When you hear the word “magnet,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps you instantly picture the front of your refrigerator, where magnets –of all sizes, shapes and configurations – hold in place a variety of important pieces such as pictures of your children or grandchildren, your weekly grocery list or your son’s soccer schedule.

And if you have ever used a magnet, you understand its powerful ability to adhere to surfaces like your refrigerator.

But did you know that magnets also have the power to help you achieve and maintain a healthy body?

The same energy that keeps magnets in place on your fridge has also been used for centuries to relieve pain, accelerate healing and promote an overall sense of well-being.

Ancient Greeks, for example, used magnets to treat arthritis, and doctors practicing during the Middle Ages regularly incorporated magnets into treatments for everything from gout to baldness. During the Civil War in the United States, magnets were touted as a wonder cure for asthma, blindness and cancer.

In modern times, the use of magnets still falls into the category of complimentary and alternative medicine. The exact nature of how they work is unknown, but theories give credit to the ability of magnetic power to improve blood flow, reduce infection and inflammation, and change how nerve cells sense and respond to pain.

The use of magnets continues to be widespread to treat pain, stress, circulatory problems and motion sickness. While the effectiveness of magnets has yet to be endorsed by conclusive formal research for sufferers of arthritis and fibromyalgia, the Food and Drug Administration endorsed the use of magnets to treat bone fractures in 1979.

A friend of mine who works in the high-tech industry told me a strange story. One day she went to a psychic to find out what she could about her future but the moment she sat down, the psychic said that she sensed a great interference with her karmic field and asked if she worked near computers. Surprised, my friend said yes, to which the psychic replied that she could literally hear the sounds of a modem trying to connect all around her. My friend took her advice to begin wearing a magnetic necklace to counteract this energy, and when she returned to the psychic six months later, she said the "silent ringing" noise was gone.

If you would like to benefit from magnetic therapy, a kitchen magnet won’t do. You’ll need a static, or permanent, magnet with an unchanging magnetic field or an electromagnet, which only generate magnetic fields when electricity is flowing through them.

In the area of pain management, electromagnets have be shown to be more effective than static magnets.

Magnets are either placed directly onto skin above the affected area or are placed inside a belt, vest or other garments that are worn wherever relief is sought. They are sold in a variety of sizes and shapes to accommodate use on various parts of the body.

While they generally considered safe for use by most people, the manufactures of health magnets discourage pregnant women, people with pacemakers or who use insulin pumps, and anyone who receives medication through the use of a patch worn on the skin.

Unsure if magnets are right for you? Consult with your doctor or alternative health care professional.