I think Earthing cured my dysautonomia/POTS

[Hip]

I have not done the self-POTS test. I will have to try it!

Did your doctor perform a tilt table test when he gave you a diagnosis of POTS? That is often the way POTS is diagnosed (see here). If so, can you remember your results, in terms of the increase in your heart rate from lying to standing?

 

[maddietod]

Well, if all the people who are commenting on thread simply tested earthing when they sleep tonight, and shared their findings tomorrow, we would already have an informal study of 12 people.

Out of the four people on this thread who have tried earthing during sleep, three of those people experienced strong, unequivocal effects; and one experienced nothing. So we already have the feedback of 4 people.

I would be interested to hear the observations of those actually testing what it is like to sleep earthed.

With the exception of ABC, of course, whose finds that "the idea of having a metallic cable around my ankle tied to a metal rod stuck in the ground reminds me of how the slaves were treated some years back" (to quote ABC). That is a very odd statement if ever I heard one.

I tried an earthing band with no results, and then an earthing sheet for a few weeks.......with no result.

 

[SOC]

Well, if all the people who are commenting on thread simply tested earthing when they sleep tonight, and shared their findings tomorrow, we would already have an informal study of 12 people.

I see no reason to dig out a very long length of random electrical cable, strip off enough insulation from one end to tie the bare metal around my ankle, drape the cable out my bedroom window, tie the other end (also stripped enough to make a metal-to-metal connection) to a clean metal stake (which I'd also have to find), drive the stake into the ground, go back upstairs to my bedroom, tie the bare copper wire tightly enough around my ankle to make a continuous electrical connection and crawl into bed attached to a cable hanging out my bedroom window.

Besides the fact that everyone in my household (we're all master's degree research engineers) would probably die laughing, I can't imagine that I would be able to sleep at all, much less comfortably, with bare electrical wire rubbing against my ankle and a cable tethering my ankle to the window and hence to the ground. God forbid my husband gets up in the night, tangles himself in the cable running from the bed to the window and sends us both crashing to the floor.

No, thanks. I'd rather plant daisies by moonlight, or burn incense to Zeus. It's less effort and equally likely to be effective.

I could, of course, buy some "earthing" equipment from somebody making money off of desperate sick people. That would be a lot easier, more comfortable, more practical, and a lot less ridiculous looking, but I've got better things to spend my money on.

On the other hand, if you want buy 12 people some earthing equipment to try for your informal study of 12 people, I'm willing to try it. I've done enough research to know how to take whatever objective data you might need -- HR, BP, whatever -- to prove your point. We'll need more than one night to get a reasonable data set, though, so I'm willing to sleep (in my own bed) on an earthing mat (or whatever) that you provide for a month and collect data. If I get substantial improvement on objective measures relevant to ME/CFS, I'm quite willing to admit that your informal test was successful -- for me at least.

 

[Sparrowhawk]

The human body is an excellent conductor because it has so much salt water in it. That's how people get electrocuted. For example, if you are holding two conductors, and electricity flows through one conductor, it will cross through you and continue flowing into the other conductor you are holding. That's why people cannot let go of something they are holding when being shocked if a current is running through it and them. Electrocution does internal damage to bone and tissue because of this.

Who is the Duke Professor, I'm just curious? I read Dr. Becker's _The Body Electric_ and was very impressed that he identified that an incredibly small charge was all it took to stimulate regeneration in organisms that have that capacity, and it led to some innovative bone regrowth therapies.

 

[taniaaust1]

Also, somehow the idea of having a metallic cable around my ankle tied to a metal rod stuck in the ground reminds me of how the slaves were treated some years back - not at all appealing. ...

Appealing or not, Im sure most of us here would do less appealing things then that if something was proven to be able to fix us.

 

[SOC]

Appealing or not, Im sure most of us here would do less appealing things then that if something was proven to be able to fix us.

Yeah, if being the operative word there.

 

[maddietod]

I didn't have a doctor for...5 years?.....7 years?.....because none had ever helped me. In 25 years. I've tried all kinds of things that are unproven but harmless. They have kept me busy and positive and a lot less bored than when I wasn't on such an exploration.

Some of the things doctors want us to try are unproven and harmful. Just sayin'.

