Sound therapy is a form of sensory therapy that is quickly growing in popularity in the world of Integrative medicine and alternative medicine. Sound therapy is a complementary medicine designed to work alongside orthodox medicine.
Sound Therapy is also sometimes called sound medicine, vibrational medicine, sound healing, frequency medicine.
How Does it work?
Sound Therapy utilizes vibration, the principle of resonance, and entrainment by applying specific vibrations that affect the body’s nervous system. A massage therapist touches and rubs the tissue, a sound therapist vibrates the tissue. Sound Therapists believe It alters physiological responses and affects emotions. We know that everything naturally vibrates to its own innate resonant frequency. By Matching the resonant frequency of the particular part of the body it can break up stuck energy or blockages in the body or it can feed it energy to restore its balance or health. Sound Therapists use vibration to trigger a natural resonance in something, they are effectively massaging it. This can be extremely effective for stress relief and whole body relaxation.
Most popular sound tools that sound therapist use
Some sound therapists use specific tones or directly apply physical vibrations to parts of the body to heal certain conditions, other therapists prefer chanting or using instruments that produce sounds with rich resonances to help restore the body’s own harmonic pattern. The most popular Traditional Sound Therapy Instruments include Singing Bowls, Gongs and The Voice. However many choose to incorporate Pre Recorded sounds such as nature sounds, music, binaural beats, tone generators and synthesized sounds and VAT Vibroacoustic therapy.
Vibroacoustic therapy (VAT)
VAT is one of my favourites and is a type of sound therapy that involves passing pure low frequency sine wave vibrations into the body via a device with embedded speakers. It’s used by spas, resorts, and clinics around the world. VAT generally uses low frequency waves, in the range of 30 to 100 Hz, sessions can last from ten to forty-five minutes. Vibroacoustic devices come in a range of forms including massage tables, chairs, mats, and simple DIY platforms. They generally function by playing sound files through transducers, bass shakers, or exciters which then transfer the vibrations into the body.
Some devices attempt to target very specific parts of the body such as the wrist or the spine.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved vibroacoustic therapy for increasing circulation, pain relief, and increasing mobility. Vibroacoustic therapy is being evaluated to treat a number of conditions including fibromyalgia, cerebral palsy and Alzheimer’s Disease.
