More on Acuvibration:
Developed using the latest in vibroacoustic therapy and acupuncture point stimulation. Vibroacoustic therapy is a recently recognized technology that uses sound in the audible range to produce mechanical vibrations that are applied directly to the body. The vibroacoustic technology uses specific speakers or transducers placed within a mattress to provide a physiologic and auditory experience. Vibroacoustic music resonates the body directly through nerves, skin, and bones. At the Plateroti Center we also combine the treatment with specific acupuncture point stimulation using pellets.
Background and History
Music or Sound therapy as it is also called is not new. Ancient Greek philosophers believed that sound could heal both body and soul. Native Americans use singing and chanting as part of their healing rituals. The more formal approach to sound therapy began in World War II when the US Veterans hospitals began to use music to help treat soldiers returning from the war. In 1944, Michigan State University established the first music therapy degree program in the world. Today many hospitals offer sound therapy in their conventional treatment programs.
Vibroacoustic technology is based on key acoustic principles. Sound frequencies that are input into vibroacoustic devices become mechanical vibrations felt by the body. A significant acoustic consideration in vibroacoustic design is how vibrations are received and experienced by patients.
Vibrations in the audible range have been used to help bring patients back to mental, physical and emotional balance in many cultures. Current medical technology utilized vibration in varying degrees of intensity and frequency. Ultrasonic frequencies, above the audible range, assist with diagnoses via ultrasound technology. Very high-frequency vibrations are used to shatter kidney stones and to treat tissue contractures. Complementary health practitioners use forms of inaudible sound below 20 Hz for infrasonic vibratory treatment, such as sound waves used by chiropractors to relieve joint and muscle pain.
Research and/or development of vibroacoustic use include: applications to manage pain, reduced symptoms for patients in chemotherapy, reduced stress, distract patients during biopsies, aspirations, and other procedures. Increased range of motion (ROM) and muscle tone and in physical therapy or rehabilitative therapy following knee replacement, help prepare patients for surgery or those who are recovering.
Studies:
Relaxation
Dr. Patrick developed a relaxation program in 1992 at the NIH Clinical Center that included Somatron FFM vibroacoustic therapy. This program has since been used to treat more than 15,000 patients. Dr. Patrick gathered data on vibroacoustic treatment effects from 267 patients with a wide variety of medical conditions including cancer; heart, lung and blood disorders; infectious diseases; and mood disorders. Vibroacoustic therapy improved patients’ perceived levels or relaxation by 33 percent and there was a 54-percent combined reduction of patient-perceived intensity of symptoms of pain, tension, fatigue, nausea, headache, and depression.
Additional research has yielded similar results. Nurses in the chemotherapy unit of Jupiter Medical Center, Jupiter, Florida, reported reduction of anxiety by 62.8 percent in 41 vibroacoustic sessions with 27 patients who received chemotherapy for cancer. Fatigue was reduced by 61.6 percent.
In a study with 33 patients who underwent knee replacement or revision, and who received SLF physioacoustic treatment during pre-surgery preparations, there was a 21-percent decrease in tension. Patients with Rett syndrome responded to SLF vibroacoustics with increased relaxation, reduction of anxiety, and reduction of hyperventilation and syndrome-related behaviors.
Positive affective responses produced by vibroacoustic treatment have been noted in patients with physiologic disorders. In a study at the Clinic of Psychiatry in Helsinki, Finland, researchers used physioacoustic treatment successfully to reduce anxiety, tension, and psychosomatic pains.
Physical Therapy
Research on muscle spasticity on patients with cerebral palsy found that SLF treatment could reduce high muscle tone and accompanying movement restriction caused by increased rigidity and stiffness in these patients. ROM was also increased with treatment and relaxation induced by vibroacoustic treatment resulted in reduced muscle spasms. SLF is also considered to be a viable treatment for fixed deformities for certain patients with cerebral palsy and may curb the development of fixed deformities. People with Rett syndrome also benefit from relaxed muscle tone and experience improvement in muscle control with vibroacoustic treatment.
