Music, Instrument based therapies ease children cancer pain

According to new analysis, music and instrument seem based therapies to have incredible effects on cancer patients pain levels, mood, and certain vital functions such as blood pressure. This may be the way to an addition to the standard treatment practices and complement medication doses only lead.

Joke Bradt, Ph.d., an associate professor of creative arts therapies to the Drexel University in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) led the study. Bradt and her colleagues went back and reviewed 30 studies that 1,891 adults and children with cancer. In 17 of the studies, the people listened to pre-recorded music. The participants in the remaining studies competed at various guided music therapies, which in some cases included singing, playing the piano or rhythms in addition to a therapist.

Measured through targeted questionnaires, both sessions with music therapists and the pre-recorded music patients reduced anxiety levels and better quality of life, better than the standard treatments. Music therapy improved also pain and mood, as well as blood pressure, heart and breathing.

Bradt stated:

"I am convinced that the beauty of music new hope for patients and their loved ones can bring and can energize them."

For decades and generations, music-based therapies, researchers have studied as a treatment for a wide range of chronic, painful and emotionally painful diseases, including cancer.

Well that's great, but reggae works better than classical music, for example? Bradt says there is not enough evidence to determine what kind of music intervention was most effective, but therapies involving music are likely to be most successful when they are tailor-made for people according to their musical taste and their ability to participate in actually making music.

Patients were given a choice between several different genres (new age, classical, rock, country). What works for one person, Bradt says, depending on his or her taste and background.

Robert Zatorre, Ph.d., a cognitive neuroscientist at McGill University, in Montreal continues:

"It is known for a very long time that music can affect vote. That's why lullabies to soothe babies that will not sleep. "

There is a fair amount of interest recently in the fact that children, from birth, ' wired for sound '-or, more specifically wired for music. There are specific neural connections that are created when a child to music of any kind, instrumental or vocal listening. These compounds are, apparently, not created in a different way and can only be made in the early years. Once created, some researchers believe that these neural ' wiring ' can be used to support some other way, such as visual or verbal. The more connections that are made, the more capacity in the brain is opened up for use. The conclusion that the earlier music is entered, the greater the potential for learning.

Zatorre is added:

"The cost with music is very small compared to other types of interventions. How well it works is, in comparison with drugs is another question, but the side effects are very minimal as well. The worst thing that can happen [at] someone does not like music is that they can turn it off. "

However, because the results are measured these studies are so subjective, additional research will be needed to confirm that factors in addition to the music, the results are not affected.

Written by Sy Kraft
Copyright: Medical News today
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Article reference:
"Music intervention for improving psychological and physical results in cancer patients"
Bradt J, Dileo C, Grocke D., Magill L
The Cochrane Collaboration