A THERAPIST has combined healing with his love of music to offer an unusual alternative treatment – didgeridoo sound therapy.

Australia-born Gregg Chapman, 33, who lives with his English wife in Welbourne, began looking into the practice after a friend asked him to play near her shoulder – with seemingly remarkable results.

He said: "I was playing at a barbecue with other musicians and someone, who had previously experienced sound therapy, asked me if I could play on their shoulder.

"A few days later she told me she could raise her arm above her shoulder for the first time in months.

"After that I thought perhaps this is something I should look to make something of.

"It can help muscle, joint and skeletal aches and pains, help people who suffer from stress, anxiety or sleep disorders and help to focus your mind.

"So far it has been spreading slowly by word of mouth.

"But I absolutely love it, I get so much joy out of playing the didgeridoo."

Now the enterprising musician, who performs as part of the band Naira Project, is offering his services through Sleaford's Carre Street Clinic.

Clinic owner Helen O'Connell said she had not heard of didgeridoo therapy until recently.

She said: "I've not tried it yet but it sounds very interesting so I'm dying to get some people in and give it a go."

Lyz Cooper, founder and principal of the British Academy Of Sound Therapy, said even though research into the therapeutic effects of the didgeridoo were at an early stage, it was likely they would be similar to other instruments currently used for sound treatment.

She said: "There are scientific explanations for the of effects different sound therapies – it's not just weird and wonderful esoteric stuff.

"Didgeridoo is something that we are doing some research with.

"We are finding the sound of the instrument is very good for physical imbalances – things like muscles, aches and pains or arthritis.

"It's what you would expect because you are playing close to the body and the didgeridoo tends to produce low frequency vibrations which work on the physical body.

"Certain drum rhythms can lower the frequency of brain waves and if a didgeridoo was played in a slow and relaxed way for a long period it would likely have a similar effect."

For more information about didgeridoo therapy, visit www.didgesoundtherapy.co.uk