The difference between Bemer and PEMF is the characteristics of the PEMF waveform.
This means Bemer therapy is indeed actually PEMF therapy, just with a proprietary PEMF configuration signal/waveform which Bemer calls the Bemer signal.
The Bemer signal is in contrast to the more common and well researched PEMF waveforms like the sine and square wave.
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Bemer Vs PEMF Quick Compare
The easiest way to see the difference between the Bemer signal and more common PEMF waveforms is with a visual representation.
Below you’ll see representations we drew up of the Bemer Signal and common PEMF waveform types like the Square wave, Sine wave and Sawtooth patterns.
The Bemer signal differs in a couple ways from the other waveforms, and you may also notice that it is similar to the sine wave.
Indeed the Bemer signal is like the sine wave, but it increases with amplitude (intensity) before dropping off again to repeat the wave.
This is opposed to the common PEMF waveforms which vary in amplitude (intensity) between the bottom and top of the wave.
For example in the sine wave shown above, when the wave is at the bottom intensity is near zero, before moving back up to the top of the waveform again where it will be at max intensity.
But which is better, a more classical PEMF waveform, or the Bemer signal?
The real answer probably depends from person to person, it’s likely some people will like the Bemer more than a square wave PEMF and vice versa.
Another way to examine that question however is to do our best to evaluate the research studies available on Bemer therapy and on other forms of PEMF therapy and compare.
While writing our Ultimate Guide to the Bemer Mat, I searched out as many research studies specifically on Bemer therapy as I possibly could, finding 30 different studies in total.
In that guide I looked in depth at Bemer versus PEMF for some common topics like circulation and pain in the Does Bemer Therapy Really Work section on the page – additionally I included the 30 Bemer studies in a searchable table which you can browse yourself.
We’ll look briefly at Bemer vs PEMF for Circulation and Pain below, but the full sections on those are on the Bemer guide page as I mentioned.
I also did a macro-analysis of 335 PEMF therapy studies to try and help answer some of the big questions around PEMF therapy and we can use some of these findings to help answer this question as well which we’ll look at in the next section.
PEMF & Bemer Comparison Chart
Below you’ll see a chart full of green dots which indicate a positive result from a PEMF therapy study.
The PEMF intensity of each positive result study is indicated along the vertical axis and corresponding frequency along the horizontal axis.
This is one of the charts from our macro-analysis of PEMF studies page and it is a representation of the different intensity and frequency settings used in PEMF research studies which had positive results out of the database of 335 studies we built.
Overlaid on top of the chart, I indicated the operating range of the Bemer mat & signal with the two small blue dots.
In fact because this chart shows such a wide range of Gauss and frequency, the actual operating range of the Bemer mat is even smaller than those blue dots but I had to make them large enough to be more visible.
The Bemer mat operates at two different main frequencies, 10Hz, and 33Hz, and within a range of 0.35 Gauss intensity up to 1.5 Gauss maximum intensity using the point applicators.
When we charted the results from the 335 PEMF therapy studies in our database, it was eye opening to see how WIDE the range of intensity and frequencies were that yielded positive results as you can see by the green dots just all over the place on this chart above.
The majority of the PEMF studies with those green dots utilized the sine waveform, followed by the square waveform being the second most commonly researched as can be seen on the below bar chart, also from our PEMF macro-analysis page.
Many people say that they experience good results using Bemer therapy, but it seems clear to me by the green dot chart of positive result studies that benefits of PEMF can likely be found in many different PEMF configurations and not only in the Bemer configuration.
As a pertinent example, albeit of the PEMF mat I recommend on this website, below you can see the same green dot of positive result studies overlaid with the operating range of the Healthy Wave Multi-Wave mat.
The green highlighted area on the chart shows the allowable operating range of the Healthy Wave Multi-Wave mat.
Because the Multi-Wave mat allows frequencies from 1-30 Hz inclusive, adjustable intensity, (and both sine and square waves), it actually allows you to cover off this relatively wide range of PEMF configurations that found positive results in studies.
I made an in detail page of the Bemer Mat versus Healthy Wave Mat which if you’re curious you’ll find more information comparing the two there.
Next we’ll look at Bemer vs PEMF for circulation and for pain, though these aren’t the only potential benefits of PEMF, I detailed the top 10 studied benefits of PEMF from our database on this page I wrote on PEMF mat benefits.
Bemer vs PEMF for Circulation
On our Bemer guide page within the list of 30 Bemer research studies I was able to find, there were 8 studies on circulation.
Of those 8 studies, 3 were performed by independent groups, and 5 were performed by partners of the Bemer group.
