This month, I wanted to return to my true love – Music for Healing. My start in offering healing music with the harp was in the hospital setting as I played my harp for my hemodialysis patients and noticed the amazing beneficial effects in their physiology. Those experiences led me to a journey, which I am still on, searching for, and finding incredible stories of people who have benefited from music in their healing process.
I recently read an article on the internet written on November 5, 2015, by Beverly Merz, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch, about music therapy and its varied uses in healthcare.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/healing-through-music-201511058556
Ms. Merz’s definition of music therapy is, “Those who become certified music therapists are accomplished musicians who have deep knowledge of how music can evoke emotional responses to relax or stimulate people or help them heal. They combine this knowledge with their familiarity with a wide variety of musical styles to find the specific kind that can get you through a challenging physical rehab session or guide you into meditation. And they can find that music in your favorite genre, be it electropop or grand opera.”
She goes on to say, “Music therapists know few boundaries. They may play music for you or with you, or even teach you how to play an instrument. On a given day, Chartrand (a music therapist) may be toting a tank drum, a ukulele, or an iPad and speakers into a patient’s room. Technology gives us so much access to all kinds of music that I can find and play almost any kind of music you like.”
Music improves invasive procedures. A study in the British Journal of Music Therapy reported that the use of music during cardiac invasive procedures improved the management of pain and anxiety. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1359457519840131 The study found that the use of music from a playlist selected by the patient under the guidance of a certified music therapist produced a quantifiable benefit during an invasive cardiac procedure performed under the local anesthesia. A protocol was developed that provided a measurable reduction in anxiety as well as the pain a patient experiences.
I would add to that one of my experiences of playing in an operation suite while a friend of mine was undergoing eye surgery. She had asked if I could play my harp as her procedure was in process, and the doctor had permitted me to be there.
As I played, calmness settled in, and the surgery went on with no problems. As the doctor finished, he told the nurse that she could take my friend back to the recovery area, and then he turned to me and said, “But you stay here and keep playing!” He went on to explain how calming the music had been to him during the procedure. So, the music is good for the patient and the physician. Maybe that’s the meaning of “Physician heal thyself.”
Music restores lost speech. Music therapy can help people recovering from a stroke or traumatic brain injury that has damaged the left-brain region responsible for speech. An article
in https://www.speechpathologygraduateprograms.org describes how the use of music therapy first involves the singing of simple phrases to familiar music. Frequent repetition of these phrases helps patients turn their sing-song speech into normal speech over time. What’s even more exciting is that most patients maintain the improvements they gained through music therapy, which shows that the brain is capable of repair.
Music reduces the side effects of cancer therapy. Listening to music reduces anxiety associated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It can also quell nausea and vomiting in patients receiving chemotherapy. An article in Very Well Health shared the results of several studies that dealt with this phenomenon. https://www.verywellhealth.com/benefits-of-music-therapy-for-cancer-patients-2248912
“A few reviews have looked at several studies to date evaluating the effect of music on mood and anxiety in people with cancer. The overwhelming conclusion of these studies was that music decreases anxiety and has a strong positive impact on the ability of people to cope with cancer. Study subjects included those who took part in music therapy as part of a hospital program as well as people who simply listened to recorded music. One of the reviews also found that music could be helpful in alleviating depression related to cancer.”
The same article also indicated that music helped cancer patients deal better with their pain. Most used pain meds less frequently. I had some experience with this several years back when a friend of mine asked for some of my harp CDs to give to a friend of theirs that was undergoing cancer treatment. About 2 years lapsed and I had not heard from my friend about any results, so I had forgotten about the whole issue.
I happened to be attending a wedding, and at the reception, the cancer patient’s wife came up to me and expressed extreme gratitude for the music given to her husband to use during his battle with cancer. She told me that the music made a night and day difference in his pain management, and she expressed several times that she did not know what they would have done without the music. He had since passed, but his quality of life had been so enriched because of the harp music.
Music aids in pain relief. Music therapy has been tested in patients ranging from those with intense acute pain to those with chronic pain from arthritis. Overall, music therapy decreases pain perception, reduces the amount of pain medication needed, helps relieve depression, and gives people a sense of better control over their pain. Many studies have been conducted to determine the effectiveness of music in pain control, with the result being its acceptance in an increasing number of clinical settings.
An article in Practical Pain Management https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/treatments/psychological/utilizing-music-therapy-manage-chronic-pain gave several case studies that illustrated how music “whether guided or used as part of self-care, has the power to reduce pain and associated feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation.” The article shared several different techniques for using music to assist in pain management with the overall summation that music is quite effective in pain management and is relatively inexpensive compared to more pharmaceutical approaches.
Music aids in dealing with Parkinson’s Disease. A friend shared a YouTube video with me that I found to be amazing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDjQ7lKmH3s This man had severe Parkinson’s Disease and could barely walk with a walker being assisted by a physical therapist. As you watch the video, you will see that as soon as the music starts playing, his whole gate changes and he is able to dance with the therapist.
There is overwhelming evidence that music has healing qualities for many of life’s challenges. No matter what situation you may be facing, I believe that music will have a beneficial impact on your life. A book could be written about all the different ways that music has enriched lives and brought healing and benefit in so many ways to so many people. I have many pages of testimony from people who comment on my YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/peregrinnatti) about how music has changed their lives for the better.
Next time you are suffering or experiencing a health challenge, don’t forget to bring music into your life and see what affects you experience – You may be surprised!