Pain Management
Vibroacoustic therapy has produced significant gains in pain relief and management. Dr. Patrick’s NIH program evaluation produced a 63-percent reduction of perceived pain and he has suggested that this pain relief is relaxation-induced. Patients in chemotherapy with FFM vibroacoustics have experienced 61-percent reductions of pain, probably via the same mechanism.
QMV technology was used for pain reduction with patients who have rheumatoid arthritis. Patients who listened to music while experiencing music vibration had a 64-percent reduction in pain while patients receiving only music had a 24-percet reduction in pain and a placebo group experienced a 2-percent increase in pain.
Additional Applications and Comments on Research
Additional positive effects have been found by Wigram and others in extensive reviews of vibroacoustic research and case study data, including the technique’s ability to:
· Stimulate blood flow throughout the body making pressure sores and ulcers heal faster
· Reduce swelling caused by excess tissue fluid
· Ease sore and aching muscles, alleviate high and low-back pain, and alleviate stiffness in joints by improving joint motion.
Anecdotal information indicates effects on pulmonary disorders including asthma, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary emphysema, and metachromatic leucodystrophy.
Conclusions
Acuvibration technology is an effective treatment for relaxation, anxiety reduction, muscle-tension reduction, and pain management. Acuvibration has a potential for treating disorders and for use during medical treatments. The method is effective for a wide variety of medical and wellness programs and has promise for others.
References
1. Campbell, D. Music: Physician for Times to Come. London: Quest Books, 1991.
2. Pratt, R., Jones R. Music and medicine: A partnership in history. In J Arts Med, 1988; 6:377-389.
3. Hooper J. An introduction to vibroacoustic therapy and an examination of its place in musictherapy practice. Br J Music Ther 2001;5: 69-77.
4. Skille O. Manual of vibroacoustic therapy. Levanger, Norway: ISVA Publications, 1991. Online document at: quadrillo.tripod.com/~quadrillo/ndex-4.html.
5. Lehikoinen, Petri. The physioacoustic method. In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds. Music Vibration and Health, Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997; 209-216.
6. Patrick G. The effects of vibroacoustic music on symptom reduction: inducing the relaxation response through good vibrations. IEE Eng Med Biol Mag 1999;18: 97-100.
7. Brewer C. Boyd, Coope V. Effectiveness of vibroacoustic music for pain and symptom management in outpatient chemotherapy treatment. First International Institute on Arts in Healing, May 16-17, 2003. Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, Boynton Beach, FL
8. Walters C. The psychological and physiological effects of vibrotactile stimulation via a Somatron, on patients awaiting scheduled gynecological surgery. J Music Ther1996;33: 261-287.
9. Brewer C. The Somatron Pain and Anxiety Management Program. The Somatron Corporation, 2000.
10. Chesky KS, Michel DE. The Music Vibration Table (MVT): Developing a technology and conceptual model for pain relief. Music Ther Perspect 1991;9: 32-37.
11. Chesky KS, Michel DE, & Kondraske G. Developing methods and techniques for scientific and medical application of music vibration. In: Spintge R, Dron R eds. Music Medicine, vol 2. St. Louis, MO: MMB Music. 1996;2: 227-241.
12. Wigram, T. The effects of vibroacoustic therapy on clinical and non-clinical populations [doctoroal dissertation, St. George's Medical School, London University 1996]. Online document at: quadrillo.tripod.com/~quadrillo/index-4.html
13. Wigram T. The development of vibroacoustic therapy. In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds. Music Vibration and Health, Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997: 11-26.
14. Lundenberg T, Nordemarr R, Ottoson D. Pain alleviation by vibratory stimulation. Pain 1984;20: 2-44.
15. Quillian TA, Sato M. The distribution of myelin and nerve fibres from Pacinian Corpuscles. J Physiol, 1955;129: 167-176.
16. Hubbard SJ. A study of rapid mechanical events in a mechanoreceptor. J Physiol 1958;141: 198-218.
17. Dileo C. The context of music and medicine. In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds. Music Vibration and Health. Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997: 37-48.
