Sound therapy is used in hospitals, schools, corporate offices, and psychological treatment programs as an effective treatment to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, alleviate pain, overcome learning disabilities, improve movement and balance, and promote endurance and strength.

  The ability of sound and music to cure has been recognized for thousands of years. The writings of Pythagoras and Plato in ancient Greece, the soothing harp music of young David in the Bible, and the chanted hymns of the Vedas in India, all recognize the healing power of sound. In modern times the therapeutic power of sound was medically noted as early as 1896, when doctors discovered that a young boy's brain, partially exposed due to an accident, responded differently when various types of music were played. Certain music increased cerebral and peripheral circulation, while other music stimulated mental lucidity.

  Because the ear is not only the primary organ of hearing, but also has powerful influences on eye movement, the rhythms of the physical body, prebirth brain growth, and general regulation of stress levels in the body, greater emphasis is now placed on the therapeutic union of sound and healing. Recently, much attention has been placed on the negative aspects of sound, either from music played too loudly or from exposure to the hard noise of industrial machinery. William H. Stewart, former U.S. Surgeon General, states, calling noise a nuisance is like calling smog an inconvenience. He suggests that noise must be considered a hazard to the health of people everywhere. Accordingly, one study found that more than 60 percent of incoming college freshmen have impaired hearing in high frequency ranges due to prolonged exposure to high auditory levels.