Posted By:
Captain Al
in Alberta, Canada Jan 12, 2005
I saw this "miracle bracelet", advertised on TV last night and just had to check out their website. With this device, you could win the Olympic marathon or a PGA title. But I wonder what would happen if all your competitors had one too?
Qray
Quick correction: Kokushibyou actually said he/she DIDN'T suffer from chronic pain. Well, I'm still sorry you have an infirmity and my comments about Q-Ray stand as is.
Kokushibyou
Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 | 12:11 PM
To: Cranky Media Guy
I thank you for your condolences. It is good to know that there are people out there who wish others well when next to nothing is known about them. I do not see my problem as something to really put much worry on though. True, it is not fun, but I will not let it get me down.
As to the Q-Ray bracelet, I have looked through all of the opinions on this forum, and all the links provided, so I would say that it does not look like a very 'ethical' product to me. I appologize that I did not make clear that I had looked into everything before making my previous posting.
Just as a personal note to you by the way:
I give you, and the others like you, my utmost respects for your previous postings. Unlike SOME others in this forum, it looks like that you have made your opinions on this matter AFTER looking through the facts related to it. I noticed that you also take careful consideration of other opinions and 'evidence' before agreeing with or discrediting them. It is people like you who make 'civilized' conversations and arguements possible.
So, again, thank you for your kindness, and I hope that you and the others put as much effort and caring behind your other postings as you seemed to have with this one. ^^
RR Guy
in Ontario, Canada
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2006 | 07:17 PM
I came across this site tonight after seeing an ad on TV for Q-Ray at $19.95 with a 30 day money back guarantee.
Is the $19.95 just an installment or down payment or is that the total price.
I kept reading before that a Q-Ray bracelet can't be had for less than $70...US that is.
Two things I noted -
The benefits described in the ads is totally non specific which was mentioned here already. But now it's so bad that everyone who ever watched these ads with me, notices that and comments on it.
And secondly, while i was doing some surfing about the Q-Ray and it's supposed benefits, I came across several sites that sell Q-Ray and their Q&A sections.
The question asked a number of times was how long does the Q-ray bracelet work.
Well, the Q-Ray people don't have their act together on that one. One site states that the ionization effect of course wears out with time, one or two years and then you have to buy a new bracelet because the ionization effect cannot be replenished;
and the next site states just as emphatically that the ionization effect never wears out and is good for life.
So which is true?
I guess it doesn't really matter for me since I wasn't about to rush out and buy one....but at only $19.95 for a $US&0+ bracelet? maybe I should....or should I wait a month in case the price drops to $9.95?
Cranky Media Guy Member
Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 | 03:28 AM
RR Guy said:
"Well, the Q-Ray people don't have their act together on that one. One site states that the ionization effect of course wears out with time, one or two years and then you have to buy a new bracelet because the ionization effect cannot be replenished;
and the next site states just as emphatically that the ionization effect never wears out and is good for life."
I'm betting on "never wears out." After all, since the damn things don't actually DO anything--and they don't have any moving parts--what the hell CAN "wear out?"
RR Guy
Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 | 07:00 AM
I think "wears out in a year" makes more sense for these outfits!
After all, if you have finally snared someone gullible enough to buy one of these in the first place, wouldn't it be nice to collect $70 or whatever once a year for life?
And it shouldn't be too hard to convince someone that these ions or whatever get used up, working hard healing your body every day.
"There is no such thing as an 'ionized bracelet,' because solid objects are not ionized."
I feel sorry for all those people getting scammed by these charlatans. Unfortunately it's pretty hard to convince them otherwise once they've bought the product as they have a very strong bias towards not looking like fools.
It's incomprehensible to me that this Jason guy thinks that it's a legitimate business to sell people something that works no better than a placebo.
Non Believer willing to try..
in Arizona
Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 | 01:57 PM
Being a NON-BELIEVER of all the stuff we get told that works... I guess I'm willing to give this a try.. I suffer from Nerve damage as the result of a serious back injury and would pay just about anything to get rid of the pain - even if it's the sensation of the pain.. and the pain is still there but I believe it isn't.. that would work for me.. I'll get back with ya all..
paul
in Toronto
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 | 06:36 AM
Hi All,
I've been fascinated reading this thread. Thinking about getting a Qray, and the skeptics have almost convinced me to try it.
