Whole Body Vibration Therapy Process
The nexNeuro System sessions includes clients that require therapy to extend mobility, manage pain, reduce stress, rehabilitative therapy, patients recovering from surgery and provide sensory stimulation for individuals with progressive neurological diseases and disorders.
Background
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 technology uses speakers or transducers placed within mats, mattresses, chairs, recliners, tables, or soft furniture to provide a physiologic and auditory experience. Benefits include pain management, anxiety relief, symptom reduction, physical therapy, and relief of those suffering from emotional challenges such as addictions, depression, trauma, stress, personality disorders and phobias.
A number of general designs of vibroacoustic technology have been developed over the past 30 years, with unique capabilities and purposes. The designs differ in the type of vibration-generating systems used; the frequencies selected for stimulus; the extent to which sound vibrations are processed, measured and monitored' and the qualities and patterns of resonance in the vibrating surfaces.
Vibroacoustics can increase quality of life and be used to manage behavior in psychiatric settings, geriatric facilities, child life centers, palliative care facilities as well as monitored in-home health services.
The innovative therapy was introduced by Norwegian musician/researcher,
Olav Skille, founder of International Society for VibroAcoustics (ISVA) in 1982. VAT utilizes electronically-generated low frequency tones (generally in the 30-120 Hz range), usually mixed with synthesized music, to treat a variety of conditions.
Discussion
The Relaxation Response
Just as the "stress reaction" is one of the body’s built-in response systems, so there is an innate “relaxation response”. The relaxation response “undoes” what stress does. The relaxation response brings about decreased muscle tension, lowered heart rate and blood pressure, a deeper breathing pattern, calming of the body and a peaceful, pleasant mood. The problem faced in managing stress is that the stress reaction is more easily elicited than the relaxation response. The stress reaction happens immediately without any effort on your part. A loud noise at this moment would startle an individual, and the stress reaction would speed through the body. A stress reaction happens automatically while the relaxation response must be purposefully sought and brought under control. While the relaxation response will occur naturally as when one sits on the beach watching the ocean; hectic modern society does not give many chances for such natural elicitation. To control stress we must engage in an intentional practice of creating the relaxation response.
“Induced Relaxation” is the unconscious movement into the “state of relaxation” by accelerating the relaxation response through guided stimulation of human senses: sight, hearing and touch.
Resonant Frequencies
Every organ, bone, and virtually every “cell” in the human body vibrates at its own resonant frequency. Together, they make up a composite frequency not unlike that of a symphony orchestra. When an organ in the body is out of tune, it can affect the health of the entire body. Since the body always seeks the most efficient vibration, it takes far less energy to vibrate at the correct frequency than the incorrect one. After the utilization of sound therapy, most subjects report a feeling of total relaxation and improvement of overall function, balance and feeling of lightness.
Vibroacoustic Therapy combines the physical vibrations of relaxing music with the vibrations of pulsed low frequency sine tones. Frequencies surround and envelope individuals as they recline a zero gravity position. The zero gravity lounge is equipped with four high power low frequency transducers. Subjects “feel” the sound as it radiates throughout the lounge and the entire body.
Acoustically speaking, the body is but a skin sack filled of water. If we imagine such a sack being placed on a series of loud-speakers and send bass sound through these speakers, we realize that the sound vibrations will be felt at any point of the surface of the sack. This means that all water molecules inside the sack have been put into motion. If we then imagine a human being in place of the skin sack, the sound will move through the body as if it was water and we can feel the vibrations on the body surface. Thus, all cells in the body have been vibrated by the sound waves, and the body has received a deep cellular “internal massage.”
In that way, organs deep in the body which we cannot reach by traditional methods - nerves, glands, heart, lungs, deep-lying blood vessels, myofascial and brain tissue are stimulated and massaged through sound vibrations.
Methods
Brain activity is based on cells called neurons which interact and connect with each other forming groups or neural networks. These neural networks respond to external stimuli and are activated by stimulating an individual’s senses and nervous system.
