FAQ - about VibroAcoustic Therapy

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​Can Vibroacoustic Therapy  be harmful in anyway?
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NO!.
Over 30 years of treatment directly with people who have disabilities and chronic diseases and feedback from therapists and their clients show no harm of treating with Olav Skille Vibroacoustic therapy in the range of 30Hz-120Hz , low volume, 23 minutes per session which does not fall into the name "long time exposure"

We have been researching the positive end of frequency exposure, low energy transmission  and we are using sinusoidal amplitude variations (typically 6,8 seconds between peaks) in order to let the organism have small pauses between exposure. There has been reported no adverse reactions of  vibroacoustic disease  from VAT therapy sessions.
Mechanical vibrations from jackhammers,   or diesel engine vibrations, and floor/tool vibrations during working hours cannot be compared with the soft acoustic vibrations from loudspeakers or acoustical transducers. The auditive properties of our equipment is almost non perceptible.



It is important to be guided by certified therapist or get our formal training. Do not stop taking pills or any medication without approval of your physician. If you have a chronic disease , or in an extreme medical health condition, let your physician contact us or your therapist to know the frequency treatment you are taking and approve it.​

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Do you treat Cancer with Vibroacoustic Therapy?

We do NOT treat cancer. We may possibly reduce uncomfortable symptoms from the disease, or from side effects of therapy - at any time during the progress or regress.​



What is the mechanism of VAT?

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The mechanism of action of VAT is oscillation of the human nervous system with frequencies and resonance characteristics of various muscle groups. VAT combines these resonance frequencies programs based on experimentally based effects, evaluated by patient reactions. Thousands of research hours have taught us how to use these programs to relax, to stimulate, to relieve pain.



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VAT can also be called cell vibration therapy. Administered through comfortable sound furniture, the user is bathed repeatedly with pure, coherent (patterned & harmonious), sinusoidal sound waves. (This methodology was conceived by Olav Skille 35 years ago). Sine-waves are produced by a specially designed computer program made by Finn Harald Skille . (Present program version is 1.31) Waves of varying pitch, frequency and tone sweep the body; muscle groups, inner organs, bones and nerves tingle with vibration in sympathetic harmony as their own resonance frequencies are approached; the effect is like having a massage through the body. The experience is relaxing, as muscle tissue looses tension, blood flow improves and pain is eased.



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Therapeutic sound, affects pulse rates, skin temperature, blood pressure, muscle tension and brain wave activity . These sounds can also help to release biochemical such as endorphins, ACTH and Cortisol in the brain and act as a natural painkiller. Human bone structure is also highly responsive to vibration. The bone structure continually transmits information from the more subtle internal vibration levels onto neural tissue.



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Vibroacoustic Therapy (VAT) addresses the issues for which sounds are helpful and aims to 'retune' the body back into harmony. VAT stimulates the regulatory, metabolic and immune systems back into balance. The required sound frequency is applied through an applicator device, -preferably transducers -, in order to reduce room noise and minimize energy loss, and has been found to be useful in rheumatic , bone and muscular disorders.



Sinusoidal sound (or sine) waves are used because of the purity of their sound. In theory there is no limit to the amount of harmonious overtones that can be created by coherent sine waves. Such high frequencies are found in the resonance of cell membranes and intra -cellular micro-tubules.

Biological tissue appears to be capable of storing energy, which can be released later when needed for high energy tasks, such as speeding up enzyme reactions.

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Cell vibration actually make cells work better, as well as giving them periods of relaxation. It can be classified as a form of exercise, like jogging, for immobilized patients. For non-ambulant users, it can be said to be a form of "silent jogging"



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​Can VibroAcoustic Therapy Session be applied simultaneously with other treatment?

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Yes. Sound stimuli can be done simultaneously with massage, physiotherapy etc., enhancing the accessibility of the patients.

The sensation of a VAT treatment, analogous to that of being vibrated, is very different from mechanical vibration. It is perceived as being more pleasant and less disturbing. The sensation of sine wave stimulation is both pleasing and smoothing. It is internal massage to organs, tissues and cells.



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What are the advantages of using VibroAcoustic Therapy?



