Music Therapy - Improving Health

If listening to a classical concerto makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, music therapy may unlock the secrets to life's many mysteries for you. Similarly, if hearing an Abba song or even a cheesy old Marie Osmond recording makes you swoon with joy and delight and can bring you out of a funk, then music therapy may be just what you need.

Music therapy is thought to originate in veterans' hospitals, helping those who came back ravaged from the war acclimate better to the often traumatic injuries they suffered.

Actually, music therapy is not as daft as it may seem. The idea is that music is used as a therapeutic vehicle to achieve goals that are not really related to music at all. The parallels are obvious: speech and singing, walking and movement, rhythm and motor skills. As music has been scientifically proven to enhance mood as well, it's thought that music therapy can optimize people's abilities to interact and communicate on many, many levels.

People who can benefit from music therapy are manifold. They can be both adults and children, either those who suffer from certain disabilities, or those who have chronic health problems. Advocates of this type of therapy say it works in a variety of ways, and can improve not only an individual's emotional well being, but also help them physically, cognitively, socially and even on an aesthetic level.

Some people find it hard to communicate for a variety of different and varied reasons that are either developmental, social and/or physical, and feel that communication through or with the use of music is the best way to open up. Music is used purely as a vehicle; it's thought that the communication between the patient and the therapist is the most crucial aspect.

According to the American Music Therapy Association website, music therapy can:

* promote wellness

* manage stress

* alleviate pain

* express feelings

* enhance memory

* improve communication

* promote physical rehabilitation

History of Music Therapy

The use of music to make us feel happy has been around for time immemorial, while the therapeutic effects of music have been recorded more than 1,500 years ago. The idea of music as an established therapy, however, has only been around since World War II, at least in the United States.

Music therapy is thought to originate in veterans' hospitals, helping those who came back ravaged from the war acclimate better to the often traumatic injuries they suffered. An undergraduate degree program in the discipline was founded at Michigan State University not long after, and the rest is history. Many universities now offer degree programs in music therapy, and it is not as uncommon as you might think.

In case it all looks a tiny bit airy-fairy, rest assured that contemporary music therapists must go through intense training before they become certified. This includes not only gaining counseling and health skills, but also reaching proficiency levels in guitar, voice, music theory, piano, improvisation, and music history and reading music, as well as other disciplines.

Music Therapy and Strokes

Music therapy to help people with strokes is seen as being especially important as music has been shown to have a strong impact on the brain, affecting particularly social interactions and emotions. The therapy has been proven to help people who have experienced strokes improve their speech and communication, cognition, mood, motivation, movement and muscle control.

This can be accomplished by a variety of exercises set out by a trained music therapist. They include rhyming, chanting and singing to exercise mouth muscles, playing on the drum to exercise arm muscles and control and creating songs to match the patient's gait.

Particular emphasis is put on exercises that can increase mood and motivation, which in turn affect a lot of other activities. They include song-writing, lyric writing, performing, improvisation and more. "The emotional and aesthetic qualities of music are used to improve mood, to increase motivation, and to assist in pain management," says the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function.

Music Therapy and Heart Disease

Music therapy can also help heart patients. An American Heart Association Scientific journal reported the results of an Italian study saying that music can "synchronize and influence" the cardiovascular system, and that crescendos increased the heart rate and lowered blood pressure.

Previous studies showed that music could be used as a therapeutic tool for people with neurological impairments. The studies showed that music improved athletic performance, enhanced motor skills and reduced stress overall for people with impaired brain function.

There is also evidence that music therapy can help limit nausea and vomiting experienced by cancer patients on a course of chemotherapy, and that it can help alleviate symptoms of depression and insomnia.

Music Thanatology for the Sick and Dying

Another aspect of music therapy that is less widely prescribed is known as music thanatology, dervied from the Greek term "thanatos", which means death. It involves the use of music to help with the physical and spiritual care of people who are dying, and to help their loved ones deal with the grief when they eventually do pass away. Incorporating the use of music in palliative care programs is becoming more and more common, as people begin to understand the benefits it can bring.

Music thanatology can take many forms. Sometimes a trained musician will come to a dying person's home and play harp music for them. Other times people will play a "music vigil" for the dying patient, easing their passing and providing support and comfort to their friends and relatives as well.