A vibration/frequency therapy is a non-medical vibroacoustic mattress system that provides audio and tactile stimulation to the mind and body. This therapy delivers “natural stimulants” in a passive and non-evasive process that exercises the brain and central nervous system with the specific intent of balancing, optimizing and harmonizing the body and brain
The Kinesthetic Audio System produces low frequency sine waves with tactile transducers; designed to vibrate the body with optimal psychological and physical impact. This vibroacoustic audio resonates through the body’s nerves, muscles, skin and bones providing deep “cellular stimulation”.
Therapies incorporated in the protocol
Vibroacoustics
Vibroacoustics is defined as “the process of hearing sound vibrations through the body.” This is accomplished with special transducers designed to vibrate the body with optimal psychological and physical impact. Vibroacoustic music (VAM) resonates the body directly through nerves, skin, and bones —the sound is not directed to the ears. Dr. Drew Pierson, a psychologist with electrical engineering experience says, “The body holds emotional events in cellular memory. The use of vibration from 4.5–1800 Hz has the effect of disengaging those resonant patterns that seem to run in loops and fixate themselves in the body. Vibroacoustics change the bio-electrical signature of the emotional imprint.”
Music therapy & Brain Entrainment
Brain entrainment or “brainwave synchronization” is any practice that aims to cause brainwave frequency to fall into step with a periodic stimulus having a frequency corresponding to the intended brain-state (e.g., to induce sleep).
Resonant entrainment of oscillating systems is a well-understood principle within the physical sciences. If a tuning fork designed to produce a frequency of 440 Hz is struck (causing it to oscillate) and then brought into the vicinity of another 440 Hz tuning fork, the second tuning fork will begin to oscillate. The first tuning fork is said to have entrained the second or caused it to resonate. The physics of entrainment apply to biosystems as well.
Brain waves change frequencies based on neural activity within the brain. Because neural activity is electrochemical, brain function can be modified by altering the brain’s electromagnetic environment through induction, or through resonant entrainment techniques.
Audio with embedded binaural beats are mixed with music or various pink or background sound. They are used in relaxation, meditation, stress reduction, pain management, improved sleep quality, decrease in sleep requirements, super learning, enhanced creativity and intuition, remote viewing, telepathy, and out-of-body experience and lucid dreaming. Audio embedded with binaural beats is often combined with various meditation techniques, as well as positive affirmations and visualization. Audio with embedded binaural beats alters the electrochemical environment of the brain. This allows mind-consciousness to have different experiences. When the brain is entrained to lower frequencies and awareness is maintained, a unique state of consciousness emerges. This state is often referred to as "mind awake/body asleep." Slightly higher-frequency entrainment can lead to hyper suggestive states of consciousness. Still higher-frequency states are associated with alert and focused mental activity needed for the optimal performance of many tasks. Some states of consciousness provide limited views of reality, while others provide an expanded awareness of reality. For the most part, states of consciousness change in response to the ever-changing internal environment and surrounding stimulation.
How Binaural Beats Work On the Brain
When signals of two different frequencies are presented, one to each ear, the brain detects phase differences between these signals. "Under natural circumstances a detected phase difference would provide directional information. The brain processes this anomalous information differently when these phase differences are heard with stereo headphones. A perceptual integration of the two signals takes place, producing the sensation of a third "beat" frequency. The difference between the signals waxes and wanes as the two different input frequencies mesh in and out of phase. As a result of these constantly increasing and decreasing differences, an amplitude-modulated standing wave -the binaural beat- is heard. The binaural beat is perceived as a fluctuating rhythm at the frequency of the difference between the two auditory inputs.
Kinesthetic Audio
Kinesthetic Audio is defined as a non-audible sensory experience, using current and developed technology to produce a non-audible vibroacoustic sensory experience.
Audio: Of or relating to acoustic, mechanical, or electrical frequencies corresponding to normally audible sound waves which are of frequencies approximately from 15 to 20,000 hertz.
Kinesthetic: A sense mediated by receptors located in muscles, tendons, and joints and stimulated by bodily movements and tensions - also sensory experience derived from this sense.