Captain Al's comment about the human body containing no positive or negative energy is a scientific embarassment on his part. If he slept through high school science, ok, but he should have learned that potassium and sodium ions cross semi-permeable membranes in every nerve cell in his body millions of times a minute, thus "firing" them and activating his body to follow his concious and unconcious demands.
The brain, with about two billion neurons, is almost the equivalent of a 40 watt light bulb in it's ionic electrical power.
Someone also said that solid objects cannot be ionic, i.e. that ions can only exist in fluids and gases I suppose. Don't take my word for it, just wait for a dry winter day, rub your feet on the carpet and touch a grounded object. Feel the static spark? It's a charge, not a placebo that's "all in your head". Or just put your laundry in the dryer without those softener sheets and figure out whether solid objects can accumulate ions.
Another person also said that metals cannot be ionized. Can metals be permanently ionized? Don't know. But again, you shouldn't have been sleeping in Science, metals exist by definition as a fairly firm structure of atomic nucleii, in a "soup" of freely moving electrons. The negative electrons have only the slightest connection to a particular nucleus before they decide to move next door to the next one, which is why metals conduct electricity.
Essentially, metals are composed of ions at the exterior layer where we interact with them. Rust never sleeps.
I'm not endorsing anything, just busting the bad science of the other "mythbusters" here. If I buy one of these things and think it's crap, I'll post that too.
Cranky Media Guy Member
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 | 12:14 PM
Paul said:
"I've been fascinated reading this thread. Thinking about getting a Qray, and the skeptics have almost convinced me to try it."
May I ask you, Paul, what exactly it is you think the Q-Ray is going to do for you?
If you see their ads, you see that they are incredibly vague about what the Q-Ray actually does for the human body.
Rather than anything specific, you get a lot of stuff from the people in the ad about how the Q-Ray makes them feel "better," whatever THAT means. Uh, I feel better when I wear the cheesy watch I bought for $10. at Goodwill. Does that make it a therapeutic device?
Yeah, yeah, I know, it's all a Big Conspiracy on the part of the pharmaceutical companies and the government to keep the incredibly non-specific healing power of a cheaply made bracelet from the public. Seriously, don't you think if the Q-Ray did anything testable that they manufacturers would want to trumpet that from the highest mountain? Instead, their ads are full of statements with the reek of "vetting" from their lawyers.
If you DO decide to buy this worthless piece of crap, do yourself at least the minor favor of getting it from eBay so you save some money.
RR Guy
in Canada
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 | 02:17 PM
Here are the results of a double blind study that should answer the question if these bracelets work.
All I can say is the mind is a powerful thing. IF you want that stupid bracelet to work it will. There are suckers for everything. Eat right, get enough sleep and drink a lot of water and you will perform better. Save your money
Cranky Media Guy Member
Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 | 11:34 PM
Ron said:
"All I can say is the mind is a powerful thing. IF you want that stupid bracelet to work it will."
Well, yeah, up to a point. No bracelet is going to "cure" incurable cancer. Pain, however, is extremely subjective. A level of pain that would be intolerable for one person is an inconveniece for another person. This is something to keep in mind when you see an ad for something that purports to "relieve pain."
Jason
Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 | 09:23 AM
I am just trying a Sobona bracelet. Similar to Q-Ray but got it for $15, 2 magnets on each end of the bracelet. My dad had a serious injury to his shoulder and arm and claims that he doesn't suffer from pain anymore. I am skeptical. So I am trying it.
Anyhow it does have an effect. Unfortunately my right hand feels swollen and numb. Definately not a positive effect. I am switching arms now to see if I get the same result on the other arm.
The claims are bull but there is some strange effect to this. I can see how it may help with certain pain or cause more pain.
My Theory is that it has something to do with attracting the iron levels in one part of the body. I think this may be more harmfull than a cure! Anyhow the bottem line is any powerfull magnet will have some effect. The most powerfull magnet is the one from a computer hard drive. I am going to try straping it on for a few days and see what happens.
There was a warning with this bracelet about not using it, if you are pregnant. Hmmm. Also no pacemakers!
I will keep experimenting and give you the results. I am as skeptical as you are but I am getting some strange results. Too bad I am not feeling any more energetic from this. All I have is a painfull hand and wrist.
Captain Al
in Alberta, Canada Member
Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2007 | 10:35 PM
Jason said: "I am skeptical. So I am trying it."
