While rTMS treatment for depression uses magnets and is quite promising, it is very different from the widely promoted magnet treatments on the internet.  rTMS uses powerful magnetic fields which are rapidly switched on and off and which, while not being felt at all, stimulate neuronal activity in the brain.  The magnets below are much weaker static magnets, that is, their magnetic field is always the same.  

In about half the studies on the use of static magnets, some evidence of benefit is found.  Since almost all of the studies are small to very small in size and of short duration, these reduce the chance of findings a real benefit.  It appears that static magnets probably are of at least small value for some types of pain.  Knee and hip osteoarthritis and diabetic neuropathy appear the most promising types of pain relieved. 

Back Pain: Magnets Didn’t Help: In a 20-patient DB PC crossover study of chronic back pain, each patient had three days treatment over one week of six hours per day with the real and the sham bipolar magnets with a one week intervening rest period. Application of 1 variety of permanent magnet had no effect on our small group of subjects with chronic low back pain. There was little difference between the two with the real magnet group's pain decreasing 0.49 on a visual analogue scale vs. 0.44 for the sham. A change of 2.00 was considered a clinically significant reduction in pain. Collacott EA, Zimmerman JT, White DW, Rindone JP. Bipolar permanent magnets for the treatment of chronic low back pain.  JAMA 2000 Mar 8;283(10):1322-5

Carpal Tunnel No Benefit: A DB study 45 minutes once for carpal tunnel found no benefit. The Effectiveness of Magnet Therapy for Treatment of Wrist Pain Attributed to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Richard Carter; Thomas Hall; Cheryl B. Aspy, PhD; and James Mold, MD, MPH Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Journal of Family Practice JANUARY 2002; 51(1), 

Diabetic Neuropathy Helped Slowly in Huge Study: In a 375-patient, 4-month, multi-centered DB PC trial of constantly worn magnetic insoles for diabetic neuropathy, there were statistically significant reductions during the third and fourth months in burning (mean change for magnet treatment, -12%; for sham, -3%; P<.05), numbness and tingling (magnet, -10%; sham, +1%; P<.05), and exercise-induced foot pain (magnet, -12%; sham, -4%; P<.05). For a subset of patients with baseline severe pain, statistically significant reductions occurred from baseline through the fourth month in numbness and tingling (magnet, -32%; sham, -14%; P<.01) and foot pain (magnet, -41%; sham, -21%; P<.01). Static magnetic fields can penetrate up to 20mm and appear to target the ectopic firing nociceptors in the epidermis and dermis. Analgesic benefits were achieved over time. Weintraub MI, Wolfe GI, Barohn RA, Cole SP, Parry GJ, Hayat G, et al. New York Medical College. Static magnetic field therapy for symptomatic diabetic neuropathy: a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003;5: 736-46.

Diabetic Neuropathy Helped in One Study: Weintraub M. Magnetic Bio-stimulation in painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a novel intervention-a randomized, double-placebo crossover study. Am J Pain Manage 1999;9: 8-17.

Dysmenorrhea: Magnets Might Help: Small study 23 Korean nursing students treated with or without magnets, presumably DB. Magnets apparently helped although poor abstract. The effect of magnetic application for primary dysmenorrhea. [Article in Korean] Kim KS, Lee YJ. Kanhohak Tamgu 1994;3(1):148-73; discussion 174-9. 

Fibromyalgia: Magnetic Sleeping Pad Maybe Slightly Better: In a 6-month DB PC study of fibromyalgia using magnetic sleeping pads, the magnetic sleeping pad showed a significantly greater pain reduction. (p = 0.03). All four groups showed a decline in number of tender points, but differences among the groups were not significant (p = 0.72). The functional pad groups showed the largest decline in total tender point pain intensity, but overall differences were not significant (p = 0.25). Improvement in functional status was greatest in the functional pad groups, but differences among groups were not significant (p = 0.23). Static magnetic fields for treatment of fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. Alfano AP, Taylor AG, et al. University of Virginia. J Altern Complement Med. 2001 Feb;7(1):53-64

Foot pain No Benefit: Foot pain also showed no benefit. Evaluation of magnetic foil and PPT insoles in the treatment of heel pain. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 1997; 87:11-16; 

Hand Strength: Magnets Don’t Help: DB 35 normal students half in sham magnet control for hand grip . The effect of flexible magnets on hand muscle strength: a randomized, double-blind study. Chaloupka EC, Kang J, Mastrangelo MA. J Strength Cond Res 2002 Feb;16(1):33-7, 

Heal Pain: Magnetic Insoles No Help: Despite claims of benefit, a DB PC study of 101 adults with heal pain by the Mayo Clinic found no benefit in the 30 days study. Effect of magnetic vs. sham-magnetic insoles on plantar heel pain: a randomized controlled trial. Winemiller MH, Billow RG, Laskowski ER, Harmsen WS. JAMA. 2003 Sep 17;290(11):1474-8

