choose a setting, and stay on the mat, on the pad or with the applicator in place until the period ends. The maker’s instructions give the length and how to place the equipment.
Who should ask a doctor first
People with epilepsy, people who are pregnant and people with certain implants, such as a pacemaker or an insulin pump, should not use PEMF equipment. If you are unsure whether one of these applies to you, ask your doctor first.
This information is for general wellness education only and does not constitute medical advice or guarantee specific results.