Of the 3 independently performed Bemer studies the results, quoting here, were:
- “no difference between the PEMF and control group” – Study 1
- “did not enhance.. (the) Cutaneous microcirculation” – Study 2
- “Increase in microcirculatory blood flow… allowed forming a concept for a randomized trial” – Study 3
- This study didn’t use a placebo group, but indicated results warrant further investigation with a real randomized control trial
Of the 5 partner studies performed by the Microcirculation institute, all 5 of them found positive impacts of Bemer on circulation.
Links to all 8 of these studies as well as the full quote excerpts you can find in the Bemer Circulation – Vasomotion section of our Bemer guide page.
Now to excerpt result quotes from a couple studies on circulation using PEMF therapy for objective comparison.
One such study,
Quoting the non-Bemer PEMF therapy study,
- “These results support the hypothesis that local application of a specific PEMF waveform can elicit significant arteriolar vasodilation. Systemic hemodynamics and environmental temperature could not account for the observed microvascular responses.”
A second study, this one showing surprisingly substantial results,
Quoting this study,
- The PEMF group demonstrated significant cumulative increase in cutaneous capillary blood velocity (by 28%) and 14% increase in capillary diameter.”
This second study was quite interesting, it looked at wound healing in a PEMF group vs non PEMF group and found almost double the decrease in wound size in the active PEMF group.
I don’t mean to cut looking at all these studies short in this section, as mentioned the full details I found are in the circulation section on the Bemer guide page.
Considering both Bemer therapy and PEMF therapy studies for circulation specifically, there doesn’t appear to be a significant outperformance by either – if anything results seem to be dependent on the individual circumstance and PEMF configuration.
Having seen such a wide range of positive results like in the green dot chart from above however, what makes sense to me is to allow for a wide range of PEMF configurations (like via the PEMF mat I recommend with multiple waveforms, frequencies and intensities).
Bemer vs PEMF for Pain
Of the 30 Bemer studies there were a few on pain, for example, low back, knee, myofascial, and a number of them seemed to find improvements but typically they noted that further research was required.
One study suggested Bemer was a good complementary treatment to standard physiotherapy and other similar treatments, and still some of the studies noted that their findings didn’t meet the statistical significance level.
Using Bemer as a complementary treatment to physiotherapy is a theme we see common to PEMF therapy being used in the same way, sometimes practitioners will even have a PEMF device in their clinics.
In fact, when I was managing excruciating lower back pain myself for a couple of years on and off (from a severe disc herniation in L5-S1) I was seeing a chiropractor, physio, and acupuncturist – and I was using my infrared PEMF mat every evening at home.
Let’s take a look at the Bemer study for lower back pain here as well as a couple PEMF therapy studies for low back pain to compare, and next we’ll do the same for knee pain.
Lower Back Pain
The Bemer study looked at combining chiropractic and Bemer versus just one or the other on their own in managing lower back pain:
Quoting the Bemer study,
- “results did not achieve statistical significance”
Study participants however seemed to report better outcomes with the combined treatment.
The first PEMF therapy study for low back pain looked at middle aged individuals for “non-specific lower back pain”:
Quoting the PEMF study,
- “All outcome measures were significantly improved statistically in the experimental (PEMF) group at the end of the intervention (p<0.05).”
- “PEMF therapy may decrease pain, LBP (low back pain) disability, increase lumbar spine mobility, and improve HRQOL (health-related quality of life) in middle-aged university’s employees with nonspecific LBP (low back pain).”
Pretty good results.
The second study looked at the benefit of PEMF for postoperative low back pain:
Quoting the PEMF study,
- “PEMF therapy (42-μs pulse width) was associated with trends for a reduction in pain, compared to sham treatment.”
This study also seemed to find a benefit.
This isn’t to say that you wouldn’t find pain relief using a Bemer mat, but I think it does illustrate at least that Bemer doesn’t out perform PEMF in this application.
Just a side note, if you are dealing with lower back pain like I was, I will say that the infrared heat in my infrared PEMF mat made a huge difference in addition to the PEMF.
I wrote a page on the benefits of infrared mats you can check out for more information on this but really, it helped getting me to sleep using that mat every evening before bed for months dealing with that herniated disc.
Next on to the knee pain studies.
Knee Pain
The Bemer study for knee pain looked at Bemer’s effectiveness when combined with physiotherapy treatment actually for both low back and knee pain.
They noted that they expected good results based upon a previous non-Bemer, PEMF therapy study which had been performed for osteoarthritis of the knee.
