Below are a list of commonly asked questions regarding MBST® therapy. Please select a question to view the answer.
MBST® is a unique and innovative patented procedure for the treatment of joint pain and osteoporosis. Diminished cartilage, which could be through normal wear and tear or injury, is the major cause of joint pain. This exciting technology assists the body in maintaining its natural metabolic process and in turn, has shown a positive effect with regard to cartilage and bone reformation. MBST® is a progressive treatment whose more complete results are shown over time, although it is not unlikely for patients to experience an immediate alleviation from pain.
A very interesting phenomenon of MRI scanners is that with a high enough signal-to-noise ratio, it is possible to construct a tomographic image of the tissues in a 3 dimensional body. To achieve this, special pulsating radio frequency fields are applied to the Hydrogen atoms of an object positioned in a static magnetic field. The resultant magnetic resonance signals corresponding to electromagnetic waves emitted from the Hydrogen nuclei spins are detected by a radio frequency coil arrangement. An image is then created using these readings, but not without the help of very strong, sizeable magnets and extremely high radio frequencies.
MBST® has a different purpose however. Rather than being diagnostic, its ultimate goal is to provide a safe, non-invasive therapy based upon the same principles. MBST® fulfills the conditions of magnetic resonance, but on a much smaller scale, approximately between 1/1000th and 1/10,000th of the power of an MRI imaging device. A typical MRI Device operates at around 3 to 4 Tesla. MBST® operates between 0.4 milli-tesla and 2.35 milli-tesla. Through a complex system of air-cored magnetic coils combined with very precise radio frequencies, MBST® has an effective way to specifically target the resonance frequencies of both cartilage and bone. Try to imagine the cartilage in the knee to be like a 40 Hz tuning fork. Now, picture striking another tuning fork at the same frequency. It is ONLY if this exact frequency is used that a reaction will occur in the cartilage of the knee, anything else will pass right through. Magnetic resonance conditions are the key to making this induction of energy take place.
For more information about the technology behind MBST, see our explanation page.
After four years of development and two years of testing, MBST® was first introduced in Germany in 1999.
Since 1999 approximately 50,000 patients have been treated.
MBST® therapy is safe and effective. Just as in any other forms of new therapy, it was important to clarify at a very early stage whether this therapy could have negative effects on the organisms being treated. By means of a study using primary chondrocytes (cartilage cells) and osteoblasts (responsible for bone formation), Temiz-Artmann et al were able to report no such contra indications. In fact, the study went on to further evidence the growth of cartilage cells with no known side effects.
MBST® Magnetic Resonance Therapy is a derivative of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, one of the most sophisticated imaging technologies available in healthcare. MRI devices have been around for over 20 years and are known to have no long-term adverse effects.
Please visit our safety page for more information.
The therapy is completely painless and totally silent, with MBST® acting almost unnoticed. Some patients report a pleasant tingling or agreeable warmth. In some cases, the pain in the joint worsens briefly after the third day of treatment but this is a positive reaction and should be viewed as the treatment working. MBST® therapy has no recorded adverse events, by any Regulatory Body, since its clinical introduction in 1999.
MBST® therapy can be used for the following applications :
Patients with heart conditions, cardiac arrhythmias or implants such as pacemakers, insulin pumps and defibrillators etc. must in no circumstances be treated using the MBST® system or be allowed within the direct vicinity of the active or inactive treatment coils. If you are pregnant or HIV positive, you should not be treated with MBST.
Three therapy options are available dependant upon the severity of symptoms.
Series of five
Standard procedure for medium or strong discomfort. The recommendation is five one-hour sessions on five successive days. (Arthritis stages I & II)
Series of nine
Recommended treatment for severe arthritis and long term conditions. Nine one-hour sessions on nine successive days with interruption for the weekend. (Arthritis stages III & IV)
Series of ten (osteoporosis only)
Full body Osteoporosis is always treated with 10 hours of MBST Therapy.
Series of three
The recommendation is three one-hour sessions on three consecutive days. This can be used as a "top up" several months after a 5 or 9 hour series if symptoms begin to reappear.
The therapy is entirely non-invasive.
No medication is involved with MBST therapy. However, if you are currently on medication, it is not recommended to stop this without prior consultation with your medical practitioner.
Before embarking on MBST® therapy and to ensure that this is a suitable and proper treatment for your particular condition, a thorough examination will be made during which a "discomfort protocol" will be assessed and documented. After this examination and should you wish to continue, you will be treated for 5 or 9 (interrupted by the weekend for 9) consecutive one-hour therapy sessions. The number of sessions depends on the severity of the condition being presented. You do not have to take off any clothes for the treatment - if it is for an arm or a leg, you can remain seated comfortably and read or listen to music, if it is for your back, you will lie down comfortably on a couch. Osteoporosis is 10 (suspended by the weekend) consecutive one-hour therapy sessions.
Make sure that you drink enough water before, during and after your therapy sessions, at least 1.5 to 2 litres per day. This enhances the results of the treatment considerably. Avoid undue physical stress during the first two weeks following completion of your therapy sessions, otherwise the efficacy of the therapy can be reduced or even jeopardized. Avoid caffeine based drinks during treatment.
Do not be impatient - even the best and newest therapies need time! There are a number of factors that will affect the time taken, the most important of these is the existing condition of the cartilage or bone. You should be feeling significantly better and more mobile about 8 to 10 weeks after treatment and in this regard, the results of the therapy will be evaluated around 12 weeks after termination. As mentioned before, results can be felt much sooner.
Many different factors can influence the success of the MBST® therapy and how soon a follow up treatment should/needs to be administered. The severity of the condition before the therapy, the amount of water consumed daily, how healthy and balanced your nutrition plan is, your metabolism and how regularly you exercise are just a few factors that have an effect on the success of MBST®. In some cases, patients come back annually for a 3-hour follow up and in some cases patients have been pain free for years. There is no rule and the general recommendation is to please consult with your physician regarding your next treatment.
This is the responsibility of your clinic, they set their own patient charges. Please contact your nearest clinic for details.
In the UK at present MBST® is covered under the general Physiotherapy code for insurance. We are working with major insurers to obtain a unique treatment code for MBST®.
Please visit our locations search tool to find a treatment centre near you. If you enter your postal/zip code or city, you can find the distance to your nearest clinic. This list is regularly updated as we add more clinics.