An increasing number of individuals are incorrectly advising and publishing warnings about the safety of sound bath meditation for those with metal implants. Providing general advice of this nature is unethical, and here’s why …
Case Studies
Due to the lack of scientific evidence to support the use of sound bath for folks with metal implants, our practical advice regarding sound bath and metal implants can only come from our own experience and case studies from those we have worked with and can never be used as individual advice.
I know from my own experience and those I have worked with over many years, that for the majority of healthy people with metal implants, the deep rest & relaxation provided by a professional sound bath can absolutely be of great benefit.
- One case where the drummer in our band had metal implants to assist the bones of his hand to mend after a nasty fall 15 months ago – the physio at the hospital used a vibrating tuning fork on the site of the metal implants to assist with recovery and avoid internal scarring.
- Another case of one of our graduate sound therapists who had a titanium hip fitted over a year after her graduation as a sound therapist, who used sound bowls and tuning forks on the body at the site of metal hip to assist with pain relief and increasing the mobility of the affected area.
BUT with health advice of any kind it should never be taken as advice for individual cases, there are always exceptions, because people are unique.
Health advice to anyone with a medical condition is regarded as medical advice, and any medical advice requires an individual medical consultation and diagnosis, which is strictly forbidden by any sound bath professional or complementary therapist.
Only a Doctor or suitably qualified allied health professional can provide medical advice for an individual case. Ethical Doctors won’t give generalised advice either, as they know each case is unique and each case requires individual consultation and diagnosis before accurate medical advice can be given for an individual case.
With every medical condition there is always that one person where general advice will not be applicable for their unique case, which makes medical consultation absolutely necessary for correct diagnosis and accurate medical advice.
Ask for the Evidence
If a therapeutic sound practitioner advises you that sound bath is unsafe for those with metal implants, ask them where is their evidence? What case studies have they experienced in their own clinic to support this advice? Or are they making their recommendations for metal implants due to their fear of the unknown without any evidence?
With any medical condition its up to the individual to decide for themselves based on advice from their Doctor. A sound bath professional should never provide individual advice for a person’s unique medical situation as this is medical advice and strictly prohibited by sound bath professional or any complementary therapist..
How Does A Sound Bath Work ?
A professional sound bath is not a medical treatment, it’s a style of meditation where a variety of sound therapy instruments are played live in the room by an expert Facilitator. The goal of sound bath meditation is to induce the deep rest and relaxation required to promote the self-healing which occurs naturally during good quality sleep.
During a sound bath mediation there are no instruments placed on the body of the participants. This is why the most experienced therapeutic sound professionals already know and understand why sound bath – unless otherwise advertised as sound therapy, is always regarded as a style of meditation.
Due to the lack of consistent peer-reviewed scientific evidence to support alleged medical benefits of sound bath, a sound bath can never be ethically claimed to be of medical benefit other than stress reducing effects already proven for meditation.
Which means it’s not actually necessary to provide any warnings at all other than as for standard medical ethics – provided that each participant is healthy and knows exatly what will happen during the sound bath before it happens, and that they are there taking part of their own free will.
Where the confusion often arises is when certain qualified sound therapists are conducting sound baths with the belief that they are somehow performing some kind of magical healing for the individuals without acknowledging the fact the healing which occurs with sound bath is always self-healing.
A group Sound bath meditation is not the same as a sound therapy clinical treatment as there are no bowls, tuning forks or other instruments placed on the body of the participants. Placing instruments on the body of participants during a sound bath isn’t prohibited if the facilitator is qualified and insured as a sound therapist, a sound bath can certainly be combined with sound therapy if the facilitator is adequately qualified to do so.
But combing the two does open up a host of additional ethical requirements. Including the need for a private consultation with each individual to take full medical case history to determine if they have any health concerns including previous injuries which need to be taken into account before placing sound therapy instruments on the body.
This and more is covered in more detail during our Certified Sound Bath Professional© and our Sound Therapy Master Practitioner training.
To understand the facts about sound bath for those with metal implants, it is very important to know and understand the following general health advice for sound bath meditation:
General Health Advice for Sound Bath Meditation
Sound bath meditation should be avoided by those with the following medical conditions:
a) Last 4 weeks of pregnancy – Reason: where labour may be possible at any time.
b) At any stage of a high risk pregnancy – Reason: where premature labour may be possible at any time due to their unique medical condition.
c) Immuno-compromised – where the immune system is weakened due to a medical condition and a Doctor has advised to avoid going out in public until their health improves. This includes anyone undergoing or recently completed a course of chemotherapy. Reason: by going out in public before their health has improvied they may catch a cold easily which would delay their recovery.
d) Organ transplant recipient – Reason: the goal of sound bath meditation is to provide deep rest and relaxation to assist the body to achieve homeostasis or perfect balance of all body systems, which may not be ideal for an organ transplant recipient. The risk of organ rejection may be increased in some individuals due to the natural self-healing which occurs during a sound bath meditation. Organ transplant recipients are advised to ask their Doctor before taking part in a sound bath meditation as each case is unique.
