A recent study by researchers at the University of Pavia in Italy concludes
that music therapy (MT) may have a beneficial effect on relieving the suffering
of those with Parkinson's disease and in maximizing their quality of life. These
same benefits may extend to other chronic and incurable diseases, such
as:
- Patients with physically and mentally handicapping
conditions
- Patients before and after surgery and invasive medical
procedures
- Following heart attack, respiratory failure and advanced cancer
- Patients with Alzheimer's disease
- Patients in geriatric care facilities
MT is an active therapy: meaning you, the patient, are the one who creates
the music, as opposed to passively listening to music. The key to the therapy
rests in your efforts. Creative genius is definitely not required. Researchers
claim that the making of music helps to achieve a more relaxed and happy state
of mind. Often MT is used along with physical or other therapies, nutritional
and psychological counseling, all aimed at achieving optimal physiological and
emotional function.
The creative arts are becoming more widely used in the care of patients with
chronic illnesses of many kinds.
However, MT is not a new therapy. According to medical literature, MT is the
longest established of the creative healing arts in the United States. MT heals
through increasing endorphin neuropeptide release, enhancing immune function,
reducing corticosteroid hormonal levels, and modifying brain wave activity. Many
of the physiological effects resemble those achieved with meditation, yoga, t'ai
chi, biofeedback, and other holistic approaches that emphasize overall well
being.
Engaging in other creative arts may produce the results similar to those from
MT. Studies in diverse settings have recorded significant benefits in physical,
mental, spiritual, and social health from the active involvement in the creative
activity, as opposed to being simply passive recipients. Another particular
benefit of MT is the way it brings groups of people together. This makes it a
valuable tool for encouraging communal as well as personal health, something
most cultures have long recognized and valued.
Incorporating MT into your treatment can be very simple, inexpensive and
straightforward, once you have reassured you doctor and his or her staff that
you want to do it. Music therapists are increasingly able to bill insurance
companies for their services, making it easy at least for larger general
practices to hire such practitioners without any financial outlay. The rising
cost of healthcare and prescription drugs, it becomes important to seek out
cost-effective and nontoxic therapies. The skills required are readily available
through motivated musicians. The point of becoming actively involved in music
making is not to achieve a particular skill standard but to simply experience
the creative process of music and rhythmic movement for its own
sake.
