Treatment Online

Music's Health Effects Studied
> 5/25/2006 5:43:55 AM

As published in the UK based Journal of Advanced Nursing, researchers working at Ohio's Case Western University have found that music can help patients deal with chronic pain and even depression. The study asked participants to listen to music for an hour a day and keep a pain diary to chronicle their experiences.

The music groups reported that their pain had fallen by between 12 and 21 per cent, when measured by two different pain measurement scales. The control group reported that pain increased by between one and two per cent.

People in the music groups reported 19 to 25 per cent less depression than the control group.

The music groups reported feeling nine to 18 per cent less disabled than those who hadn't listened to music and said they had between five and eight per cent more power over their pain than the control group.

As one of the co-authors of the study, Professor Marion Good, said:

"Listening to music has already been shown to promote a number of positive benefits and this research adds to the growing body of evidence that it has an important role to play in modern healthcare."

The effects of music on overall health and wellbeing shouldn't be downplayed. That being said, listening to music is in no way a miracle drug. If it does help those suffering from chronic pain, a situation that often is tied to depression and depressive symptoms, then it should be utilized part of an overall treatment regimen. This study certainly provides evidence to the efficacy of music in pain management, but the size of the study was such that it can really only be part of a larger dialogue.

Comments
Ahh... it may be a small study that should be a part of a larger conversation, but in my experience with those who work with people in chronic pain I can assure you it will be used as a cost saving measure- the study says so it MUST be true. When it doesn't help, excuses as to why- oh, you weren't there with the right attitude, you had the wrong kind of music, you didn't try long enough- will come out to haunt those who they purport to help. And the beat goes on.....
URL: http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/2006/05/crippen-dia
Posted by: impatientpatient 6/4/2006 1:23:00 AM
ahh.. i think i can only agree with that.. that's all folks.

Posted by: fam 12/13/2007 3:48:15 AM