FRI0639-HPR EFFECTS OF VIBROACOUSTIC THERAPY IN CHRONIC MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
Authors: C. Ailioaie, L. Ailioaie
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2020)

Background: Musculoskeletal chronic pain in children and adolescents is a major cause of locomotor and mental disabilities, with a significant impact on school activities and social costs. Vibroacoustic therapy is used to reduce stress, pain, anxiety and to increase the well-being of children and adults, in order to relax the body, brain and to relieve the symptoms of the disease. It was proved that sound waves imprint movement in water molecules, accelerate lymph and blood circulation, eliminate toxic metabolic waste, vitalize the “good bacteria” by suppressing the activities of “bad bacteria” and balancing the gut microbiota. Objectives: Aim of study was to evaluate the effect of vibroacoustic therapy on pain and well-being of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Methods: Between 2017 and December 2019, 84 patients with a mean age of 11.9 years with chronic pain from different musculoskeletal disorders were studied. Patients were randomly divided into: group I (46 patients) received vibroacoustic therapy and group II (38 patients), control, received placebo vibroacoustic therapy. All patients and parents/legal guardians were informed about the treatment and signed an informed consent. Inclusion criteria were: diagnosis of the disease by the rheumatologist specialist and the initial pain measured on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)&gt; 5. Exclusion criteria were: patients with acute inflammatory conditions, mental retardation, psychosis, high blood pressure, internal or external bleeding, pregnancy, hearing loss. Group I (46 patients) received vibroacoustic therapy with a special system, in which the patient listens in the headphones a healing music and at the same time, a therapist posts a special pillow that imprints music vibrations on the painful areas. Patients had a session three times a week, for 20 minutes, with a vibrational frequency of 115 Hz, for 4 weeks, then repeated the protocol after a break of 8 weeks. Group II (38 patients), control, was treated with conventional drugs and placebo vibroacoustic. Effects of vibroacoustic therapy were evaluated by the pediatric rheumatologist who completed a questionnaire for the evolution of the functional ability in daily living activities (Child Health Assessment Questionnaire) (scores 0–3; 0 = without disabilities; 3 = disabled) and the intensity of the child’s pain by VAS score 0–10, (0 = no pain, 10 = severe pain), at the beginning of treatment, after 4 weeks and in the end. Results: In group I, after 12 sessions of the vibroacoustic therapy, VAS pain scores decreased from 8.6 to 4.2, comparatively to only a decrease from 8.2 to 6.7 in the control group (p = 0.05); the functional activity score was improved with 47%, comparatively with only 23% in the control group (p = 0.02). At the end of the study, the VAS pain score improvement in group I was 68%, compared to only 29% in the control group (p = 0.01). All patients who were treated with vibroacustic music had a better functional activity score in the end of the study, significantly better compared to the placebo control group (p &lt;0.05). Conclusion: Vibroacoustic therapy had positive effects in significantly reducing pain, and especially for the areas of the body where the vibrational cushion was applied, comparatively with control group (p &lt;0.05). Vibroacoustic therapy is a non-pharmacological, non-invasive, no-side-effect treatment modality which has induced patient relaxation, has reduced muscle tension and improved the range of motion, helping a lot in the process of patient’s rehabilitation. Sonic vibrations transmitted by the bone conduction adjust the balance of the autonomic nerves, deeply relax the mind and remove excess body tension. References: [1] Boyd-Brewer C, McCaffrey R. Vibroacoustic Sound Therapy Improves Pain Management and More. Holist Nurs Pract 2004;18(3):111–118. [2] Kita K. The 4 major effects of Kita sound healing. The Society for Harmonic Science. Accessed at 27.01.2020. https://www.sound-healing.jp/en/the_4_major_effects_of_kita_sound_healing.html Disclosure of Interests: None declared