When it comes to reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep, promoting mindfulness or increasing overall wellbeing, Sound Therapy can be an invaluable tool. It can help to stimulate the body’s natural healing processes, increase relaxation, improve concentration and boost confidence. There are a wide range of sound therapy products available on the market from traditional Tibetan singing bowls to more advanced tuning fork kits. Some of these sound therapies can be used on their own whilst others are best incorporated with other practices such as acupuncture, yoga or meditation.
For those not familiar with sound therapy, the term refers to the use of music or sounds to aid healing and reduce stress and anxiety. The sound of waves crashing, the subtle hum of a plane midflight or the soothing vocals of your favourite artist are all examples of sounds which have been known to calm the mind and create feelings of wellbeing. In the context of tinnitus, research has shown that sounds can be used to reduce distress, distract from tinnitus and help with a number of issues such as enhancing tinnitus awareness, improving quality of life and improving sleep.
Sound therapy is widely used by practitioners and it has been suggested that it can be effective for a variety of conditions, including tinnitus. A recent study, carried out by researchers at the University of Manchester, found that a combination of environmental sounds and white noise significantly reduced tinnitus annoyance for people living with hearing loss. It also improved the ability to ignore tinnitus, decreased depression and anxiety and improved overall quality of life.
However, there is no agreement as to what type of sounds are most beneficial for tinnitus or what types of devices should be used. The research found that although tinnitus relief was associated with the use of environmental and white noise, this was not universal. Other factors, such as the person’s personal preferences, were also important to consider when selecting a device.
The NHS has advised that those who are tinnitus sufferers may benefit from the use of sound masking and a few companies specialise in creating devices for this purpose. These can include a variety of environmental sounds or can be tuned to the individual’s tinnitus. The cost of these devices can be expensive and they are not suitable for everyone, so if you would like to try them we suggest you seek professional advice from your GP or audiologist.
Another option is HUSO, a patented sound therapy which uses fascia (the connective tissue encasing all of your body structures including nerves) as the information highway to distribute healthy frequencies throughout the whole body. This helps to counteract the effects of EMFs, toxins and stress leaving you with better rest, less pain, improved health, and a clear mind.