The Bemer study which referenced that PEMF study:
Quoting the Bemer study,
- “Our study suggests the possibility that BEMER therapy administered in combination with traditional physiotherapy procedures reduces chronic lower back pain in the short term and may be effective in the long-term treatment of patients with osteoarthritis of knee.”
They also noted that studies with a larger sample size are required for a more exact evaluation of the beneficial effects, but this was at least a positive result.
Now the non-Bemer PEMF therapy study which the Bemer study had referenced:
Quoting the PEMF study,
- “Pulsed electromagnetic fields improve clinical scores and function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and should be considered as adjuvant therapies in their management.”
One more on PEMF therapy for osteoarthritic knee pain:
Quoting the PEMF study,
- “These results suggest that PEMF therapy is effective for pain management in knee OA patients and also affects pain threshold and physical functioning.”
Both of these PEMF therapy studies offered positive results and indicated a benefit to knee pain from PEMF therapy.
This seems consistent with the last section on lower back pain, Bemer doesn’t seem to outperform PEMF in the knee pain application; if anything one could argue the results seem stronger from the PEMF studies than from the Bemer studies.
Energy Spectrum Diagram
Another helpful visual representation may be to look at where the Bemer mat and regular PEMF appear on the electromagnetic spectrum range.
I’ve indicated a couple things on the chart below which we borrowed from Nasa & I overlaid with labels to show the operating range of the Bemer mat & PEMF on the far right end, as well as a couple infrared products operating around the middle.
As we discussed above when comparing the Bemer waveform versus more common PEMF therapy waveforms, they all fall into the category of PEMF therapy, and indeed show up therefore in the same place along the electromagnetic spectrum as we see above.
Seeing it on this chart is useful to understand that Bemer therapy is really PEMF therapy, and vice versa, just different configurations within that label.
Some people refer to things like infrared and PEMF therapy as “energy medicine” as in fact, these modalities do deliver energy to the body, in different forms, such as infrared with heat that you can feel, and PEMF and the Bemer at lower frequencies (further right on the chart) which you won’t physically feel but deliver energy nonetheless.
Bemer vs Other PEMF Mats
On our Best PEMF Mats page we compare the Bemer along with 6 other PEMF mats and products.
Here lets compare the Bemer to the PEMF mat I recommend the Healthy Wave Multi-Wave mat on their PEMF therapies, pricing, warranty & return policies.
Healthy Wave Multi-Wave PEMF Mat
Price Range
PEMF Therapy
Waveform
- 2 Waveforms
- Sine & Square
Frequency
- 30 Settings
- 1 to 30 Hz
Intensity
- 10 Settings
- 0.3 up to 3 Gauss
Pulse Duration
- 3 Pulse Drop Off Rates
Additional
- Infrared therapy included (with negative ions)
- Red light therapy included
Bemer Mat
Price Range
PEMF Therapy
Waveform
- 1 Waveform
- Sinewave
Frequency
- 2 Settings
- 10 & 33 Hz
Intensity
- 0.35 Gauss & 1.5 Gauss Spot Applicator
Pulse Duration
- Not Adjustable
Additional
- Red light therapy applicator only included in separate Beauty pack
- Higher price sets include spot applicator
Return Policy Comparison
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Warranty Policy Comparison
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Bemer and PEMF?
The only difference between Bemer and PEMF is the shape of the PEMF waveform they use. The Bemer waveform is known as the Bemer signal and is in fact also PEMF therapy only with a differently shaped waveform than the more conventional and commonly researched sine and square waveforms.
What is better, PEMF or Bemer?
The research doesn’t indicate that PEMF or Bemer is better than another, Bemer is in fact just another form of PEMF so this would be like asking, what is better, bread or sourdough? From the database we built of 335 PEMF studies, the positive results observed at many different PEMF configurations indicate that Bemer is not the only effective form of PEMF therapy and may in some cases actually be limiting in PEMF frequency and intensity options.
Should I pick Bemer therapy or PEMF therapy?
The research from our database of 335 PEMF studies show that there are many different PEMF configurations which yield positive results. Many times there isn’t a one size fits all, so the best answer to this question may be to find a highly configurable PEMF therapy mat and explore till you find PEMF settings that work best for you.
What’s more affordable, Bemer or PEMF?
There are PEMF mats which are much more affordable than the Bemer mat and offer in some cases a more configurable PEMF therapy and even better return policies. There are also PEMF machines which are much more expensive than the Bemer mat but these are not typically devices for at home use like other more affordable PEMF mat options.
Thank you for reading! I really hope this page helped answer your questions!
If it did, please share it with friends or family who may also be interested!
Next page to check out is my recommended PEMF mat, the Healthy Wave Multi-Wave Mat!