The sound vibration experience is created utilizing computer controlled real-time multichannel frequency modulations channeled thru low frequency tactile transducers. Delivery of the low frequency audio signals is controlled by proprietary software to control specific tones and frequencies, location of signal, duration of signal, intensity and choreograph patterns and sequences to accomplish specific results. 2 specific goals are attained:
1. A means of generating vibrations in the body which a gives a sensation as analogous as possible to the sensation of hearing music.
2. Vibrate cells in the body with pulsed low frequency sine tones with tactile transducers, providing the feel of the sound as it resonate the whole body with sound waves; generating a deep cellular “internal massage.”
Kinesthetic Audio is created and delivered in 3 distinctive formats to accommodate different recipient requirements and needs.
1. Synchronized Audio - Easy listening audio with synchronized stereo bass track. (Emphasis on listening to composed audio with subtle stereo vibration to sooth and relax the body)
2. Kinesthetic Therapeutics - Deep Cellular Sound Massage - Computer produced and delivered through 4 channels (2 channel headphone audio and 2 channel transducers) choreographed audio - (emphasis on composing vibration sequences and patterns with subtle background music to entrain the mind - i.e. background music and/or nature sounds with binaural beats)
3. Vibration Audio - Body music - audio music tracts converted to vibration audio. (Focus on vibration only - translation of the rhythm and melody of songs to bass tones that can be delivered by tactile transducers - vibration only, no headphone audio)Hardware consists of:
- Software for audio-processing multichannel low frequency sequences
- Multichannel bass amplifier
- Multichannel USB sound card
- Media delivery component – computer, digital audio player
- Tactile transducers embedded in delivery device
Delivery of Kinesthetic Audio Bass frequency:
Vibrations of the tactile transducers respond to composed audio signals. Some of the tactile vibration is continuous, in response to smooth, legato musical passages. Other transducers pulse rapidly in response to frequencies that are composed to be lively and staccato. Sequences are created to provide vibrations of the tactile transducers to respond to composed audio signals. A wide variety of musical styles are represented.
Music ranges from classical and operatic pieces to popular music and notable songs from Broadway shows, as well as choreographing vibration sequences to suit the various musical selections. Creation of the term “Active Sustain” wherein there is creation of note/frequency that fluctuates in the signal strength levels along with the utilization movement from one channel to another in a multiple channel configuration i.e. choreograph the sound to move from one channel to the other across a second channel and back again in a consistent rhythm - (creating a unique wave effect sensation or a uplifting sensation)
Typical Configuration:
Channels 1 and 2 are generated in stereo and directed to headphones for listening audio. Channels 3 and 4 will be mono channels and sent to individual transducers. The system uses special low frequency transducers designed to vibrate the body with optimal psychological and physical impact. Vibroacoustic audio resonates through the body’s nerves, skin and bones. With the use of proprietary software; computer signal control for volume up/down adjustments, tones and frequencies, location of signal, duration of signal, intensity and choreograph patterns and sequences and frequency transitions from one channel to the next are attained.
3 specific configurations to generate desired effect:
1. Synchronized Audio
- a. Use of Channels 1 – 4
- i. Channels 1 – 2 > Composed Music created for listening
- ii. Channels 3 – 4 > Synchronized low frequency for subtle vibration
2. Kinesthetic Therapeutics
- a. Use of Channels 1 – 4
- i. Channels 1 – 2 > Subtle background nature sounds
- ii. Channels 3 – 4 > Choreographed vibration sequences
3. Whole Body Vibration Audio
- a. Use of Channels 3 – 4
- i. Channels 3 – 4 > Composed low frequency to generate vibrations in the body to give sensation of hearing music.
The benefits of Kinesthetic Audio Stimulation
Kinesthetic Audio Stimulation can benefit a wide variety of people. From the healthy to those who suffer from sleep disorders, dementia, depression or stress. The system requires no medical personnel or drugs. It is a simple solution to reduce the symptoms of stress, depression, and sleep loss without the use of prescription drugs.
- Reduces stress
- Reduces overall anxiety
- Produces passive calming effect
- Lowers blood pressure
- Slows breathing
- Increases blood circulation
- Releases certain chemicals in the body through the relaxation response. (Increases serotonin production)
- Relieves pain & spasms in muscles & joints
- Decreases muscle tension and headaches