Our articles that discuss the effects of sounds and silence on people, and the various treatments, practices, and activities that incorporate sounds and/or silence to improve physical, psychological, and spiritual health and wellbeing.
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss is a hearing impairment resulting from gradual or sudden exposure to loud sound. Overstimulation of hearing cells can lead to permanent injury and dysfunction. As a rule, when hearing ability is lost [ Read more … ]
Hyperacusis is an affliction that presents itself as an increased sensitivity to sound(s) and a low tolerance for environmental noise, which can be accompanied by sensations of pain (usually in the ears or head), annoyance, [ Read more … ]
The phenomenon of Awkward Silence is well-known around the world, but it depends very much on the culture, the language, and the context in which silence in a conversation appears if silence is actually awkward [ Read more … ]
In a general sense, most people feel that to be able to concentrate they need a silent and calm environment. Moreover, some people even need utter, complete silence to get something done. Scientific research has [ Read more … ]
A Musicogenic Seizure — or Musicogenic Epilepsy — arises from abnormal brain electrical activity when a person hears or is exposed to a specific type of sound or music. Although it’s thought that sound or [ Read more … ]
Noble Silence is thought to originate as a phrase and directive from Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), the founder of Buddhism. It refers to the idea that in relation to the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment and [ Read more … ]
An Auditory Hallucination, medically called Paracusia, involves hearing a sound or sounds that did not come from the natural environment. The sounds heard can be basically anything, including music (typically snippets of songs) and “hearing [ Read more … ]
Sonar is typically a technique that uses sound broadcasting and receiving equipment (usually underwater, but also through the air, or even in the earth) to navigate, measure distances (acoustic location), communicate with and/or detect objects. [ Read more … ]
Phantom Vibration Syndrome (PVS) or Phantom Ringing Syndrome is the idea or perception that one’s smartphone (or other communication device) is buzzing, vibrating, or ringing while it’s not. It’s a type of auditory hallucination occurring [ Read more … ]
Noise pollution, also called sound pollution, is sound that is unwanted and has negative effects on human or animal life, some of which may be extremely harmful for health and behavior. The sources of noise [ Read more … ]