VAT is drugless and can ameliorate pain without clouding the mind and without the side effects found in drugs.

VAT relaxes people.

It relieves anxiety and pain.

A solution for insomnia

Reduces muscle tensions

Culturally independent sound vibrations (in contrast to music therapy)

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A number of complementary therapies such as yoga, herbal medicine and acupuncture - to name but a few - are effective in relieving stress; but most require some sort of effort from the patient's side. Acoustic cell vibration does not require any effort from the patient at all - it is purely receptive. Use of sound waves instead of mechanical vibration of cells is preferred because sound waves will gently massage each cell in the body. VAT therapy is suitable for increasing physical and psychological well-being.



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Where is VAT applied ?


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The results of many years research and development on VAT using harmonious sound wave patterns, is being used in many hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, health clubs and alternative and complementary clinics mainly in Nordic countries. VAT is also excellent for home use, if the therapy is instituted by a qualified therapist.

VAT was initially designed for use for patients with brain damage and various forms of handicap, such as spina bifida, CP, Cystic fibrosis and various debilitating syndromes. The equipment makes three medical claims. It has a vasodilatoric effect (and therefore lowers blood pressure); it relieves pain and stress of different origin .

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​Why is music therapy is culturally dependent?



​We have the clear assurance that harmonic systems evolve from vibrations in form of intervals and harmonic frequencies.This is indisputable...if biological rhythms become generally active with their own frequencies, harmonic patterns are the likely result.

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Experience, memories and   emotions are stimulated by music. Through these, the vegetative system is influenced in such a way that a psycho-physical experience of special character is evoked. Listening to music is no passive event, but is all the time creating physical resonance.

 

The pure physiological effects of music as patterned sound of varying complexity without emotional attitude or interpretation is practically not experimentally producible without psychological contamination by either the experimenter and/or the subject. 



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​Read More of Olav Skille perception of  Music and Vibrations

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What is the professional challenge for Vibroacoustic therapist?

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For the composer VAT creativity lies in the composition and computing of frequencies that can communicate directly with the body and the nervous system. Our organism itself is the loudspeaker, and we should limit the escape of auditively perceptible sound to the environment as much as possible.

The only way to obtain this is via electronic sound generation and suitable transmission system.

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What is the research basis of VAT?



Over 40.000 hours of experience from VAT therapists all over the world cannot be wrong.

Thousands of research hours have taught us how to use these programs in order to relax, to stimulate, to relieve pain. Most research in Low Frequency Sound Therapy use has been carried out in Scandinavia, England, and other parts of Europe.

The Vibroacoustic Therapy (VAT) is using pure sine waves in the frequency range of 30 to 120 Hz.

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Many research studies (after 1990) related to VAT have been carried out at Duke University , the National Institutes of Health Center for Alternative Medicine , University of Virginia , the University of North Carolina (Asheville) , Michigan State University (Kalamazoo Campus) , etc. Controlled studies have demonstrated highly statistically significant decreases in anxiety , tension , muscle spasticity , arousal states , and dramatic increases in relaxation and sense of well-being . Psychological testing shows that people who receive vibroacoustic treatments generally feel better .

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The FDA has listed vibroacoustic related equipment as a Class One medical device (FDA Class 1 Listing.FDA-791x1024.). The FDA allows the claims of relief of pain, increase of blood circulation, and relaxation.

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VAT treatment is now used in Finland, England, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Croatia, Canada and the USA.

In 1987 there were done some stress hormone tests in connection with VibroAcoustic Therapy at Sportkrankenhaus Hellersen in Lüdenscheid, Germany. The report from this project say that "there is a distinct rise in the stress-hormone level (Cortisol, Beta-endorphine, ACTH) during the treatment". [2] (n=40) No significant change in blood pressure was reported. They concluded that it was too early for further clinical studies, but encouraged Olav Skille to go on with his basic research.

There have been several research projects based on my work. The most substantial one is Dr. Anthony L. Wigram's PhD dissertation on the effects of VAT. [3]

The effect on CP is described by Marit Hoem Kvam [4].