This is exactly the wrong way to go about it. How will you know if any result is caused by the magnet, the placebo effect, your personal bias or something else? And why would you assume the effect, if any, would be a positive one? Could it not be harmful instead? Do you really want to be a guinea pig? The only way to know for sure is a properly designed double blind test, preferrably conducted by an academic professional trained in such things.
Fortunately for you this has already been done and so far magnetic fields don't seem to have any effect on the human body. Even fields strong enough to bend metal bars do nothing. The magnetic field in an MRI machine is considered extremely powerful yet it neither hurts you or cures anything. Experiment if you must but the results of a one-person subjective test will be meaningless.
Andy Y. DMD
in Orange countyl, CA USA
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 | 12:17 AM
Hi. I'm a dentist and I had a patient one day who wore Q-ray bracelet on both arms. He was a gentleman in his 60's. I asked him if the bracelets work and he swore that it worked wonders for him. He said he felt more energized when he wore his bracelet. He said he went on a weekend trip one time and he forgot to wear it for two days and he said he was miserable. I personally find no scientific evidence that it works and I strongly feel that it's just placebo effect; but, I also feel that if it brings relief or more energy (due to placebo effect) no harm is done. It's not like these people are taking some harmful supplements or dangerous drugs.
I also has a friend who swears by it too. I'm currently having wrist problems due to my dental career and I'm gonna try it out to see if it works. I'll try to write an update in few weeks.
Captain Al
in Alberta, Canada Member
Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 | 08:50 AM
"...no harm is done. It's not like these people are taking some harmful supplements or dangerous drugs."
Andy,
The real harm is people using scam products instead of legitimate proven medical treatments. In most of the cases mentioned on this thread, users suffered from some chronic pain for which there is no treatment. If a Q-Ray bracelet gives them some relief then good for them. However, the truth of the matter is the Q-Ray bracelet is just of ring of ordinary metal made to look like jewelery and any pain relief is due to the placebo effect.
Our purpose on this forum is discussing hoaxes and scams, not to tell people they should shut up and suffer in silence. These people came here of their own accord and tried to tell us Q-Ray is a real product so we felt the need to disagree. Others came here trying to find out about the product before buying. I want them to hear the other side of the story, the side of science and reason. The majority of Q-Ray users will only be hurt in the wallet but there are many other scams out there claming to cure "incurable" diseases such as cancer. As a medical professional I'm sure you would agree this is a serious matter. Allowing Q-Ray to continue unchallenged is morally wrong. It only gives the false impression that sickness can be cured by backroom inventors with no medical training and that science should be mistrusted for not acknowledging these products. You owe it to your patients to give then your professional opinion on the real story behind Q-Ray.
P.S. Please read the rest of this forum to see how the FDA has investigated Q-Ray and found their product has no special properties and levied a huge fine on them for false advertising.
Just saw this thing on tv, was wondering two things: 1.) no price was advertised. 2.) they said specifically they cant tell me how it works, and it just does.
so i go on the internet looking for answers to those two questions. and 1.) its like $250 for the top line bracelet. 2.) it doesnt do anything which is why they cant tell me how it works. they aren't gonna say its two magnets on the end of some twisted metal cable because no one would buy it. i bet its "patented" because of its unique flat ends that dont hurt your wrist.
well i mean you can patent anything if you have a few bucks... whats the big deal about patenting something? they actually said that in the commercial "its so unique it has its own us patent"... hmmm. well. then i was reading this site and this physician proved that its an overpriced piece of costume jewlery. proving that there is no scientific proof of anything magnetic helping you balance out ionz or whatever.
oh yeah but i know exactly.... how this works. its called the power of suggestion. someone is in pain, and they will try anything to get rid of it. they hear of a miracle bracelet on tv and are willing to spend $250 to get rid of this pain for life, so they buy the bracelet, and through the power of suggestion they are healed. they THINK it will work because its so expensive and has its own commercial and website, so they no longer feel that pain. the reason it doesnt work on some people, is because they dont actually believe it will work, so it doesnt.
q-ray depends entirely on its "testimonials" on selling its product since they themselves, do not endorse it or say how it works, why it works, or give any scientifical proof, because the fact is, it doesnt exist, and they will get sued for false advertising if they do... BOOM head shot