"The goal is to support the patient and family, not to seek applause. Some musicians avoid using words like 'perform' or 'performance' to describe what they do, because these words may put focus on the person creating the music rather than on the patient for whom the music is being played," says growthhouse.org, whose motto is "Improving care for the dying".

A music-based approach has been scientifically proven to help people in many aspects of their lives. Both children and adults can benefit from its application. Look for a music therapist near you if you think you or someone you know could benefit from this well established health care profession. And the next time you hear a rendition of Paper Roses, suppress the urge to run the other way and think how much it could do for you...

The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care an appropriate health care provider.

Sarah Matthews is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a Specialist at Yodle Local or more Health & Medicine articles at Yodle Consumer Guide.

Music Therapy - How Music Works As a Catalyst to Promote Health and Wellness

"If music be the food of love, play on;

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die.

That strain again! It had a dying fall:

O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound

That breathes upon a bank of violets,

Stealing and giving odor!......"

Thus starts the Act 1, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's romantic comedy "Twelfth Night", with the love-struck Duke Orsino ordering his musicians at his palace to feed him with music all the night, as he desires to have the sweet strains feed his appetite for romance. The bard makes him describe the music played as an energizing "food of love", and in the following lines makes him pour forth sweet words of passion, all of which originate from the tranquilizing effects of the music being played.

Centuries before, while this play had been staged, and even epochs later, the cultivation of music and the arts used to be perceived merely as aesthetic pursuits, entertaining and relaxing the mind and the soul and also connecting the performers with people at large. Today, while numerous groundbreaking researches have proved that music, as an entity, has a profound effect on the body and the psyche of all living organisms, that which was perceived only as an aesthetic pursuit is today regarded as an established therapy to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages. In fact, quite some time back researches had shown music used as a therapy to not only bring about qualitative changes in humans, but also in animals and plants.

While today's youth are completely in love with music having beats and rhythms, it is a fact revealed by scientists that these beats have a definite impact on the stimulation of the body of an individual. Let us for once think about the immensely mentally invigorating music like the symphonies of Bach, Beethoven and Mozart! Can anybody ever deny the level of creativity, positive energy, powerful melodies and harmonies they produce that compel the mind and the soul to embark on a journey of powerful emotions and impulses? Any classical form of music, for that matter, has been said to have profound effects on both the body and the psyche of individuals, playing an instrumental role in the healing and harmonizing of the mind, body and spirit. Long accepted as both soother and stimulant, any form of "positive music", including classical music has been proved to profoundly impact the cognitive abilities, creativity, optimism levels and the overall 'state of the mind' of an individual. By the term "positive music", researchers have actually referred to the kind of music which is usually emotionally and spiritually uplifting, and that which is gifted with beneficial qualities, healing the mind and the body in the process. Apart from the pure classical variety of music, pop songs that are romantic in content, country tunes, and some amount of rhythm and blues (earlier referred to as 'race music') with evocative lyrics and tune are considered to be parts of "positive music". Today's world music, a vast arena of music dedicated to the great non-western traditions of music, including Indian, Chinese, Persian (Iranian) and Sufi forms-comfortably fall into the category of "positive music" as defined by scholars and exponents of music.

What the ancient cultures, including the Vedanta philosophy, the ancient Greek philosophy had to say about the effects of music on an individual:

If we look back into the history of ancient, age-old philosophies and cultures, the extent of philosophical, spiritual impact that music was said to have on the human soul would become obvious to us. Ancient historians have come up with the fact that for thousands of years, the Vedic culture had used the profound sound effects of music not only for the tranquility of the mind, but also for the proper balance and equilibrium between the body and the soul, for encouraging a heightened state of awareness in humans, and even for health enhancement and promotion of healing. It had been believed by the unique Vedanta philosophers that ancient oriental music, in its true nature, was an enriched exercise of the human mind in its path of exploration into the mysteries of Nature and of Ultimate Truth (the "Brahman"). It was ages and thousands of centuries ago that in the ancient Vedanta philosophy, music had been considered as a subtle divine thread capable of linking the "Jeevatma" (individual soul) with the "Parmatma" (Supreme Soul). And why not, when the Vedanta philosophers had identified "shabda" (sound) as "brahma" (absolute reality), the primeval source of creation of the universe? This ancient concept of the "shabda-brahma" had been embraced in its entirety by ancient Vedic philosophers to understand the beauty, depth and elevating powers of ancient Indian music. On the other hand, the myriad effects that the various "raagas" of classical Indian music that inspire the human mind and rejuvenate the senses are quite undisputed till today. Saying this, it is imperative why the ancient spiritual music form (termed as the "Dhrupad") performed in the temples and the courts from the ancient to the medieval times was connected to its spiritual roots and also why even contemporary researches still try to delve deep into its magical prowess on the human body and soul.

