title: [Earth rays--a concept with no scientific basis].
abstract: Earth rays are claimed to cause several types of illness and shielding against earth rays to have a therapeutic effect. There have been many reports in the media of the dangers of earth rays and the usefulness of protective shielding. As with several other alternative therapies, the theory of earth rays and its effects is incompatible with modern medicine, chemistry and physical science. We have earlier shown that earth rays can not be consistently detected, and that children sleeping on earth rays are no more ill than other children are. Recently, a randomised, controlled trial has convincingly though hardly surprisingly shown no effect of TX-disc shielding against earth rays. TX-discs are of plastic with rings of copper. Eighty patients with longstanding muscular-skeletal complaints were enrolled. Patients were, after a few weeks, substantially better (20-40%) whether they had received real TX-discs or not. The concept of earth rays lacks any scientific verification. We advocate prudence in taking success stories, whether published or from one's own clinical experience, as proof of any treatment's effectiveness before having it confirmed by research.
authors.affiliation: Seksjon for allmennmedisin, Institutt for samfunnsmedisinske fag, Universitetet i Bergen, Kalfarveien 31, 5018 Bergen. anders.barheim@isf.uib.no
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baerheim
authors.forename: Steinar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hunskår
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bjorvatn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001417:Background Radiation; D002648:Child; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D006801:Humans; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D015990:Placebo Effect; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000295:instrumentation; D012106:Research; D012586:Science