Light and Sound Therapy in Medical Practice

By brother-initiate Shih-Hurng Loh, Taipei, Formosa
(originally in Chinese & English)

As we know, the Quan Yin Method of meditation consists of two parts: meditation on the Light and meditation on the Sound. From the teachings of our beloved Master and from numerous personal experiences of our fellow initiates, we all understand that the Inner Light and Sound can help us not only in our spiritual development, but also in maintaining our physical health. Recent advances in light and sound therapies in medical practice also provide collateral evidence, convincing us further that even the outer physical light and sound can be effective in healing the body, let alone the Inner Light and Sound that we meditate on every day. The positive visible and invisible effects of the Inner Light and Sound are demonstrated in the lives of many people. As modern science advances, the fact that "Quan Yin heals all diseases" will become more and more collaterally evident and the fact that spiritual practice is the highest form of science will become increasingly obvious.

Bright Light Therapy in Cancer Treatment

It is estimated that 25% of the U.S. population will face a cancer diagnosis during their lifetimes, with a million new cancer patients diagnosed each year. Unfortunately, surgery and/or local radiation will cure less than a quarter of these patients. Most of the remainder will receive systemic chemotherapy during their illnesses. However, in most cases, drug therapy will produce only a regression of the disease, and complications and/or relapse may eventually lead to death (1). Therefore, finding a better therapeutic approach to cancer treatment has always been a goal of medical scientists.

Recently, Photodynamic Therapy, a new non-drug treatment mode, is being used to treat many solid malignancies, for example, to kill cancer cells (2). It uses a combination of a photosensitizing agent (silicon-pathalocyanine, Pc4) and strong visible light. First of all, the photosensitive Pc4 is loaded into the cancer cells. When the Pc4 is exposed to bright light, it increases the production of NO and other oxidative species such as OH and O2 inside the cells, which leads to cell apoptosis (disintegration) and even cell death (2). This method can be used to improve the therapeutic effects of cancer treatment and has attracted a lot of attention due to its possible clinical applications.

Use of Bright Light Therapy
in Treating Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorders

The two major classes of female sex hormones are estrogen and progesterone. Changes in these hormones in the body play a major role in the development of female secondary sex characteristics, in the control of pregnancy and the ovulatory-menstrual cycle, and in the modulation of many metabolic processes (3). Patients with hormonal abnormalities tend to feel uncomfortable physically or mentally. Their most prevalent symptom is Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), which involves severe premenstrual mood disturbances, such as depression, tension dysphoria and anxiety, as well as some physical discomfort. (4). Currently, antidepressant drugs and traditional psychotherapy have been used to treat patients with premenstrual mood disturbances. However, side effects of drug treatment are unavoidable and prevent patients from continuing with the therapy. Fortunately, according to recent medical studies, Bright Light Therapy has been shown to be effective in combating these premenstrual symptoms and in correcting this disorder. Research data show that after a week of Bright Light Therapy (> 6000 lux for 2 hours in the morning and evening, respectively, administered daily), patients with PMDD improved significantly in many respects (4;5;6).

Use of Bright Light Therapy
in Treating Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

It is estimated that 65% - 70% of the U.S. population drink alcohol. Of this group, more than ten million people are addicted to alcohol and another ten million, due to excessive drinking, bring negative influences into society, such as arrests, automobile accidents, violence, occupational injuries, and deleterious effects on job performance and health. People who abuse alcohol also probably overuse the health care system, and alcoholics constitute a substantial number of medical patients. Thus, excessive drinking has become a major public health problem (7). In addition, chronic alcoholics become dependent on alcohol both psychologically and physically. So, after using alcohol for a period, it is difficult for them to quit because cessation leads to serious withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, insomnia, tremors, agitation, anorexia, confusion, and hyperactivity.

Traditionally, sedative drugs have been given to these patients. However, it has been found in a recent clinical study that Bright Light Therapy can improve adaptive behavior during alcohol withdrawal. In this research, bright light (light intensity: 3000 lux; exposure time: two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening daily) was administered to ten patients who had not been treated with any sedative medication. The experimental results showed that Bright Light Therapy improved the sleep quality and mental stabilization of the patients with acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms (8).

Bright Light Therapy
in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is the fourth most common neurological disorder among the elderly, affecting five million people in the USA alone. Also, the disease is age related, with more than 66% of patients being over 50 years of age (9). Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder of muscle movement, characterized by tremors, muscular rigidity, postural instability, and bradykinesia (slowness in initiating and carrying out voluntary movements) (10). The most unique characteristics of Parkinson's disease are that the tremors occur during periods of rest and often diminish during voluntary movement. Also, Parkinson's patients are unable to maintain a normal posture.