On the other hand, researchers have found out that in ancient Greece, the legendary mathematician Pythagoras theorized that music had the power to diminish and even eradicate negative energies and emotions from the human mind. Other ancient Greek philosophers had full faith in the ethical powers of music, including philosophers from around the fifth century B.C. to around third century A.D. Most of them recognized the immense impact of music on the development of one's personality. The stupendous power of music over the ethos of an individual, and on the overall human disposition has been time and again emphasized by philosophers like Plato and also by Chinese authors of various documents.

The healing benefits of music established by modern science:

Apart from the immense spiritual, emotional and ethical impact of music in the human mind, today modern scientific studies are constantly emphasizing on the astonishing benefits that music has in terms of healing human ailments. Adequate amount of modern scientific researches in recent times have explicitly shown that specific sounds and music have resulted in measurable and multiple healing benefits. Even in case of critical human ailments, the ever-growing field of health care popularly known as "Music Therapy" is utilizing music and its various forms to heal cancer patients, children with ADD, and so on. It is amazing to find out today how hospitals and health care services are treating music therapy as a distinct research area in order to help with pain management, to help ward off depression, to promote movement, to calm patients, to ease muscle tension, and for many other benefits.

Numerous researches starting from 1950 till today have proved that music has a strong impact on the human brain. The beats and rhythm of music, which can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, has the ability to transport the human mind to a crescendo of concentration, and even promote a tranquil, meditative state of the mind. Similarly, as the beats and rhythm of music have the ability to impact the brainwaves and other resulting physiological functions, researches have revealed that activities related to the autonomous nervous system, like breathing and heart rate are greatly impacted by the "magic wand of music". Keeping this in mind, exponents of music therapy today are constantly using the super-power of music to counteract or prevent the damaging effects of chronic stress, resulting in relaxation, health and wellness. It is even been claimed by researchers that the pleasant, soothing effects of "positive music" can reduce the risk of stroke and other health problems over time, boost immunity, ease muscle tension, working as an ultimate "stress-buster" of all times!

It is a fact that most of the findings of the current researches regarding the effects of music emerged in the wake of the realization that all our bodily functions, starting from breathing and pulse to heart rate and the pumping of blood in the heart-work in a cohesive, cyclical and rhythmical pattern, just like music does. While the basics of music are based on the rhythmical and cyclical movements of sound patterns, it is the synchronization of the various sound patterns and rhythms that influence all our physiological actions. All music therapy interventions, designed by experts to promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, and promote physical rehabilitation emphasize on this synchronization of various sound patterns and rhythms as the fundamentals of music therapy.

Very recently, a new type of music therapy has reportedly been offered to individuals with severe intellectual disabilities, with some remarkable results. As reported by The World Today, music, very much like mediation and yoga, two of nature's own tranquilizers, is giving a voice to profoundly affected people, thereby providing new insights into their inner, emotional lives. The World Today reported as many as a half a dozen case studies of individuals with severe disabilities responding to music as an absolute direct channel of communication, which is definitely an instance in itself.

Keeping in mind these profound effects of music which many have discovered in their lives personally, I guess now when somebody would say that a certain kind of music "lifted" him in spirit, mind and body, every word of that should be taken, literally. The ultimate sense of intense well being that one is capable of reaching through music, is truly euphoric in its essence, and quite amazingly, sustains even moments after listening! So, from now on, take some time everyday to move out of the chaos of the world, pick up Mozart, Beethoven or some other classical music CD, create a simple playlist for yourself to ensure tranquility, productivity and calm living for an entire lifetime!

Music Therapy: A Peaceful Revolution

You'll be in trouble with the law if you play your music too loudly in Rochester, New

York. Anyone found violating local and state noise ordinances by means of overly

loud "boom boxes," stereos, motorcycles, automobiles or loud partying will be

ticketed.