Heal Pain: No Benefit: In a 34-patient 4-week DB PC study of heal pain, the PPT/Rx Firm Molded Insoles with or without a magnetic foil was worn. In both groups, 60% of patients reported improvement with no significant difference between groups. The PPT/Rx Firm Molded Insole alone appeared effective in treating heel pain after only 4 weeks. Evaluation of magnetic foil and PPT Insoles in the treatment of heel pain. Caselli MA, Clark N, Lazarus S, Velez Z, Venegas L. J American Podiatric Medical Association, 1997;87:11-16 

Knee Pain: Magnets Claimed Benefit in DB: 176 patients in DB with low power, low frequency magnets for 48 min for 8 sessions in two weeks. 46% vs. 8% reported decreased pain. Dubious source. Low-amplitude, extremely low frequency magnetic fields for the treatment of osteoarthritic knees: a double-blind clinical study. Jacobson JI, Gorman R, Yamanashi WS, Saxena BB, Clayton L. Institute of Theoretical Physics and Advanced Studies for Biophysical Research, Altern Ther Health Med 2001 Sep-Oct;7(5):54-64, 66-9. 

Knee Pain: Static Magnets Helped: Hinman R, Ford J, Heyl H. Effects of static magnets on chronic knee pain and physical function: A double-blind study. Altern Ther 2002;8(4): 50-4.

Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis Pain Helped: In a 194-patient, 12-week DB PC study of osteoarthritis pain of the knee and hip using a standard strength static bipolar magnetic bracelet, a weak magnetic bracelet, or a non-magnetic (dummy) bracelet, mean pain scores were reduced significantly more in the standard magnet group than in the dummy group (1.3 points). Patients before starting the study had 8-20 points of pain on the WOMAC A scale. This benefit was not quite as large as reported in some NSAID pain med trials, but was considered in the same range and of clinical significance. For instance, an important study using a COX-2 inhibitors, the middle strength caused a 1.5 point decrease in pain over the placebo and the high strength a 1.9 point decrease. Of course, COX-2 inhibitors cause an increased death rate and this appears unlikely for wrist bracelets. Self reported blinding status did not affect the results. The scores for secondary outcome measures were consistent with the pain scores. Randomised controlled trial of magnetic bracelets for relieving pain in osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. Harlow T, Greaves C, et al. College Surgery, Cullompton, UK. BMJ. 2004 Dec 18;329(7480):1450-4

Liposuction Pain: Magnets Might Help: In a small DB study of 20 patients with magnet or placebos, researchers found magnets helped with pain and more rapid healing. The influence of permanent magnetic field therapy on wound healing in suction lipectomy patients: a double-blind study. Man D, Man B, Plosker H. Plast Reconstr Surg 1999 Dec;104(7):2261-6; discussion 2267-8, 

Pain: Ionized Magnetic Wrist Bracelet No Help: DB PC equally ineffective in reducing pain. Mayo Clin Proc 11/02;77:1164

Muscle Soreness from Exercising Not Helped: In a DB PC crossover study of 23 young adults doing exhaustive eccentric exercise of both the right and left elbow flexor muscle groups, those wearing a 350G magnet for 5 consecutive days did not better than for 5 days wearing a placebo device in anthropometric measurements, perceived discomfort, and muscle force production. Static magnetic fields neither prevent nor diminish symptoms and signs of delayed onset muscle soreness. Reeser JC, Smith DT, et al. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2005 Mar;86(3):565-70.

Pelvic Pain: Magnets Might Have Helped: In a 32-patient, 4-week DB PC study of chronic pelvic pain, active (500 G) or placebo magnets were applied to abdominal trigger points for 24 hour per day. Patients receiving active magnets who completed 4 weeks of double-blind treatment had significantly lower Pain Disability Index (P <.05), Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (P <.05), and Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (P <.01) scores than those receiving placebo magnets, but were more likely to correctly identify their treatment (P <.05). Since patients could identify to some extent whether they had the real magnets, this weakens any proof of benefit in this study, especially in view of its very small size.  Only 19 patients completed with full 4 weeks. Efficacy of static magnetic field therapy in chronic pelvic pain: a double-blind pilot study. Brown CS, Ling FW, et al. University of Tennessee. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2002 Dec;187(6):1581-7.

Postpolio Pain Helped: A double-blind randomized trial found that magnets helped relieve pain in postpolio subjects: Vallbona C, Hazlewood CF, Jurida G. Response of pain to static magnetic fields in postpolio patients: a double-blind pilot study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1997; 78:1200-03;