Clinically, Parkinson's disease can be treated with drugs, most commonly L-dopa. However, a major limitation of L-dopa treatment is that it is only effective for 3-5 years. After this period, patients may exhibit an on/off phenomenon (i. e., sometimes the drug is effective for them and sometimes not). Besides, long-term use of the drug leads to progressive neurological degeneration. (9;10).

Recently, 40 patients with Parkinson's disease were treated through the use of artificial bright white light (intensity: 3300 lux) with total or partial "drug holidays" (non- drug-use periods). It was shown that the Bright Light Therapy facilitated patients' capacity to tolerate the drugs holidays. The Therapy also resulted in a decrease in the severity of rigidity and bradykinesia (extreme slowness of movement) (but not tremors), reduction of depression, and improvement of motor function (11).

Other therapeutic modalities using of "light" include Visible Light Therapy for the treatment of acute or semi-acute eczema, tumors, dermatitis, and infant jaundice; Ultra-Violet Therapy for disinfection and sterilization; Laser Therapy used in operations, heat therapy, photon-pressure therapy and acupuncture; Photochemical Therapy in the treatment of skin diseases; etc. (12).

"Sound" Related Therapies

Ultrasonotherapy uses 20,000Hz or high ultra sound to accelerate particles in cells and soften tissue, functioning like a "micro massage." It can also have a heating effect at the interface of different tissues to accelerate the absorption process. It has been used in treating inflammation of the nervous system, tendon sheaths and mammary glands, muscular strain, scars, scleroderma, and the aftereffects of apoplexia and retinal and optic nerve diseases. Other therapies use a combination of diadynamic current and ultrasound for treating soft tissue and nerve pain (12).

Based on the effectiveness of these therapies using physical light and sound, we can infer that meditation on the Inner Light and Sound is not only important for our spiritual development, but also has substantial effects on our mental and physical well-being, including enhancing cell function, eliminating unhealthy cells, stabilizing and preventing deterioration of the nervous system, curing nervous diseases, and stimulating acupressure points. It can also improve sleep patterns and cure depression and anxiety. We believe that there are more healing functions of light and sound waiting to be discovered by scientists. When meditating on the Inner Light and Sound, it is as if we are being treated by the "greatest medicine" in the Universe with a therapy that repairs and nourishes the body, mind, and soul. Master emphasizes that we should meditate two and one-half hours daily and maintain the appropriate time ratio of meditation on the Light and meditation on the Sound. This is just like a prescription ordered by a medical doctor, and we must do our best to follow the recommended "dosage" in order to achieve the best results.

References:

1. Harvey RA. & Champe RC. (1998). Lippincott's Illustrated reviews pharmacology. 2nd ed. J.B. Lippincott Company. Chapter 38:373.

2. Cupta S., Ahmad N. & Mukhtar H. (1998). Involvement of nitric oxide during phthalocyanine (Pc4) photodynamic therapy-mediated apoptosis. Cancer Research. 58:1785-8.

3. Brody TM., Larner J. & Minneman KP. (1998). Human Pharmacology. 3rd edition. Chapter 38:p499-506.

4. Parry BL., Berga SL., Mostofi N., Klauber MT. & Resnick A. (1997). Plasma melatonin circadian rhythms during the menstrual cycle and after light therapy in premenstrual dysphoric disorder and normal control subjects. Journal of Biological Rhythms. 12:47-64.

5. Lenzinger E. Diamant K. Vytiska-Binstorfer E. & Kasper S. (1997). Premenstrual dysphoric disorder. An overview of diagnosis, epidemiology and therapeutic approaches. Nervenartz. 68: 708-18.

6. Parry BL., Udell C., Elliott JA., Berga SL. Klauber MR., Mostofi N., LeVeau B. & Gillin JC. (1997). Blunted phase-shift responses to morning bright light in premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Journal of Bilogical Rhythms. 12:443-56.

7. Brody TM., Larner J. & Minneman KP. (1998). Human Pharmacology. 3 edition. Chapter 23:p435-437.

8. Schmitz M., Frey R., Pichler P., Ropke H., Anderer P., Saletu B. & Rudas S. (1997). Sleep quality during alcohol withdrawal with bright light therapy. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry. 21:965-77.

9. Harvey RA. & Champe RC. (1998). Lippincott's Illustrated reviews pharmacology. 2nd ed . J.B. Lippincott Company. Chapter 29:385-7.

10. Brody TM., Larner J. & Minneman KP. (1998). Human Pharmacology. 3rd edition. Mosby Ltd. Chapter 25:p339-40.

11. Artemenko AR. & Levin IaI. (1996). The phototherapy of parkinsonism patients. Zhurnal Nevropatholgii I Psikhiartrii Imeni S-S-Korsakova. 96:63-6.

12. http://www.jiexiang.com.cn/index5_2.htm