Vibroacoustic Therapy and Its Effect on Various Populations - Part 4

Introduction: The first experiences with VAT, as we know it today, were carried out in 1980 when I was working as headmaster of a school for multiply handicapped, mentally retarded children. 1987 - 1990 I ran a clinic which offered VAT to clients who came to the clinic because of various complaints, some of them were referred to VAT by their physicians.

From 1980 until today the method has spread out to different institutions, and now VAT is used to improve the life quality of persons suffering from a wide variety of complaints and handicaps. On the following pages I will try to describe how we have approached some defined conditions. Most results come from my own work, or the work of my assistants, but I also include results described in reports from professionals (nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, teachers in special education, psychologists and music therapists) in Norway and other countries.

The conditions treated by VAT differ considerably from the conditions, which traditionally are treated by Music Therapy and Music Medicine, as we know them today. As VAT has a direct physical effect on the whole human body - and virtually has an effect on each single cell in the organism, it is natural that we can observe effects which cannot be observed, or can only be traced, when we use auditively transferred musical stimuli.

Emphysema pulmonary/COPD

There has been reported one case of healing of pulmonary emphysema in one person at a local hospital in Norway.

Procedure: 3 sessions per week for 6 months (combination of VAT and traditional palliative approach). In this case we only used Low frequencies - without music - with the following succession of frequencies. (Each frequency stage lasted for 5 minutes): 40 - 60 - 80 - 60 - 40 Hz.

After 6 months the patient was considered to be healed, and the continuation of therapy was terminated.

Migraine and headache

Reduction of pain may appear after administration of VAT when we use relaxation music with a single 86 Hz frequency. "Floating" music without marked rhythm and melody is to be preferred.

If the headache comes from tense muscles in neck/shoulder, the therapist should choose spasmolytic frequencies in the 40, 60 or 68 Hz area.

It is important not to exaggerate the amplitude when headache or stress-related muscle tensions are to be treated. Guided imagery proceeding the VAT session may help the patient to relax in the desired way.

Insomnia

Relaxing music (non-rhythmic) combined with frequencies in the 36 - 46 Hz area administered in the late afternoon, or as close to bed-time as possible often gives positive results. The patients fall asleep more readily, and the sleep lasts longer than usual. For patients with severe insomnia problems, we recommend that a sleep assessment protocol is set up and kept up to date by the patient - in order to identify the observable changes in sleep pattern.

Frequency of VAT sessions and how the continuation of the program should proceed must be worked out by the therapist in cooperation with the patient.

This is part 4 of an article which will be continued in upcoming newsletter issues.

 

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