Why the orientation arrow?

 

Each Q Magnet has a black orientation arrow (or triangle) just above the model number. It’s important when applying your Q Magnets that the arrow is always facing along the body or limb, pointing towards the head.

 

 

 

 

The Magnetic Viewing Film allows you to see the alternating pole boundaries and how the orientation arrow always lines up with a boundary. As seen with this Heaxpolar magnet.

 

 

 

The interpole boundary can also be seen lining up with the orientation arrow on the Quadrapolar Q Magnet (see below). As explained in the device selection page, the alternating pole boundary is where the main pain relieving and tissue healing properties of a static magnetic field reside.

 

 

 

There are two main reasons why Q Magnets should be placed with the orientation arrow facing up:

1. The sweet spot (see below) of the magnet is at the alternating pole boundary and you want this line to be placed as close as possible directly over the nerve. Pointing the orientation arrow up towards the head follows the direction of the nerve which tend to run along the limb back to the spine.
2. If two or more Q Magnets are used close together and they are not aligned in the same direction, then it’s possible for opposite poles of adjacent magnets to cancel each other out, thereby reducing their effectiveness.

 

 

The active area of the magnet, or sweet spot is located at the boundary between the alternating poles, shown in red in the image below. Since magnetic field lines are invisible to the naked eye, this can be difficult to visualise. But sprinkling iron filings on the magnet gives a picture of the direction of the field lines as seen below. The iron filings follow the direction of the magnetic field gradient between the poles shown by the red arrow.