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Specialist clinics Sound bathing
A song can make you feel happy or sad, and can aff ect the intensity of a gym session — but can sound alone have a healing eff ect? Mattie Lacey- Davidson puts an ancient practice to the test
Stress Index. As research continues to reveal the links between long-term stress and physical health, it’s little wonder that mindfulness has become part of our everyday vernacular — and within this movement, a new trend in meditation has been on the rise: sound bathing. It’s a form of therapy going back
A
thousands of years, the claim being that sound frequencies can balance the body’s energy. In other words, by allowing yourself to fall into a state of relaxation, your body triggers a repair mode, similar to sleep, that allows the endocrine system to restore hormone and chemical balance — which stress can throw out of whack.
GROUP SESSION As I walk into Re:Mind Studio in London’s Victoria ahead of my group gong therapy, I’m feeling sceptical — and, I must admit, a little judgemental. I survey the people waiting and fi nd they’re all in their late twenties and early thirties. None of them are dressed as if they’ve arrived from a high-stress corporate job, as I’d been expecting — although
round 72% of Brits feel stressed at least some of the time during a typical week, according to the 2018 AXA
maybe those people are still working at 6.30pm on a T ursday. We head into the studio and
settle down on little bedding areas arranged across the fl oor. T e leader of the gong bath, Stephanie Reynolds, then gently says a few words. She explains that every sound bath is diff erent and instructs us all to clear our minds and surrender ourselves to the vibrations. I had wondered how banging on a
gong could relax anyone, but I soon realise the soft touches create a deep sound that reverberates throughout the room. I try to focus on the sound as much as possible, and notice a physical response I can’t quite pin down — somewhere between goose bumps and the feeling of a massage. T oughts pop into my mind less and less as time goes on. I’m not sure if I manage to truly empty my mind or I simply fall asleep; either way, when the session ends, I feel gloriously relaxed and ready for bed.
ONE TO ONE Michelle Cade is a sound and massage therapist who uses an array of instruments in her sessions including Tibetan bowls, crystal bowls, rain sticks, drums, gongs, shakers and tuning forks.
TUNING FORK ON SKIN Apart from three deep breaths
to signal the start of the session, she doesn’t lead me with spoken instructions — something I found jarring in the previous session — and the hour that follows is monumentally more aff ecting. Michelle places one bowl between
my feet and another on my stomach, letting the tuning forks vibrate directly onto my skin. As she travels around my body, the sounds sweep over me like waves into a cove, and any interrupting thoughts I have are challenged by all-encompassing sounds that swirl from ear to ear, cradling my brain in an unknown frequency. Diff erent sounds evoke diff erent physical and emotional reactions, and once the time is up, I feel an overwhelming sense of release. While the group session felt like
meditation, my time with Michelle felt more like psychological therapy.
remindstudio.com
mindlikewaterwellbeing.com
MICHELLE CADE/MIND LIKE WATER
6 OCTOBER 2019 • HEALTHCARE INNOVATIONS
Do you have an enlarged prostate?
Consultant urologist Mr Jacques Roux talks about his work and shares his knowledge
When T e Hippocratic Oath was written, in the fi fth century BC, it was common practice to use a hot blade to make an incision into the bladder of a conscious patient, in an eff ort to remove bladder stones. It’s hardly surprising to learn that this was frequently unsuccessful, and often had disastrous consequences. T e need for a urology specialist was born. Benign prostatic enlargement is
more prevalent with increase in age. As many as 82% of men in their 70s will have an enlarged prostate. It’s unusual for an enlarged prostate to cause symptoms under the age of 40. In my daily practice, bladder stones
are most commonly found in men with bladder outfl ow obstruction, when an enlarged prostate prevents the bladder from emptying. In some men, a catheter needs to be fi tted if they’ve lost the ability to pass urine. I regularly see men who report a
weak fl ow that can be associated with urinary urgency (a strong desire to pass urine) and frequency (going more often).
It’s also not usual to
have a urinary stream that stops and starts or requires a push or strain to begin urination. Getting up multiple times at night, disrupting sleep, often prompts men to seek medical advice. When men present
to me with
urinary symptoms, it’s important to exclude the more serious causes such as prostate and bladder cancer.
jrouxurology.com Secretary:
debyoungmedsec@gmail.com
MR JACQUES ROUX
MR JACQUES ROUX Consultant urologist
Once the cause has been identifi ed as an enlarged prostate, it can be managed with lifestyle changes (such as reducing alcohol, caff eine and the amount of fl uid before going to bed), followed by medication that relaxes or reduces the prostate. However, medi- cation may lose its effi cacy or may be discontinued due to side eff ects. I no longer just use electricity
(diathermy — TURP) and laser (HoLEP) to treat an enlarged prostate. T e use of steam (Rezum), implants (Urolift), water (Aquablation) and embolisation (PAE — prostatic artery embolisation) are alternative treat- ment options. Although long-term data for the newer procedures are lacking,
they’ve shown to benefi t
patients. I have a good overview and experience on prostate treatment options, as every man and his prostate are diff erent. Don’t just accept your symptoms — prevention is better than cure.
NORMAL PROSTATE NOT CAUSING OUTFLOW OBSTRUCTION
ENLARGED PROSTATE CAUSING OBSTRUCTION
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE: • Enlarged prostate is common with age • Prostate drugs can lose effi cacy • Minimally invasive treatments are available • Symptoms can mimic prostate cancer • If concerned see your urologist
ONCE CANCER IS EXCLUDED, A BENIGN ENLARGED PROSTATE CAN BE MANAGED WITH SOME LIFESTYLE CHANGES, MEDICATION AND/OR MINIMALLY INVASIVE TREATMENTS
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