 

[ask2266]

Sparrowhawk The Duke professor is Roger Barr. I just ordered the Body Electric book in the hopes it will clarify some of this for me.

Hip My cardiologist did not do a tilt table on me. She did the lying down, stand up test; a holter monitor; an EKG; and a heart sonogram. I don't have my test results, but she felt certain it was dysautonomia.

garcia I'm not surprised it made you feel bad. I am still having die-off from the thing, 3 weeks in. I am sleeping well until about 5 am, but then I'm awake (right around the time my remeron wears off), which is always indicative of die-off for me. Also, I have developed candida issues, which always happens when I am killing viruses

 

[SOC]

I didn't have a doctor for...5 years?.....7 years?.....because none had ever helped me. In 25 years. I've tried all kinds of things that are unproven but harmless. They have kept me busy and positive and a lot less bored than when I wasn't on such an exploration.

Some of the things doctors want us to try are unproven and harmful. Just sayin'.

You mean like GET?

 

[Hip]

My cardiologist did not do a tilt table on me. She did the lying down, stand up test; a holter monitor; an EKG; and a heart sonogram. I don't have my test results, but she felt certain it was dysautonomia.

That's a shame, it would have been good to see your "before and after" figures for the tilt table test.

But no doubt your doctor has conducted the right tests in order to diagnose dysautonomia. Did you doctor specifically say that you have POTS, or just dysautonomia? Dysautonomia itself is an umbrella term which covers a number of types of autonomic nervous system dysfunction, including POTS.

It will be interesting to see what your doctor makes of it when you go back at some point and get retested.


I have not seen any improvement in my POTS since I started this experiment in earthing during sleep, 5 days ago. Just before I started this experiment, I measured my lying-to-standing heart rate increase, and there was a jump of 32 bpm (I had 78 bpm lying, rising to 110 on standing).

Then this morning when I measured it, I had a lying-to-standing jump of 30 bpm. So no real improvement. My POTS heart rate measurements are always around the 25 to 35 range. When I do regular excerise like running for a few months, I can get my lying-to-standing increase down to around 20 – 25 bpm, but normally I hover around 30 bpm.

I'd be interesting in learning what your lying-to-standing heart rate increase is. One very convenient time to measure it is when you first wake up, as you are already relaxed and lying down. To do this, whilst lying down in bed, count your pulse over 1 minute using say your bedside alarm clock, and note your heart rate down. Then get out of bed, stand up, wait around 90 seconds, and count your heart rate again, while standing. As before, if you get a jump in heart rate of 30 bpm or more, then you have POTS.

The amazing thing about POTS is that it is incredibly simple to test for and diagnose.

 

[taniaaust1]

I'd be interesting in learning what your lying-to-standing heart rate increase is. One very convenient time to measure it is when you first wake up, as you are already relaxed and lying down. To do this, whilst lying down in bed, count your pulse over 1 minute using say your bedside alarm clock, and note your heart rate down. Then get out of bed, stand up, wait around 90 seconds, and count your heart rate again, while standing. As before, if you get a jump in heart rate of 30 bpm or more, then you have POTS.
.

Some dont have it increase immediately, sometimes my increase happens around the 7 mins mark, thou sometimes right away. Test for POTS needs to be done for 10-12 mins at various intivals due to possible delayed increase (unless it happens earlier of course, some discount increase in the first minute or two but others count that)

 

[Undisclosed]

I have not done the self-POTS test. I will have to try it!

I think what Kina was saying is that she doesn't understand how the electrons get into the internal body. I don't think she was denying that that they would have an effect if they did get in. Am I correct, Kina?

As far as I can tell from a tiny bit of googling, coming into contact with the earth will bring you to the same potential as the earth quite quickly so I am wondering about any current flow, how the electrons would travel into the body to any great extent (if they do) to neutralize free radicals etc. I guess the scientific explanation isn't working for me here. Also, don't we ground ourselves repeatedly during the day? What about third-world countries where people spend a lot of time barefoot - are they any healthier than those of us who wear shoes all day?

I am not denying anything but I have to say I am skeptical regarding radical health changes being the result of earthing. It really doesn't make any sense to me because I really can't see any mechanism by which Earthing would cure something like POTS/dysautonomia. I am not going to say there is nothing to Earthing because obviously people have had varying results but I will remain skeptical over some things about it. I think it would be most interesting to study why some people get effects from it while others don't.