VAT in physiotherapy is described by Allison Patricia Porter [5] and in Germany VAT a test on children with reading and writing difficulties was carried out. [6]

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How does the user feel by experiencing the treatment?

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Every human being responds to frequencies that vibrate their biological system in several ways. Consciously experiencing frequencies throughout your entire body enables you to become more responsive and relaxed. When we are working with frequencies, we feel that the sound waves affect different parts of the body according to the chosen frequency or frequency patterns. As the frequency strengthens and deepens within you, you usually enter a meditative state within a few minutes.

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Why is it important to learn vibroacoustic therapy from a professional therapist?

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Inappropriate choice of frequencies and volume, can be unpleasant. Laboratory studies results show that plasma cortisol and blood cholesterol levels increase with increased noise levels beyond 85 dB . The effect may last for several days after exposure. Unwanted pulses at varying volume can be found coming from air conditioning units, transformers and other electronic equipment. Such pulses are usually air borne and can be harmful because of exposure time and volume levels.

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What is the feedback of using Vibroacoustic therapy on Animals?

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Horses

I asked the factory to make a horse-formed 10 transducer blanket. This was tested in a stable for racing horses in Sweden. The test was made on 30 horses.

Problems:

• Colic (bowel effect in 15 minutes).
• Circulation problems (Gives energy, muscles more flexible)
• Muscle problems (Increasing mobility in joints. Swellings reduced)
• Breathing problem (Horse inhales better after a while),
• Joint locking (Swollen muscles with cramps. After 3-4 sessions the problems vanish),

Older horses still trained hard (The horses are more energetic and move easier)

Disturbing head movements. (Horse listens inward. Trainer impressed by effect)

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The VAT programs are specially programmed for the horses. Each CD lasts 15 minutes.

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Dogs

Both lung, leg and spine problems

After initial skepticism, the dogs approach the mattress and want to lie on it. For home equipment, the dog is able to ask for treatment when needed. When troubles are over, the dog stops asking for more.

The choice of frequencies are related to dog size and the type of problem.

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How can you describe the sensation of VAT?



The patients feel VAT therapy as sympathetic resonance within muscles and other tissues. VAT Sound Wave Therapy, focuses on the musculo-skeletal system, releasing stress and tension through deep body massage. It also works on the circulation, lowering high blood pressure and reducing both anxiety and pain, whilst boosting the immune system, so promoting better health.

The sound waves penetrate all tissue in the body and about 2% of the energy transferred to the body [1] is absorbed.

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Some say its only a placebo effects , what is your reaction?

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In VAT there is of course placebo effects, but when we se effects on brain damaged children, horses, dogs and even plants change growth patterns when they are exposed to VAT vibrations, there must be something more than pure placebo happening during and after VAT exposure. We have done much research on music. Sound and noise can be beautiful, pleasant, disturbing and even harmful. High energy sound transmission. Noise pollution. Floor vibrations in factories. But in the low energy end of these acoustic phenomena we find effects that are only pleasant, beneficial, enjoyable, and can relieve some discomfort.

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VAT does not cure anything but triggers the immune system and harmonic balance of the subsystems to heal itself. VAT can maybe be used as an addition to increase effects of other therapies, including allopathic medicine, and it has some effects on its own. Under trained supervision, it can also be ideal for use for daily treatment sessions at home. Improved life quality is the most usual effect for all patients/users. And it is free of chemical substances.

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Reference

Skille, Finn Harald: Amplitudemodulator til bruk I Vibroakustisk Terapi. Høgskolen i Sør-Trøndelag. Institutt for elektroteknikk. 1995

2 Myskja, Audun: Den Musiske Medisin. Lyd og Musikk som Terapi. Grøndahl Dreyers Forlag. 1999.

3 ] Droh, Roland & Spintge, Ralph : Letter to T.H. Johansen 15.07.87 : Klinische Erprobung Vibroacoustic-System.

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Produced by ACOUVE Co Ltd. Tokyo Japan.

