The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, Vol. 30, No.

1, 183–185
© 2002 World Scientific Publishing Company
& Institute for Advanced Research in Asian Science and Medicine

Magnets on Ears Helped Diabetics

Yu Chen

Beijing Acupuncture, Chinese Herbology and Magnet Center

1401 Reisterstown Road. Suite 207, Baltimore, MD 21208, U.S.A.

(Accepted July 17, 2001)

Abstract: Magnets were attached on auricular acupuncture points of diabetes patients. This
treatment lowered the blood glucose levels and improved eye conditions.

Keywords: Diabetes; Auricular Magnet Therapy.

Case Report

A 78-year-old Caucasian woman with 23 years of diabetes mellitus type II came to an

acupuncture office in December 1996. She had used insulin for 13 years. Her average
fasting blood glucose levels were around 200 mg/dl. Her cataracts were removed in 1994.
She had had diabetic retinopathy in both eyes for 10 years. In February 1996, a retina
specialist found background retinopathy along with cystic macular edema. Since then, she
had laser surgery four times from March 1996 to January 1997. She also had chronic open
angle glaucoma in both eyes and was treated with Xalatan eye drops.
Placebo discs without magnet force were attached on the pancreas point on her left ear
and thalamus points on both left and right ears for 7 days in December 1996 and the fasting
blood glucose levels were 194 ± 15 mg/dl. Then 2500-gauss magnet discs were placed in
the same auricular points for 7 days. The fasting blood glucose levels dropped to 136 ± 10
mg/dl, p < 0.005. Her insulin use changed from 32 units of regular and 20 units of Lente to
23 units regular and 21 units Lente per day after the magnet treatment. Since then, she has
had auricular magnet therapy for almost 4½ years. The fasting blood glucose levels were
138 ± 31 (n = 48), 117 ± 26 (n = 48), 124 ± 21 (n = 40), 126 ± 30 (n = 36), 132 ± 20 mg/dl
(n = 14), in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001, respectively. Her Hgb A1c was 10% in
1996 before magnet therapy, and 7% and 6.5 % in 1997, 8.2 % in 1998, and 7.4% in 2000
during magnet therapy.
Due to the diabetic retinopathy, she was given a pair of magnetic ear clips, which were
placed on the middle of her earlobes at eye points. Three months after these therapies, the
retina specialist failed to reveal any clinically significant macular edema and only found
some scattered leakage in the macula on angiography of both eyes, and most of it was from
photocoagulation scars. This doctor changed her visits from every 3 months to 6 months
and eventually to 1.5 year. Since the magnet therapy, her background diabetic retinopathy

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 184 Y. CHEN

Figure 1. Auricular acupuncture points used for treatment (from Huang, L.-C., Auriculotherapy Diagnosis and
Treatment, Longevity Press, Texas, 1996, with permission).

was inactive and she has not had laser surgery for 4 years. In addition, a 2500-gauss magnet
was placed on decrease-pressure point on both ears and earlobe bleeding was performed
once every 3 weeks to treat glaucoma. Her intraocular pressures (IOP) were 25 and 27
mmHg in Dec 1996 before the therapy, 15 mmHg in both eyes in Jan 1997 during magnet
therapy without changing eye drops. She stopped earlobe bleeding for more than one year.
In October 1998, IOP were in the low twenties, Alphagan was added, then IOP dropped to
15 mmHg in each eye. In August 2000, IOP were 19 and 20 mmHg, earlobe bleeding was
performed again and IOP dropped to 16 and 18 mmHg. Because of the photocoagulation
therapy, there were no visual field results to compare with. However, absence of change in
cup/disc ratio since 1993 indicates no more visual nerve damage. Due to some macular
edema, her acuity dropped from 20/200 to 20/300 in each eye within 4 years.

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 MAGNETS ON EARS HELPED DIABETICS 185

The idea of using magnets to treat diabetes comes from the following facts: (1) Auricular
acupuncture has reduced blood glucose levels in patients in China. (2) Acupuncture points
have lower resistance to electricity than adjacent points. (3) Electrical and magnetic energies
have a close relationship. In addition to medications, magnets helped to reduce blood
glucose and improve eye condition in this case.

Acknowledgment

Thanks to Paul Munson and Ming An Chen for helping to prepare the manuscript.

References

Huang, L.-C. Auriculotherapy Diagnosis and Treatment. Longevity Press, Bellaire, Texas, 1996.
Munson, P.L. (ed.) Principles of Pharmacology. Chapman & Hall, New York, 1995.
Wilson, J.D., D.W. Foster, H.M. Kronenberg and P.R. Larsen (eds.) Williams Textbook of
Endocrinology, 9th ed. W.B. Saunders Company, 1998.

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