 

[xchocoholic]

I don't know what benefit earthing is to CFIDS beyond the potential to relieve adrenal fatigue and dysautonomia symptoms. Certainly, the thinning of the blood would help with pathogen destruction. Still, I believe that CFIDS is mostly infectious, and earthing doesn't kill anything on its own.

It's certainly not a cure-all. I ate gluten a few days ago and had some mussels last night (rich in iodine) and exploded in dermatitis herpeteformis this morning.

interesting concept. thanks for posting your experience.

i copied this because I'm always interested in other pwcs who are gluten
intolerant. fwiw my reactions to gluten are typically insomnia, myoclonus and ataxia.


i suspected my pots is related to permanent damage. possibly from gluten. tc. x

 

[ask2266]

As far as I can tell from a tiny bit of googling, coming into contact with the earth will bring you to the same potential as the earth quite quickly so I am wondering about any current flow, how the electrons would travel into the body to any great extent (if they do) to neutralize free radicals etc. Also, don't we ground ourselves repeatedly during the day? What about third-world countries where people spend a lot of time barefoot - are they any healthier than those of us who wear shoes all day?

We don't ground ourselves at all during the day-- unless we are walking barefoot outside or touching things outside. I myself always wear shoes and don't garden, so I'm never grounded. Also, I think the amount of time that a person is grounded makes a difference; at least, that is what has been reported anecdotally by people. I would assume that being brought into the same potential as the earth involves a transfer of electrons, although how the electrons get inside the body, I don't know. Inflammation creates a net positive charge, because free radicals are positively charged ions.

 

[ask2266]

IMPORTANT- Also, a note: yesterday I pushed myself too hard. I didn't hydrate or eat much all day (only 2 bananas with almond butter and 12 ounces of water) because I was working on a budget and doing insurance forms. Very stupid, but I was feeling so well that I got careless. Although I felt fine during the day, last night at bed time I got dizzy, so apparently "cure" is NOT the right word. Major improvement would be more appropriate. I am bummed, but hopeful that the improvement holds. My adrenal fatigue is still better.

I am going to do the lie down test as Hip suggested to see what my numbers are.

 

[Undisclosed]

A skeptical view of Earthing (it's always good to look at both sides of any issue) -- http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/earthing/

 

[Wayne]

I found the introductory sentence to the above linked article to be a bit shocking. This kind of language strikes me more as angry than objective. --- I didn't bother to read further.

Earthing

Published by Steven Novella under Science and Medicine
Comments: 72
Have you heard of earthing? This is just one of many pseudosciences that fits into the “just make shit up” category.

 

[Undisclosed]

I found the introductory sentence to the above linked article to be a bit shocking. This kind of language strikes me more as angry than objective. --- I didn't bother to read further.

Earthing

Published by Steven Novella under Science and Medicine
Comments: 72
Have you heard of earthing? This is just one of many pseudosciences that fits into the “just make shit up” category.

I agree that kind of thing is entirely unnecessary but the value in the article is more in the description of Earthing -- it gives some good objective descriptions rooted in science. Some of the comments are informative. I don't really understand the science behind all of this so any descriptions are helpful. Many skeptics don't want to look at both sides of an issue because they can only exist within the box of science, that's their problem and I generally disregard the rude ignorant comments and get to the points being made because one thing a skeptic will always offer up is science. I think it's important to read everything one can on a subject and I didn't mean to offend anyone by posting the link.

I think the most important thing is that ask2266 no longer has POTS/dysautonomia symptoms-- and that some members find Earthing beneficial.

 

[Wayne]

I agree that kind of thing is entirely unnecessary ...

No offense taken from you Kina, but I find it amazing how often this kind of thing happens. It seems some people can only accept things that are supposedly "science based", or "scientifically proven", and often display a lot of disdain toward ideas they can't conveniently understand within their own scientific constructs. Some of the sarcasm displayed on this thread is a good example.

 

[Sushi]

I'd certainly try it if I had an earthing sheet. The tethered-in-bed idea doesn't sound good to me as sleep would be affected by having a wire around the ankle, so it wouldn't be a fair test.

No idea why it helps some, but I'd try it--if I had a sheet! We should pass one around.

Sushi