Low-intensity millimeter waves as a novel therapeutic modality

Abstract

One of the most significant events in contemporary electromagnetic biology is a surge in interest to specific effects of low-intensity millimeter-band radiation (30-300 GHz). Bioeffects of millimeter waves (MMW) can often occur without any considerable heating of the exposed subject, and biological responses are principally different from those caused by heating. The effects of MMW often have a sharp, resonance-like dependence on the radiation frequency, but they depend relatively little on the radiation intensity. A brief low-intensity MMW exposure can change cell growth and proliferation rates, activity of enzymes, state of cell genetic apparatus, function of excitable membranes and peripheral receptors, it can alleviate stress reactions, stimulate tissue repair and regeneration, etc. In Eastern Europe, low-intensity MMW are widely employed for therapeutic purposes. The method has gained official recognition, and millions of people received MMW therapy for various conditions. While the mechanisms of MMW efficacy remain unclear and their medical usage is mostly empirical, the knowledge accumulated over more than 20 years of MMW therapy merits careful analysis and consideration.