Tuning fork home remedies for pain, anxiety and insomnia

Frequency healing with tuning forks

This post is updated from its original.

Tuning forks are gentle, effective, and relatively inexpensive tools that can be used to stimulate acupressure points, and to release tight muscles. I’ve been using Acutonics forks on myself, my clients, and my family for years now. Though I think they feel a bit more magical if someone else uses them on you, you can easily use them on yourself, and they work just as well.

Tuning fork sound vibrations seem to penetrate easily and deeply into tight soft tissue with far less effort than manual pressure. They are also pain-free; most people like the feeling of slight vibration. For anyone healing from chronic illness or pain, tuning forks are worth considering as a tool for home treatments. Here is an overview of how tuning forks work, and a few simple remedies to try on your own.

What is vibrational energy?

 All matter generates vibrational, electromagnetic energy: waves of measurable photons, or light energy. (Some visible to humans, much not.) These photons are emitted on a molecular level as the electrons within atoms absorb and release energy. (Where does this energy originate? That’s the big mystery, contained in Einstein’s theory of relativity – stating that energy is never created or destroyed, but just changes form.)

 Every single material form, living or not living, creates measurable electromagnetic vibrations made of moving light waves, originating at the atomic level. Within larger life forms like humans, each organ or tissue layer has its own signature vibration, and the organism as a whole has a signature vibration as well. (Illness can appear as a change in frequency of the body, or of a particular organ.) 

The Earth herself also emits specific electromagnetic vibrations. These vibrations are scientifically proven to be healing to the human body (NASA engineers them into spacecraft to keep astronauts healthy). We used to spend a lot more time in direct contact with Earth frequencies. We insulate ourselves from these frequencies a bit by wearing rubber-soled shoes and sleeping in beds.

Frequency measures both light and sound waves, and both can have healing effects

Frequency can measure both electromagnetic (photon) energy and sound waves. Both are measured in terms of hertz, or Hz – the measured cycles of vibration per second. The faster the vibration, the higher the frequency. (In terms of electromagnetic radiation, radio waves are on the low end of the spectrum, and x-rays are on the high end. Visible light, Earth frequencies, and the frequency of the human body are in the middle.)

Light waves can travel through empty space, but sound needs a medium such as air or water. Tuning forks, obviously, emit sound waves (though the objects themselves also have an electromagnetic signature). When struck, the Acutonics forks’ sound vibrations match the electromagnetic hertz of the Earth, or another vibration considered healing to the human body. Though tuning forks use sound and Earth emits light, the equivalent hertz affects the human body in similar ways.

Resonance and entrainment: healing through frequency

Resonance occurs between two vibrations when one entrains, or begins to vibrate in harmony with another. Think of a singer holding a note that begins to vibrate lead crystal. The crystal vibrates more and more strongly due to entrainment (until the molecular bonds are broken and the glass shatters). The two frequencies must be very similar in order for resonance to occur.

With the tuning forks, the body entrains to the healing vibration of the fork. The forks bring irregular or unhealthy vibrational patterns back to healthier frequencies, and to a more coherent whole. Here’s how.

The cells in our body have receptor antennae that pick up both electromagnetic and sound frequencies. The frequencies of the forks can communicate with the cells through these receptors and change cell signaling to lower inflammation, produce vasodilation, increase relaxation, and even produce nitrous oxide – a signaling molecule that is anti-viral and anti-bacterial.

Using tuning forks at home

Tuning forks are adaptogenic – meaning if your vibration is too high they help lower it, and if your vibration is too low, they bring it up, through the process of entrainment. The forks are super gentle – I can’t imagine them causing a bad reaction. Even so, go easy. The people at Acutonics suggest only vibrating a point three times. I’d suggest starting with their Ohm fork, a very neutral and gentle Earth frequency.

• Tuning forks for pain

Pain is so variable, and has so many different root causes, that it’s impossible to know what will work ahead of time. You have to experiment, paying close attention to your pain levels, to know what is working and what isn’t.

I suggest vibrating points at and around the site of your pain, and evaluating your pain using a number from 0-10 (0 being no pain) before and after. If your pain decreases, even by just a .5, it’s worth noting, and experimenting further. If your pain increases, even by a .5, that’s your body saying no. Listen and move on.

Take time to relax deeply before you self-treat. It’ll help you monitor changes in pain, and help your body do what it needs to lower inflammation and decrease pain signaling. Your home treatments are meditations.

Of course, a well-trained practitioner will be more adept at relieving pain than just winging it at home. You can always find a good tuning fork therapist to help you locate effective points.

• Calming the vagus nerve - a home remedy for anxiety and insomnia

The vagus nerve seems to be ground zero for healing. When the vagus nerve slows, immune response goes up – which is great short term. Problems arise, however, when vagal tone is chronically low. Low tone in the vagus nerve leads to anxiety, insomnia, higher blood pressure, increased inflammation, impaired digestion, a decrease in cellular healing…the list goes on and on. For anyone healing chronic illness, chronic pain, or Lyme disease, tools to improve vagal tone are crucial.

The vagus nerve begins in the brain, runs down the sides of the neck, and enervates the heart and the enteric nervous system in the gut. To improve vagal tone with tuning forks, you can use an acupuncture point called Kidney One. This point is grounding, relieves anxiety, and helps with sleep.

The Kidney One point is found on the sole of the foot, right between the big toe ball and the little toe ball, straight down an inch or so from the base of the third toe. You don’t have to be exact when you vibrate points - just feel for what your body likes best. Does it feel calming and grounding? You’re on the right track.

If vibrating this point works well for you, ask an acupuncturist or look online for other acupressure points that suit your specific healing journey. Your home treatments can evolve over time as your knowledge base grows. You can also pair guided meditations with home treatments, to increase relaxation and the potency of the points. I made the Anxiety Relief meditation specifically to increase vagal tone.

Thanks so much for reading! As we heal together, we affect the vibration of society as a whole – gently bringing more balance to the world.

Shona