4 Procedures for Procedure of Vibroacoustic Therapy. The Sound Beam Project. 2004

5 Probst, Urb: Intervallqualitäten und Tonartencharakteristik. Harmonie und Glasperlenspiel. Beiträge 1993. Verlag Peter Neubäcker. München

6 Ustvedt,H.J.: Acta Medica Scan

7 Ustvedt,H.J.: Acta Medica Scandinavica, Supplementum LXXXVI, Helsinki 1937).

8 Dr. Hans Jenny, physicist, physician and sound-reseacher . 1899 1992

9 Dr. Med. Hans Teirich : Musik in der Medizin. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart. 1958

10 Semelka, G,: 1st International Symposium, Sportkrankenhaus Hellersen, Lüdenscheid, 1982-

Editiones Roche.

11 Dr. ing. Krokstad, Asbjørn: Musikk og akustikk. Kommuneforlaget. Oslo 1991

12 Brewer, Chris Boyd: Vibroacoustic Therapy. Sound vibrations in Medicine. 2003

13 Brewer, C. Boyd. Vibroacoustic therapy: sound vibrations in medicine. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 2003: 9(5): 257-263.

14 Thompson, J.D.: Neuroacoustic Research. University of Virginia. 2010

15 University of Virginia. Vibroacoustic research (NASA)

16 Richards DS, Cefalo RC, Thorpe JM, Salley M, Rose D.: Determinants of fetal heart rate response to vibroacoustic stimulation in labor. Obstet Gynecol. 1988 Apr;71(4):535-40.

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17 Lehikoinen, Petri: Physiacoustic Manual. Manuscript. 1990

18 Somatron Vibroacoustic Products info folder.

19 Hulley , Tim, M.A., C.M.P.: Vibroacoustic Harp Therapy for Reduction of Tension / Pain: A 10-Subject Pilot Study. 1997

20 Wigram, Pedersen & Bonde: A Comprehensive Guide to Music Therapy. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 2004

21 Ridder: Music Therapy and Dementia.

22 King LK et al :Short-term effects of vibration therapy on motor impairments in Parkinson's disease >> click to go to the journal's website) NeuroRehabilitation, 01/12/10

Phil Ellis: Improving Quality of Life and Well-Being for Children and the Elderly through Vibroacoustic Sound Therapy. Computers Helping People with Special Needs . 2004

23 Porter, Alicia P.: Vibroacoustic Therapy. The Application of Low Frequency Sound to Reduce Stress Discomfort and Elicit the Relaxation Response. Dept of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy. University of Ulster 1993.

24[2] Droh, Roland & Spintge, Ralph : Letter to T.H. Johansen 15.07.87 :

Klinische Erprobung Vibroacoustic-System.

25[3] Wigram, A.L.: The Effect of Vibroacoustic Therapy on Clinical and Non-clinical Populations. PhD Thesis. St. Georges Hospital Medical School, London University 1996.

26[4] Hjelper vibroakustisk behandling? (Does VAT help?) Berg Gårds skriftserie nr 1/95. ISSN 0806-4342

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28[5] Porter, A.P.: Vibroacoustic Therapy. The Therapeutic Application of Low Frequency Sound to Reduce Stress Discomfort and Elicit the Relaxation Response. Dept. of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, University of Ulster. April 1993.

29[6] Schubert, T.: Wirkungen akustisch-vibratorische Stimulation auf ausgewählte Bereiche des Lern- und Leistungsverhaltens lese-rechtschreibeschwacher Schüler. Statlichen Internatschule für Sprachbehinderte, Wentorf. Kiel, March 1994.

30 Hwaa Irfan: The science of sound. Islam online.net. 2002

31 The frequency specifications in these studies are related to the Physioacoustic monitoring scales. Must NOT be confused wirh VAT Hz values. (Olav Skille)

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32 The CD colours mark the 5 basic frecuences used in VAT. (40 Hz, 52 Hz, 68 Hz, 50 Hz and 52 Hz)

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33 E-mail from Majstin Wik, Uppsala, Sweden 2009.

34 E.mail from Annette Traxler. Nærøy, Norway 2010

35[1] Swedish Defense Material Administration: Infrasound: A Summary of interesting Articles. FMV elektro

A 12:142 May 1985. (p. 33)













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