The Potential of Sound Healing for Chronic Pain

I stepped into the elevator, pulling my cart filled with musical instruments, only to find myself between a man wearing a stethoscope and a woman in scrubs. I stood amidst the hollow bamboo stalks I use in my sound healing practice, their leaves gently brushing against my nose, providing a sense of refuge.

“Floor four, please,” I requested, receiving curious glances from my companions. The man pointed at my cart with a smirk and jokingly asked, “What’s in there? Jesus?”

With a smile, I replied, “They do work miracles,” as I prepared to exit onto the palliative care unit at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center North Hospital in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Intrigued expressions followed me as the elevator doors closed behind me.

The Making of a Sound Healer

My life took an unexpected turn nearly three years ago when I discovered sound healing during a weekend-long workshop. This experience was nothing short of transformative—five hours of deep cellular reset left me with an unwavering sense of calm and newfound purpose. Profoundly impactful, it ultimately led me to leave behind my decade-long career as a bioanalytical researcher to delve into this practice. Inspired by this journey, I wrote my debut book, Activating Our 12-Stranded DNA, which explores sound healing, DNA, and evolution.

I first started offering sound healing experiences in a local yoga studio. Gradually, my sessions evolved from local wellness centers to art and education spaces, growing popular and reflecting an increasing interest in the field. Albeit with a rocky start, characterized by empty classes and no-shows, persistence proved fruitful as my events soon became waitlisted and sold out.

In May 2024, my sound medicine practice was introduced as a stress-reducing modality for nurses during Nurses Week at the Medical College of Virginia (MCV). Heather Paciocco, a nurse manager, shared her experience: “It was wonderful to be able to take some time to reflect and relax, and to be mindful and aware of all the sensory input around us. I think it would be amazing in the future to have sound sessions available to patients to act as a complementary method of holistic, multimodal pain management.”

The positive feedback opened doors for my sound medicine practice to be integrated into the MCV/VCU healthcare system. While sound healing has gained traction in alternative medicine circles, it is still a new practice in the world of modern healthcare, with only a handful of pioneering professionals working to introduce its benefits to medical institutions.

Sound Healing for Chronic Pain

As I continued to share my sound medicine practice, I began to witness its profound impact on participants, especially those struggling with chronic pain. In one instance, a class participant walked in with debilitating sciatica, which completely subsided after her first sound session. In another case, a woman who had broken multiple vertebrae in a car accident six weeks prior found that sound healing helped manage her pain and aid in her full recovery, enabling her to walk normally again. These experiences fueled my passion for sound healing and its potential to bring relief and comfort to those in need.

I have observed the particularly profound effects of sound healing working with palliative care and cancer patients. Patients have reported relief from chronic pain and experienced reduced tremors and anxiety, and entire families of patients have undergone emotional healing. Healthcare professionals and staff have also acknowledged sound healing’s significant potential as a valuable complementary and alternative medicine.

Sound’s unique ability to harmonize the mind, body, and spirit through frequency, vibration, and resonance distinguishes it from other modalities. This was evident during separate sessions with two patients experiencing gastric cancer-related stomach pain. Without disclosing the frequencies or the alignment of those frequencies with specific body parts, I offered crystal sound bowls to each patient, asking them to choose which one they wanted to work with.

Interestingly, both patients pointed to the bowl corresponding to the solar plexus chakra. As I played that particular bowl for each patient, both remarked on experiencing relief. As one held her belly, she shared, “This sound helped my nausea stop, and I feel calm now.”

These experiences show how sound healing can address physical symptoms and promote tranquility, offering benefits for individuals facing similar symptoms.

Sound Healing for Emotional Pain

In my clinical experiences, sound healing alleviates distress and promotes unity among family members and their loved ones receiving care, providing solace during challenging times. Undoubtedly, healing frequencies can create a supportive environment for grieving and emotional healing.

One family member described feeling the weight of stress lifted off her shoulders after a sound healing session, while another expressed feeling uplifted for the first time, as if something had been awakened within her. One individual shared that our sound healing session was the first time she could find respite from the constant mental stress caused by her family member’s overwhelming health situation.

These experiences are testaments to the ability of sound healing to foster resilience and inner peace for patients and their families alike.

Research on Sound Healing for Chronic Pain

Music and sound have recently been incorporated into the narratives of science and pain management.

Studies have shown that music can help decrease levels of chronic pain. Binaural beats and a patient’s favorite music in general may also aid in pain reduction.

And vibration therapy and targeted sound frequencies have been shown to help relieve inflammation and muscle tension (see my book, Activating Our 12-Strand DNA for more information).

How to Utilize Sound Healing for Chronic Pain

As we explore the fascinating world of sound and its impact on our well-being, let’s take a moment to experience the benefits of sound healing firsthand with a simple breathing exercise. Through this immersive and rejuvenating practice, we will use our most powerful and accessible instrument—our voice—to connect our hearts and minds and create a sense of calmness that will help dissolve pain, anxiety, and fear while fostering stillness and restoration.

Breathe

1. Breathe in counting to four slowly, filling your lungs with air.

1. Hold your breath for four seconds.

1. Slowly exhale through your mouth for four seconds, followed by a four-second pause.

Using this simple “box breathing” technique as a foundation, repeat this process a few times, allowing your breath to flow naturally without strict timing. Let the flow of your breath guide you, with the goal of attuning your breath to the rhythm of a sea wave.

Visualize

Imagine the sea with its unique waves and various sounds, such as whispers, hissing, clicking, thuds, tapping, grunts, moans, and croaks. Each wave is distinct from the last. Visualize the sea in its constant motion and endless variety.

Mimic Ocean Sounds

Following a few rounds of breathing, start making ocean-like sounds with each exhale. Experiment with different mouth shapes and sounds, allowing yourself to feel free and expressive. For example, experiment with making a hissing sound and see where it takes you.

Feel free to change your mouth shape, extending your jawline, clenching your teeth, grinning widely, or forming a ring with your lips. Even if it feels exaggerated, don’t be afraid to explore new ways to create authentic ocean sounds. Allow yourself to let go of any inhibitions and let the sound flow freely. Affirm that your voice sounds perfect just the way it is.

Make a different sea sound on each exhale and connect with your own unique expression.

Relax and Express

After exploring various ocean sounds, relax your jaw, mouth, and lips. Take a deep breath in, let your belly relax, and fill your lungs with air. As you exhale, allow your lungs to naturally decompress, releasing the air from your diaphragm.

Emit the sound that comes from your heart without overthinking it or focusing on how it sounds. Let your heart express itself through this warmed-up channel. Repeat this process a few times, slowing down your pace to connect with the sound of your voice and the frequency of your heart.

The Power of Sound Healing

In a world that often feels fast-paced and disconnected, sound healing offers an intentional way to pause, reconnect, and listen to the vibrations that surround us.

As we explore and navigate the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, it’s evident that sound healing is not just a fleeting trend but a valuable tool that holds the potential to revolutionize our approach to managing pain and promoting well-being and healthcare. By embracing the power of sound and the interconnectedness it engenders between mind, body, and spirit, we can create a more holistic, personalized, and empowering healthcare experience for all—one frequency at a time.

Ultimately, sound healing teaches us to listen deeply, not just to the sounds around us, but also to the innate wisdom and medicine within ourselves, fostering resilience, growth, and a profound sense of connection to the ecology we inhabit.

Discover more about how sound therapy boosts spiritual well-being and reduces pain and anxiety.