Sound Healing for Breast Cancer Patients

Written by Madeline McNeill and Kendall Preston. They are seniors at UNCW and are Public Health Interns with Going Beyond the Pink.

As you navigate your way through breast cancer treatment and survivorship, finding ways to effectively manage your individual side effects is key. One ancient healing technique gaining in popularity is Sound Healing. According to Cancer Wellness, sound healing has been found to impact our bodies physically, mentally and emotionally.

What is sound healing?

Sound Healing is a relaxation technique that promotes tranquility and pain relief. It encompasses all kinds of sounds, ranging from a low bass (frequency of 40 Hz) to a high harmonic (frequency of 8000 Hz). For many, even just listening to your favorite song can help reduce anxiety and boost your mood. Sound healing works in a similar way, just with more of a focus on healing your mind and body from life's stressors. This can include drumming, chanting, voice intonation, and more. In some circles, Sound Healing is viewed as a form of meditation, indicating its relaxing and calming abilities.

How can it help breast cancer patients?

When going through treatment, you may feel overwhelmed, stressed out and in pain. Sound healing has the ability to positively impact each of these areas. The rhythm, vibrations and sounds all work together in finding harmony within the body and can even provide relaxation, peace, and pain relief. Sound relief can have effects on the body that cannot be replicated by anything else. Martha Collard, a sound therapist that regularly works with cancer patients and groups states that “It gives them a sense of peace and calming and release that they are not able to obtain any other way.”   Being in touch with your emotions during treatment is important and sound therapy helps with grounding yourself and reflecting. 

Engaging in sound healing can also have impacts on your immune system, heart rate and blood pressure. Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, a former medical oncologist at Gaynor Integrative Oncology, indicated that “about 20 minutes after listening to this meditative type music, your immunoglobulin levels in your blood are significantly increased.” Along with this, the soothing aspect of these sounds reduce your blood pressure and calm your heart rate as your body becomes more relaxed.

How does it work?

Sound healing can take the focus from disease centered anxiety to more of a progress seeking attitude and behavior, but how does it work? MDPI Healthcare did a study on Possible Mechanisms for the Effects of Sound Vibration on Human Health, and it narrows down how sound can be beneficial to healing and cancer patients. It was concluded that there is a hemodynamic (blood flow), neurological (nervous system), and musculoskeletal (muscular system) response when vibrations are applied. It affects each system differently.

• Hemodynamic (blood flow)

  • Stimulation of endothelial cells which are in charge of releasing substances that help blood clotting, immune function, and vascular relaxation.

• Neurological (nervous system)

  • Stimulates protein kinase (regulating biological proteins) activation, and also includes nerve stimulation. 

• Musculoskeletal (muscular system)

  • Sound healing helps muscle stretch reflex and bone progenitor cells which replace old damaged cells with new healthy ones. 

Putting it Into Practice

There are many great resources available if you are interested in getting involved or learning more about sound healing! Whether you choose to practice sound healing online, in-person, with a group, etc., it can be beneficial in helping you cope during these difficult times. 

Christina Stevens, founder of Upbeat Drum Circles, offers access to videos, such as short clips of her drumming and singing on YouTube. In addition, you can purchase CDs and DVDs of sounds that she has created, allowing you to listen whenever you feel the need to.

• Check out this short clip of what her sound healing practice looks like: Sound Healing - Toning into the Frame Drum

For a local option, David Key is a sound therapy musician located in Southeastern North Carolina. He offers both workshops and personal sound therapy sessions. These personal sessions are tailored towards your individual needs in the hope that it will provide you with the most impact.

There are many different sound healing resources available out there, so if this is something you are interested in, find the one that best suits you!