New York City has also begun to oppose the bombardment of noise. Its Department

of Environmental Protection has a Quality of Life Hotline. 70% of the calls received

concern noise. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has established a Council on the

Environment. There is a citywide group (with a somewhat unfortunate acronym)

called Friends Against Noisy New York. On April 25th, there were observances of

International Noise Awareness Day. The mayor also established Operation Silent

Night, a citywide quality of life initiative to combat loud and excessive noise in New

York City.

It's not that the state of New York is less tolerant than the rest of us. It's that

they've realized something a lot of communities don't know yet.

We all know that we're exposed to more excessive noise today than at any other

time in history. Modern life can seem like an ongoing struggle to rise above the din.

Home life fills our ears with barking dogs, air conditioning units, televisions, boom

boxes and the kitchen vent-a-hood. When we leave the house or office, we yell to

be heard over construction projects, car alarms, traffic and other people's music.

The list goes on and on. The US Census Bureau has reported that noise is

Americans' top complaint about their neighborhoods and their main reason for

wanting to move.

What New Yorkers have found and the rest of us need to know is that noise

pollution is more than just annoying; It can be dangerous. One Rochester police

officer explains that when blasting music in neighborhoods goes unchecked, it

indicates that respect is not required. "This type of environment is friendly to other,

more serious types of crimes," he says. That's why police officers and neighborhood

residents have decided to crack down on excessive noise in their community. Police

and concerned citizens have been walking the streets together, knocking on the

doors of noisy neighbors and warning them about possible fines and legal action.

Noise is not only a health issue for communities, but also for individuals. Research

has shown dramatic physiological effects from exposure to excessive noise. In

addition to its damage to the ears, Dr. Luther Terry, former U.S. Surgeon General

identifies a host of other negative health effects due to noise. A partial list includes

cardiovascular constriction, elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, more

labored breathing, measurable changes in skin resistance and skeletal-muscle

tension, digestive system changes, glandular activity that alters the chemical

content of blood and urine, vestibular effects, balance sense effect and changes in

brain chemistry. It bears repeating that this is just a partial list. Terry details the

negative effect of noise on fetal development, as well.

The Surgeon General echoes the voices of many health professionals. Researchers

have found that after extended exposure to high noise such as aircraft flyovers or

workplace noise, blood pressure rises as much as 30%. Increasing the negative

impact is the fact that blood pressure stays at that elevated level for a significant

period after the exposure ends. So if you're close enough to a landing plane that

your blood pressure rises, it stays up and affects your body long after the airplane

noise is gone.

You don't have to live near an airport to be affected by traffic. Even noise that we

might consider moderate has its effect. A German study found that those living on

busy streets were 20% more likely to have a heart attack than those living on a quiet

one.

Studies have also linked learning problems to noise. It affects the ability of children

to learn to speak, to read, and to acquire knowledge in schools. These effects have

been documented near airports, train tracks and major roadways. The inability to

hear and understand all that a teacher is saying can translate to poor grades and

could even lead to a higher dropout rate in schools.

Moreover, noise pollution has impact on the behavior of both children and adults.

One study looked at how passers-by responded to a person in need in the presence

of noise. While a noisy lawn mower roared nearby, a woman with a broken arm

dropped some books and tried to pick them up. No one stopped to help her. When

the lawnmower was turned off and the scene repeated, several people stopped to

help her retrieve her books.

With all that being said, it's no wonder that Americans have more problems with

sleeping, concentrating and dealing with stress in our noise-polluted environment.

Fortunately, there is more to sound than the negative effects of noise. The opposite

of noise is music. The ability of music to repair and encourage health and harmony

is as powerful as noise's ability to destroy them. So powerful, in fact, that there is an

entire field called music therapy.

The full benefits of music therapy are still being studied, but we know of quite a few

already. Studies in mental health, for example, have shown that music therapy is

effective in relieving anxiety and stress, promoting relaxation and treating

depression. Music therapy allows people with emotional problems to explore

feelings, make positive changes in mood, practice problem solving, and resolve

conflicts. It has been used successfully by mental health institutions during group

therapy sessions.

