Media Release: For more information: soundhealth@soundhealth.org
Summary: Exploratory studies sponsored by the Sound Health Research Institute have established that pain, stiffness and fatigue associated with Fibromyalgia can be relieved through low-frequency sound presentation.
Albany, Ohio - December 16, 2005 - Sharry Edwards, MEd., Director of the
Sound Health Research Institute announced today preliminary results of studies
conducted at the Sound Health Center in Albany, Ohio and elsewhere. "This
is encouraging news for people trying to cope with Fibromyalgia." stated Ms.
Edwards..
During these novel studies, eighty-nine percent of the participants reported at
least a 50% reduction in pain intensity. Many sufferers reported 100% relief
during ambient sound presentation but the pain did not subside permanently. The
frequency based sound presentation needed to be repeated every four-five hours
to maintain efficacy. As a result of the requirement for repeated sound
presentation, a portable tone generator was programmed which allowed for
autonomous repetitions of sound outside the lab setting.
The pervasive musculoskeletal stress associated with Fibromyalgia symptoms is
often a debilitating and frustrating condition for both the sufferer and the
wellness provider. Even though numerous therapeutic modalities had been
evaluated by a variety of institutions, Fibromyalgia has remained a complex set
of symptoms without a cure.
For the majority of volunteers whose reactions were observed, accepting that a
sound could allow pain to subside, even though they were experiencing the
results, was somewhat perplexing. “The concept that sound has the potential to
relieve pain seems far beyond what can be accepted as plausible,” stated one
physician who volunteered to be part of the study. He added that, “Even when I
experienced the relief and could feel the increase in mobility myself it was
still hard to trust my perceptions.”
Another study participant, Donna, admits that she had a hard time convincing
herself that the results were going to maintain. “I mean, I was in such pain but
now I can jump up and down on feet that had barely allowed me to walk before. It
makes me wonder if I wasn’t imagining the pain in the first place. Other people
could see the difference in me but I still have a hard time believing I can
finally have my life back,” she explained.
A spokesperson for Sound Health confirmed that skepticism is a common reaction
because people have no frame of reference for what they are experiencing. He
further explained that, “Most people have three issues that are difficult to
overcome. First, many of them have been told that Fibromyalgia pain is
psychosomatic; second, the process they are being asked to evaluate is outside
their experience; and third, listening to sounds is so non-invasive that study
subjects don’t consider that sound could have therapeutic benefit even though
they can admit to experiencing physiological reactions to sounds and music.”
Subjects agreed that the uncertainty, in part, was based on the fact that they
were not required to actively participate in the process. They claimed the
release of pain occurred even while they were not attentive. It seemed too easy;
they simply listened to sounds and in some instances didn’t even notice the pain
had dissipated until they began to move about.
When this technique was demonstrated to government officials, who are in the
practice of evaluating novel techniques, it was agreed that using sound
frequency in this way to deplete pain is well beyond the cutting edge of current
medical standards. To date NIH has no therapeutic category to index the outcomes
observed during the course of these studies.
Because pain is such a complex neurological event, and the symptoms of
Fibromyalgia have no known homogeneous origin, a definitive identification and
biological cure has remained elusive. Sound Health hopes to be able to determine
the underlying biomarkers for Fibromyalgia because that information is
imperative to understanding the individuality of the disease.
Jane, a study participant and active real estate agent, has used the sounds for
nearly two months. She has reported no adverse effects. Jane states that she
also had trouble believing that sound could relieve pain even though she was
experiencing remission of the pain along with improved mobility; especially up
and down stairs. She reported that her life had become considerably more
manageable until she decided that the sound could not be responsible for
relieving her symptoms. As an experiment she quit using the sounds for nearly
three days until the pain drove her back to the sound again. Jane reported, “I
still don’t know if I completely believe that sound can relieve pain but there
is no denying that the pain is eliminated when I use the sound.” Jane explained
that one of the most surprising results was the relief of pain in her thumb.
Before sounds she could not touch the base of her thumb without causing pain.
Now, she explains, “the pain is just gone” but neither she nor Sound Health
technicians can explain the biological mechanisms behind the relief of her
symptoms.
Two participants did not respond to the documented sounds for Fibromyalgia. In
each case BioAcoustic Vocal Profiling revealed new information about the
previously unfamiliar causes of Fibromyalgia. Future studies are expected to
identify Fibromyalgia biofrequencies that will be used to develop a
pre-diagnostic vocal profiling computer program that could be available via the
internet. It is hoped that the program would potentially identify persons who
may be susceptible to Fibromyalgia and other disease processes.
The number of people suffering from the devastating symptoms of Fibromyalgia is
estimated to be six to ten million worldwide; causing quality of life to be
jeopardized, job performance and production to be hampered. Many people who
experience stiff joints and sore muscles don’t even realize they have
Fibromyalgia. They simply attribute their morning pain and stiffness to aging.
Fibromyalgia related insurance and rehabilitation costs are skyrocketing.
Expenses to investigate and deal with Fibromyalgia symptoms and associated
outcomes are estimated to be billions of dollars each year. If a commercially
available device could be developed using the findings established by this
study, it would have the potential to provide individual, non-invasive, easily
affordable, portable pain relief for millions of sufferers. Funding is the major
obstacle that keeps this technology from being available to consumers.
Anyone wishing to participate in the on-going
Fibromyalgia observations being conducted at Sound Health can find further
information by contacting Sound Health: USA Eastern Standard time - 740-698-9119
or www.soundhealthinc.com
or
soundhealth@soundhealth.org.
Disclaimer:
Human BioAcoustics, as originated by Sharry Edwards, M.Ed., does not diagnose or
prescribe for medical or psychological conditions nor does it claim to prevent,
treat, mitigate or cure such conditions. HBA researchers do not provide
diagnosis, care, treatment or rehabilitation of individuals, nor apply medical,
mental health or human development principles.
Sound Health Research Institute, established in 1997, is a non-profit research institution dedicated to the study of the frequencies of the human voice and the effects of low frequency analog sound presentation on human physiology. This seminal work, BioAcoustic Biology, is just now getting the attention of Ohio's government supported research agencies. Omeris, an Ohio non-profit organization designed to build and accelerate bioscience industry, research and education has recognized that Sound Health, through the work of Sharry Edwards "has brought a revolutionary idea to the forefront of the Bioscience Community." Omeris was established, in part, by Senator George Voinovich of Ohio. See also, The Journal of BioAcoustic Biology, http://www.Jbab.org.
© 2005