e) Certain Types of Mental health disorder, including certain personality disorders – Reason: where the individual may be easily triggered by an unknown cause, should avoid attending a sound bath meditation. A private sound bath with their carer present may be possible in certain cases, but only with recommendation by a Doctor or allied health professional.
f) Suffering profound grief due to recent traumatic news or event – Reason: where the individual is still in the “shock” stage of grief and unable to sit within the stillness of their mind without breaking into tears, sound bath meditation is not recommended until the person feels they are ready.
g) Recent surgery – Reason: this really does depend on the type of surgery, along with the mobility and overall health of the individual – as there are many cases where the deep rest and relaxation provided by a professional sound bath meditation will be absolutely beneficial to assist with post-op recovery. If a person with recent surgery is unsure if a sound bath meditation will be of assistance with their unique case, they should always ask their Doctor so they can be sure.
h) Any medical condition known to be contagious.
i) Any medical condition where a Doctor or allied health professional has advised against going out in public until their health has improved.
All Other Medical Conditions
For anyone with a diagnosed medical condition of any kind (including those with metal implents) who is unsure if the deep rest, relaxation and self-healing provided by professional sound bath meditation will be beneficial for their unique case, should always ask their Doctor or allied health professional so they can be sure.
Only a Doctor or allied health professional is ethically and legally qualified to provide the medical consultation and diagnosis necessary to provide the most accurate advice for each individual, because every case is unique.
Is Sound Bath Safe for Folks with Metal Implants?
Now back to the original question -is a sound bath safe fpr folks with metal implents, I have heard cases of individuals with metal implants being made to sit outside the room by the sound bath facilitator while a sound bath is in progress.
This practice is grossly un-ethical for several important reasons.
Because every person with metal implants is unique, just like every medical condition is unique, it’s not ethical or appropriate to provide a general one-size-fits-all answer to the question – Is Sound Bath Safe for Those with Metal Implants?
I have found some very disturbing advice published online by sound bath facilitators both here in Ireland and internationally. Including the sound bath is unsafe for anyone with metal implants.
This general advice is based on fear and is without any broad and peer-reviewed evidence. If you have an understanding of the principles of positive psychology and the vibrational power of words, you will already know and understand why fear has no place in ethical sound & vibrational healing.
I have the following advice to share regarding the most common concerns circulating online about the safety of sound bath for those with metal implants …
Is Sound Bath Really Suitable for Folks with Metal Implants?
– Self Diagnosis or Doctors advice ONLY
Some individuals are incorrectly advising that sound bath meditation is unsuitable for anyone with metal implants.. This is a general medical advice based on fear, without any medical or scientific basis.
Some individuals are incorrectly advising that sound bath is unsafe for folks with metal implants. As with any medical condition, this choice should always be left up to the individual to decide for themselves with their own self-diagnosis based on their own knowledge of their medical condition due to advice already received from their Doctor. If unsure they should ask their Doctor, because a sound bath professional can’t decide for them as that’s medical advice and strictly forbidden in complementary therapies.
In my experience and those who I have worked with, I can expertly say that the deep rest and relaxation provided by professional sound bath meditation has proven to be absolutely beneficial for many folks with metal implants.
But this doesn’t mean sound bath meditation will be suitable for everyone with metal implents – not all folks metal implants are trouble-free. The deep rest and relaxation for some individuals who suffer extreme anxiety about their metal implants for any reason, relaxation is not always as easy as mind over matter.
Whatever the reasons for the metal implants, only a Doctor or allied health professional can legally advise each individual case.
Conclusion
Each person is unique, just like every sound bath professional is unique. For anyone who believes sound bath meditation is unsafe for folks with metal implents should ask themselves this:
If a person is allergic to peanuts, should we tell everyone not to eat peanuts ?
Of course not because the health of each person is unique. The deep rest and relaxation provided by sound bath can be hugely beneficial for folks with metal implants in a number of ways. Only a Doctor can ethically provide medical advice for each case.
Sound bath is perfectly safe for healthy people of all ages. If a person with a medical condition (including folks with metal implants) is unsure if a sound bath is beneficial for them and unable to self-diagnose based on their own knowledge and belief – they should ask a Doctor or suitably qualified allied health professional so they can be sure.
Health advice for anyone with a medical condition is regared as medical advice. As for all complementary therapies, it is un-ethical for a sound bath professional to provide medical advic, either for a generalised or individual case. Medical advice can only be ethically provided by a Doctor or suitably qualified allied health professional.
A Sound Bath Professional or complementary therapist is not qualified to give a diagnosis or specific advice for a any person with metal implants regarding suitability of sound bath for their unique medical case as this is regarded as medical advice and strictly prohibited in complementary therapies including sound bath.
Legal obligation to the public and so much more is included in our ground-breaking Certified Sound Bath Professional© training from 1-day certificate to Diploma level..
Author: Sharon Quigley
RC Hyp; Dip Hyp; Dip. Therapeutic Sound;
Biomed; Dip. Computer Science. B.Arts (Ed.)
- Sound Therapy Master Practitioner & Tutor
- Qualified Hypnotherapist & Hupno-birthing Consultant
- Clinical Advisor, Sound Healing Association of Ireland
- Compliance & Research Officer, Founder & Principal, Irish Academy of Sound Therapy