The healing effects of music therapy are not limited to mental health. They have

been observed in hospitalized patients with burns, heart disease, diabetes and

cancer. As a complement to rehabilitation care, music therapy seems to strengthen

communication and physical coordination skills, as it improves the physical and

mental functioning of those with neurological disabilities or developmental

disorders. Those with learning, speech and hearing problems may also find music

therapy helpful.

Music therapy reduces the need for medication during childbirth and complements

the use of anesthesia during surgery and dental work, especially when children

undergo medical and surgical procedures. It is useful in newborn care of premature

infants. Aside from these acute situations, music therapy helps ease chronic pain.

Music therapy can also improve the quality of life of terminally ill patients and

enhance the well-being of the elderly, including those suffering from Alzheimer's

disease and other forms of dementia. It has been used to complement the treatment

of AIDS, stroke, Parkinson's and cancer. At the same time, music therapy is useful in

the support of the families and caregivers of such patients.

Most of the reviews published on the subject have been published by the American

Music Therapy Association. The broad applications of this tool warrant more formal

reviews. We still don't know just how many conditions could be helped by music

therapy. Still, changes are that you could enhance your mental and physical health

with music therapy.

If you consult a music therapist for a particular condition, the therapist will first talk

to you about your symptoms and needs. In addition, the therapist will assess your

emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities

and cognitive skills. Using this information, your therapist will design an appropriate

treatment plan that would probably include playing and listening to music,

analyzing lyrics, composing songs, improvising and/or using rhythmic movement.

During your regular sessions, the therapist may participate in these activities with

you or simply guide you. You may also be encouraged to talk about the images or

feelings that are evoked by the music. You and your therapist will select the music

used for your therapy according to your needs and tastes. You can choose any kind

of music, from classical or new age to jazz or rock. You do not need previous

musical experience nor any musical ability to benefit from music therapy.

Some music therapy is conducted in a group setting. You might perform music with

others who have the same condition as you, or you may just interact and relax with

others as music plays in the background. If you are in the hospital for surgery or to

give birth, your music therapy might simply entail listening to your favorite songs to

help you relax and reduce pain.

As you may have guessed by now, the presence of a professional is not always

required in music therapy, though you may need help in getting started. Westerners

are only beginning to use music as medicine, though it has long been used

successfully in Asia, Africa, Europe and South America. To encourage you to create

your own music therapy sessions, I will share with you the basics of my own brand

of music therapy. Take what you like and leave the rest.

When I practice music therapy, especially for relaxation, the first thing I do is to find

a calming environment, where I won't be disturbed or interrupted. Next, I light

incense or a scented candle, as I find that aromatherapy helps to calm my body.

Next, I choose the music, which becomes easier the more you learn about your

body's response to different kinds of music. I then sit on the floor, in an upright

position with my legs crossed. I breathe deeply, inhaling and exhaling very slowly

through my nose.

As the music plays, I listen intently to the instruments as if the players were right

there in the room playing to me. Often I position myself directly in front of the

speaker, so I can feel the vibrations as well as hear the music being played. Some

people use headphones. This is fine, but I recommend you feel the sound coming

into your body, and not just into your head.

Visualize the sound waves coming from the speakers and going through you. Not

only should you position yourself physically to catch the sound energy in your body,

but you should also focus your mind. Focus on where you want the healing

vibrations to go. Listen as you visualize the sound waves beaming through your

body and replenishing your cells, tissues, and internal organs.

As you practice music therapy you will develop the method that works best for you.

Once you know how your body responds to certain instruments, timbres, and

musical styles, you can design sessions in the sequence you find most beneficial to

you.

Ideally, you practice music therapy for at least 30 minutes to an hour per day,

although even a 20-minute daily session would yield positive results. It can take 10

minutes just for your mind to unwind, so I recommend 30-40 minute sessions.

Those are the basics. As you can gather from all of the above, music therapy can be

as involved or as simple as the situation warrants. The main thing is just to get

started. In this world of noise pollution, practicing music therapy may well be the

way to start your own peaceful revolution!

References:

American Academy of Audiology (Consumer guides)

World Council on Hearing Health (In the news)

Friends Against Noisy New York (2005 Newsletter)

National Campaign for Hearing Health

Sam Pasco ? is founder and director of http://www.InnerHealingMusic.com. He is also a Practitioner of music therapy, as well as a Composer and Performer who has performed at some of the largest health and wellness expos in the US. He frequently leads workshops on the vast benefits of music as therapy.