18. Weldin C, Eagle C. An historical overview of music medicine, In: Applications of Music Medicine, Washington, DC: National Association for Music Therapy 1991: 7-27.
19. Wigram T. The effect of amplitude modulation of the pulsed sinusoidal low frequency tone used as a stimulus in Vibroacoustic (VA) therapy: In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds, Music Vibration and Health. Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997; 133-42.
20. Wigram T. The effect of VA therapy on multiply handicapped adults with high muscle tone and spasticity. In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds. Music Vibration and Health, Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997: 143-48.
21. Chesky KS. The effects of music and music vibration using the MVT ä on the relief of rheumatoid arthritis pain. [Dissertation] In: Abstracts International, 1992;53(8), 2725B. [University Microfilms No. AAC9300593].
22. Benson H, Klipper M. The Relaxation Response. New York: Avon Books, 1976.
23. Burke M, Phillips-Bute B, Parker-Vail t. Positive effects of music therapy and vibration on satisfaction in TKA patients. Alexandria, VA: Dept. of Veterans Affairs: Second Annual Leadership Conference: Pain Management and End of Life Care, 2001.
24. Cass H, Slonims V, Weekes L, Wigram T, Wisbeach A. Therapy services for Rett Syndrome: How well does provision match specific needs? Paper presented to the Royal Society of Medicine, London, 1995.
25. Wigram T, Cass, H. The role of music therapy in a clinic for children and adults with Rett Syndrome. Paper presented to the BSMT Conference, London, 1995.
26. Wigram, T. Vibroacoustic therapy in the treatment of Rett Syndrome. In: Wigram T, Dileo C. (eds.) Music Vibration and Health, Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997: 149-155.
27. Madsen CK, Standley JM, Gregory D. The effect of a vibrotactile device, Somatron, in physiological and psychological responses: musicians versus nonmusicians. J Music Ther 1991;28: 14-22.
28. Walters C. The psychological and physiological effects of vibrotactile stimulation via a Somatron, on patients awaiting scheduled gynecological surgery. J Music Ther 1996: 33: 261-287.
29. Skille O, Wigram T, Weekes L. Vibroacoustic therapy: The therapeutic effect of low frequency sound on specific physical disorders and disabilities. J Br Music Ther 1989;3: 610.
30. Burke M, Thomas K. Use of physioacoustic therapy to reduce pain during physical therapy for total knee replacement patients over age 55, In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds. Music Vibration and Health. Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997: 99-106.
31. Butler C, Butler P. Physioacoustic therapy with cardiac surgery patients. In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds. Music Vibration and Health. Cherry Hill NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997: 197-204.
32. Burke M, Walsh J, Oehler J, Gingras JA.Music therapy following suction: Four case studies. Neonatal Network 1995: 14: 41-49.
33. Jones, L. Vibroacoustics with hospitalized children. In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds. Music Vibration and Health. Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997; 189-196.
34. Michel DE, Chesky K. Music and music vibration for pain relief: Standards in research. In: Spintge R, Dron R, eds. Music Medicine, vol 2. St. Louis: MMB Music, 1996: 218-226.
35. Burke, MA. Feasibility of Physioacoustic Therapy in Cancer Care. Report for NIH Grant #1 R43 CA 75899-01. A1, 1999.
36. Burke M. Effects of physioacoustic intervention on pain management of postoperative gynecological patients. In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds. Music Vibration and Health. Cherry Hill, NH: Jeffrey Books, 1997: 107-123.
37. Boakes M. Vibrtactile stimulaton [internal document]. London: British Association Occupational Therapists, 1990.
38. Skille O. Vibroacoustic therapy: Music therapy. Am Asoc Music Ther 1989;8; 61-77.
39. Vincente P, Manchola I, Serna E. The use of vibroacoustics in idiopathic Parkinsons disease. In: Wigram T, Dileo C, eds. Music Vibration and Health. Cherry Hill, NJ: Jeffrey Books, 1997; 125-131.
