Living with low back pain and after years of trying different treatments without lasting success, questions about magnetic therapy may come to mind. This case study shares John Withy’s experience after living with persistent lower back pain for 27 years following a disc injury. If you are researching options for chronic back pain, you may also find value in our guides on Magnetic Therapy for Low Back Pain and the Lower Back Pain Treatment Protocol.

How Can Lower Back Pain Persist for Decades?

In 1985, John suffered a lower back injury while lifting and twisting, resulting in disc bulges at L3/4 and L5/S1. Over the next decade he consulted no fewer than 12 specialists and spent thousands of dollars on treatments including physiotherapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, microwave therapy, and an epidural injection.

Despite these efforts, he continued to experience ongoing pain.

As John explained:

“I have spent over 26 years on an average of 6/10 in pain and have taken pain medication daily for all this time.”

Understanding Chronic Low Back Pain and Recovery Physiology

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How Q Magnets Were Applied for John’s Lower Back Pain

After attending a National Pain Week seminar, John decided to trial Q Magnets despite being initially sceptical.

According to the original case report, Dianne Hermans placed:

QF28-6 Q Magnet

 

This reflects the Q Magnets principle of Field | Dose | Placement (FDP), where magnet selection and anatomical positioning are considered important variables rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach.

Q Magnets are positioned as precision multipolar medical magnets that create localized static magnetic field environments rather than continuously delivering energy into the body.

John’s Experience After Using Q Magnets

John reported noticing an unusual sensation almost immediately after application.

However, it was the following morning that he noticed the most significant change.

As he described:

“I could feel a strange sensation in my back almost immediately, but it wasn’t until the next day when I got out of bed. My wife said, ‘look at you!’ For the first time in over 20 years I got straight out of bed with no pain.”

He continued:

“During the day I was able to get up from sitting with ease, again something I have been unable to do for decades.”

Two weeks later he reported:

“Two weeks later and my pain during the day is now about 1/10. To say that I am excited is an understatement. Thank you Q Magnets.”

John Withy, Manly, QLD

Why Do Some People Respond Quickly While Others Do Not?

Response Variability and When Q Magnets May Not Help

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Exploring Q Magnets as Part of a Lower Back Pain Recovery Strategy

Long-term lower back pain remains one of the most common and challenging health concerns worldwide.

For people like John who have explored multiple treatment options without success, Q Magnets may represent a conservative, non-pharmaceutical option worth investigating.

If you would like practical guidance, explore the Lower Back Pain Treatment Protocol and Magnetic Therapy for Low Back Pain resources to learn more about Field | Dose | Placement and recommended application approaches.

“I could feel a strange sensation in my back almost immediately, but it wasn’t until the next day when I got out of bed. My wife said, ‘look at you!’ For the first time in over 20 years I got straight out of bed with no pain. During the day I was able to get up from sitting with ease, again something I have been unable to do for decades. Two weeks later and my pain during the day is now about 1/10. To say that I am excited is an understatement. Thank you Q Magnets.”

John Withy, Manly, QLD

Practical Takeaway

Not all lower back pain is the same. Disc irritation, nervous system sensitization, movement patterns, and mechanical nerve compression can all contribute differently to symptoms. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate placement remain important considerations when exploring Q Magnets as a recovery support option.

Note from James Hermans:
I personally met with John to authenticate his story. While his case may seem remarkable to the uninitiated, it is not an uncommon response to discal pain. There are also similar published case studies you can read in Pediatric Neurology. While some persistent pain cases like John’s respond immediately, others work best with a supervised rehabilitation program and some patients do not respond to Q Magnet therapy at all. Long term complex back pain is a significant problem in society. Since Q Magnets are such an inexpensive simple treatment, there is a good case for their use well before more expensive, invasive and long term pharmaceutical options.