Reduced pain and analgesic use after acoustic binaural beats therapy in chronic pain ‐ A double‐blind randomized control cross‐over trial

Abstract

Background Binaural Beats (BB) consist of two artificial acoustic stimuli with different frequency, presented simultaneously but independently to each ear. The human brain perceives and synchronizes to this frequency difference (entrainment). Aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that brain entrainment to a lower function rhythm, with BB application, can decrease pain perception and analgesic medication use, in chronic pain patients. Methods In a double blind, randomized, cross‐over trial, BB at 5Hz (theta rhythm) were applied for 30 minutes, under simultaneous electroencephalogram recordings, followed by liberal, on demand use by chronic pain patients for a week, compared to sham stimulation (SS). Pain as the main outcome (numeric scale, NRS), stress (STAI) and medication usage (defined daily doses, DDD) were assessed at baseline, 30 minutes and week's end. Results Perceived pain (NRS) was significantly reduced in BB intervention (5.6±2.3 to 3.4±2.6, p<0.001), compared to SS (5.2±2.1 to 4.8±2.3, p=0.78), during the first 30‐minute phase, as well as at the week's end (to 3.9±2.5 compared to 5.5±2.6 respectively, p<0.001). The mean EEG theta power at 5Hz was significantly increased only during BB application. Stress was significantly reduced at 30 minutes in both interventions but remained reduced only in the BB group at the week's end. Analgesic medication consumption (DDD, g) during the week was significantly less in the BB intervention (3.9±3.7 vs. 4.6±4.1, p<0.05), while reporting equal to SS mean levels of pain. Conclusions Acoustic BB reduced pain intensity, stress and analgesic use, compared to SS, in chronic pain patients. Significance This study provides evidence that theta rhythm binaural beats can alleviate pain intensity, both after a brief 30 minute and a longer one week on‐demand intervention. The subsequent significant reduction in analgesic medication consumption in chronic pain patients' daily living could offer a valuable tool, augmenting the effect of existing pain therapies.

The Effect of Binaural Beat Audio on Operative Pain and Anxiety in Cataract Surgery under Topical Anaesthesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Binaural beats are auditory brainstem responses generated from the superior olivary nucleus in response to different frequency auditory stimuli provided to each ear [ 54 ]. A recent meta-analysis revealed that they exert effects on cognition, memory and psychophysiological states like anxiety [ 55 ].…”

A Review of Binaural Bates and the Brain

“…It has also been reported that BBs reduced pain scores associated with unit status reporting procedures (Ölçücü et al 2021), and pain perception (Garcia-Argibay et al 2019d). In a study on chronic pain patients, Gkolias et al used theta (5 Hz) band BB to investigate if the resulted brain entrainment will decline pain perception and analgesic medication use and reported the effectiveness of BBs in the reduction of pain intensity, analgesic use, and stress (Gkolias et al 2020). BB therapy has also been suggested as a therapeutic method that holds promise for the management of chronic pain in conditions like cancer (Zampi 2016), for reducing morphine consumption in patients who underwent knee replacement (Tani et al 2021), and for reducing pain in cases undergoing colonoscopy without sedation (Tani et al 2022).…”

Cognitive Vigilance Enhancement Using Audio Stimulation of Pure Tone at 250 Hz

“…Studies have shown that spectral powers in typical frequency bands are closely related to vigilance decrement. Data analysis presented in this study involved five frequency bands, [delta (< 4 Hz), theta (4-7 Hz), alpha (8)(9)(10)(11)(12), beta (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) and wide/full (0.1-30 Hz) frequency bands].The main findings of research using EEG vigilance level assessment suggest that low-frequency brain rhythms (4-12 Hz) increase during vigilance decrement. An increase in low-frequency rhythms is an indication of decreased alertness, corroborating with behavioral impairment of vigilance decrement [33].…”

“…Recent studies have suggested that audio stimulation can be used to modulate cognition [22], reduce anxiety levels [23], and enhance mood states [24]. Other clinical targets also include traumatic brain injury [25], anesthesia [26], reduced pain intensity [27], and attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder [28]. It is important to emphasize, however, that the results were usually presented based up on questionnaires, being therefore, subjective.…”