Protect the healing dolphins at all costs (Courtesy of Medium).
As a sports injury epidemiologist, I never in my life thought I would need to ask the question, “Do dolphin mating sounds promote healing?” I suspect it is as much a question about health as it is a statement about society.
To be clear, I am not a mental health professional or a medical professional of any kind. But I submit to you that even if the sound of dolphins mating does promote healing, it’s a matter of “just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” What the f*ck, Aaron Rodgers?
But Is There Any Scientific Evidence, Though?
No. Not unless you’re Aaron Rodgers. If someone told me that it worked for Aaron Rodgers and no one else, I would totally believe that.
On the Pat McAfee show, Rodgers told McAfee this:
“There’s ideas that some of the noises from the dolphins when they’re love-making, the frequency of that is actually healing to the body.”
The point of this article is to delve into whether that is actually true or not.
Dolphin Therapy
Shockingly, Rodgers is not completely off his rocker, just hanging on to the side for dear life. Dolphin therapy IS a thing. Even dolphin sound therapy is a thing. Dolphin mating sound therapy? No dice, Rodgers.
Dolphin-Assisted Therapy
Dolphin therapies of all kinds are most typically used with children. Patients are usually neurodivergent and/or experiencing developmental disabilities, although this is hardly an exhaustive list. Even in this treatment modality, the research is mostly anecdotal, with very little research to show it actually works.
However, the power of the mind is strong, and the placebo effect is real. Even if dolphin therapy is only shown to be helpful anecdotally, that doesn’t mean it can’t bring about healing. If you think dolphins are healing you, then you may improve because you believe you will.
It’s ideal to try methods of therapy for the patient’s particular ailment that the medical community feels do work, so someone doesn’t get sicker while trying just the dolphins.
Dolphin Ultrasound Therapy
A popular theory currently is that the ultrasound from the clicks that dolphins make could be healing. This hypothesis is built on a study in the late 1990s that showed that brain waves in people who swam with mammals changed.
Dolphins can modulate their ultrasound waves, and they can use the sounds to harm fish. It is believed the sound actually stuns the fish into being unable to move.
The discussion is not necessarily whether or not the ultrasound waves could have an effect; the trouble is that it’s not clear what the impact could be. Particularly since the dolphin could switch up the waves mid-therapy. The ultrasound could have a negative or positive impact on the injury the patient is attempting to heal.
Rodgers is on his own when it comes to his claim that it was the sound of dolphins mating that was healing. There’s no reason to believe that particular activity has any impact on the healing capabilities of a dolphin.
Aaron Rodger Backtracks
Rodgers tried to switch it up when he got backlash for his new therapy idea. Just own it, Rodgers.
I’m just saying that that is exactly what he would say if he were embarrassed about the dolphin mating-related shade he got this week. He always tries to throw people through a mental loop, but we’re on to him this time. Plus, if he was joking, why was he so close to an actual healing therapy technique? It smells like fish, and it’s not from the dolphins eating a snack.
Antonio Brown said it best:
“The dolphins don’t make you calm. There’s no audience for the dolphins. They probably whistle. See? That’s why Aaron Rodgers has weak legs. He can’t get his legs up.
He listens to dolphins making out and s**t. I told you, he’s going to New York, and then they go to MetLife, man. Brett Favre, they send the news, they listen to dolphins making out.
It’s therapy now? This is mental health right here.”
