There are a number of causes
of chronic pain, including cancer, accidents, and even diabetes. Some diabetics deal with a lot of
chronic pain, no matter how much medication gets directed at the problem. (Roberts, 2002)
As June is Black Music
Month, I thought that I would look at music therapy and its effect on
health! Well, music therapy
appears to have been used extensively in the relief of chronic pain…
Music
therapy works in chronic pain management by providing sensory stimulation that
evokes a response in the patient. Research has found that music used as a
clinical intervention can help patients by:
·
Reducing the
amount of pain they perceive
·
Promoting
relaxation, rhythmic breathing, and rest
·
Giving their
mood a positive boost[.] (Thompson, 2010)
“Patients undergoing music
therapy for chronic pain management have been found to:
- · Require less pain medication
- · Have significant improvements in their respiration, blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle relaxation
- · Enjoy more peace of mind and better quality of life[.]” (Thompson, 2010)
“[M]usic with a slow beat is
relaxing, while music with a fast beat is invigorating. Otherwise, you'll need
to experiment to learn what music makes you feel better.” (Roberts, 2002) It would seem that some nice relaxing GOSPEL, JAZZ, REGGAE or R&B is called for, in order to relax the muscles that are
causing the chronic pain. Once an
improvement in your chronic pain is perceived, you could try some invigorating
HIP HOP or SALSA! If you’re over
40 years old, you might enjoy relaxing to some SOUL or [the group] SANTANA from
the 1970s and 1980s—like I do!!
Music
therapy is a recognized form of therapy and is sometimes covered by insurance.
Formal music therapy sometimes involves just listening to music. But other
times, the patient takes a more active role--singing, playing an instrument, or
moving with the music. To find a music therapist, contact the American Music
Therapy Association, Inc., at info@musictherapy.org or (301) 589-3300.
(Roberts, 2002; Thompson, 2010)
So, when your chronic pain
is bothering you, you might try singing along when your favorite song is played
on the radio—or hum, if you don’t know the words!!
Reference:
Roberts, S.
(2002, September). “Music
therapy for chronic pain.” Diabetes forecast. Retrieved June 21,
2012 from http://healingmusic.org/Library/Newsroom/MusicTherapyForChronicPain.asp
Thompson, Jr., D. (2010, March 04).
“Music therapy for pain management.” Everyday
health. Retrieved June 21, 2012 from http://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/music-therapy-for-pain-management.aspx
