Everyone seems to have those days or maybe even weeks where the stress overflows, getting a decent night of sleep is a luxury, and feeling moodier than usual is commonplace. As a student, there are several special moments in each semester where tests, papers, and marathon study sessions take their toll. It is these very matters that have driven me to pop in the earphones and listen to music much more than usual. Music helps alleviate some of the anxiety and has the ability to lift the spirit as well. In previous posts, I have kept an eye on where the music industry is heading and how musicians adapt to the times. It is my goal in this post to explore an area that many people take for granted – the power music has over us as a culture and its effects on us as individuals. Although music provides a consistent avenue of comfort for many, including myself, is this a form of therapy that can be incorporated into modern medicine while considering logistical and possible health coverage complexities?As a musician, it is difficult to escape the reality that I enjoy music because it has a way of playing off on my moods and vice-versa. Attitude and temperament do play an important role in our lives and overall well-being, but enough of a role to explore how music and frame of mind can work together? Dr. Michael F. Roizen, chief wellness officer of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, explains “Listening to finer music and attending concerts on a consistent basis makes your real age about four years younger. Whether that’s due to stress relief or other properties, we see decreases in all-cause mortality, reflecting slower aging of arteries as well as cancer-related and environmental factors. Attending sports events like soccer or football offers none of these benefits.” While this new field of study lacks substantial evidence at this juncture, it is apparent that an exciting conversation has begun in the medical community. Vera Brandes, the director of the research program in music and medicine at the Paracelsus Private Medical University in Salzburg strongly believes in the power of music. Brandes identifies herself as the “first musical pharmacologist.” “In that capacity she is developing medication in the form of music, dispensed as a prescription” according to The New York Times. Upon a visit to your physician, a prescription of music may be given. Sounds a bit wild, but there have been studies that support the notion that music can really alter a person's physical well-being in a very positive way. This recent interest in the healing powers of music has helped drive a new website called Sourcetone.com, which aims to connect emotional well-being to selected music tracks according to current moods. It is in a beta-phase currently, but the content and focus of the website is evident.
In Finland, neuroscientists worked together with music therapists and found that stroke patients recovered substantially faster when listening to music after experiencing a stroke. “Our research shows for the first time that listening to music during this crucial period can enhance cognitive recovery and prevent negative mood,” says Teppo Sarkamo, a doctoral student at the University of Helsinki. “We found that three months after the stroke, verbal memory improved from the first week post-stroke by 60% in music listeners…" he explains. "Similarly, focused attention -- the ability to control and perform mental operations and resolve conflicts among responses -- improved by 17% in music listeners, but no improvement was observed in audio-book listeners and non-listeners.” Statistics at this level really do amplify the thought that music should integrate with medicine, but it is difficult to forget about the other intricacies that come with medicine – such as health coverage, insurance, referrals to specialists, and so on.
Vera Brandes' new program is intriguing, but there is little mention of how music prescriptions will be given out and if this kind of therapy will be covered by insurance companies. As a new venture, it is important to think about the possible conflicts down the road, especially if evidence does lean substantially in favor of a fusion between medicine and music. Another fascinating 
facet to this issue is that if doctors and researchers are taking this seriously and throwing money behind studies, can this be a unique market for musicians to offer a helping hand while making a living as well? Live music seems to be a favorite among avid music fans because it brings fans one big step closer to those positive feelings they get while listening to headphones at home. If scientists are looking to really explore the effects of music, why not enlist vocalists or musicians to perform regularly for patients? Much like children’s hospitals around the country that support learning, laughter, and growth in the hospital, let us think about the possibility of bringing live music to the bed-side. Celebrities and musicians have travelled abroad for tours among the military bases and hospitals to raise morale, so this is not such an extreme idea.
facet to this issue is that if doctors and researchers are taking this seriously and throwing money behind studies, can this be a unique market for musicians to offer a helping hand while making a living as well? Live music seems to be a favorite among avid music fans because it brings fans one big step closer to those positive feelings they get while listening to headphones at home. If scientists are looking to really explore the effects of music, why not enlist vocalists or musicians to perform regularly for patients? Much like children’s hospitals around the country that support learning, laughter, and growth in the hospital, let us think about the possibility of bringing live music to the bed-side. Celebrities and musicians have travelled abroad for tours among the military bases and hospitals to raise morale, so this is not such an extreme idea.Obviously, it would be a logistical nightmare to have someone belting out Celine Dion in ICU, so the live music therapy would need to happen when a patient is much more stable and progressing steadily already. Thinking beyond the hospital setting, when someone has sung to me, even karaoke surprisingly, it makes me feel embarrassed but it feels great when someone does it nonetheless. Even when people sing someone Happy Birthday, it elicits a genuinely warm response. As for the data and support that is still needed in this field, it is obvious that more time is needed before there is a definite reason to blend music in with the medical field. However, it does seem thus far that music certainly does affect people’s moods, which can also affect a person’s recovery and general well-being. The day-to-day occurrences that we take for granted, such as silly moments when a loved one sings for another or when a friend embarrasses someone by singing karaoke to them in front of a crowd – it is these moments that we need to learn from and find the possibility of honing-in on this positive power. It is hard to argue that people do not feel special or find enjoyment when someone makes the effort to raise your spirits, especially when you are ill.
Just like you I have papers, projects, classes, as well as two jobs to juggle my time around. Music helps me throughout my day when having to cope with the stress of my daily life. I agree with your statement “as a society, listening to music provides a consistent avenue of comfort.” I believe if more people used music as a means to manage their worries and anxiety they would function better throughout the day. For example, when stuck in terrible Los Angeles rush-hour traffic rather than listening to heavy metal, smooth jazz might be a better fit to handle the strain they feel when trying to make it home for dinner with their families. There are all kinds of scenarios where music can help individuals get through their day with more ease and comfort. I think if more people turned to music in their daily life they, like you and I, would find that they can complete their daily routine with less strain and feel better in general.
ReplyDeleteWith the above said I would like to say that this is a very interesting post. I have heard of music therapy before, but never in the form of a prescription. You explain how helpful music is in the hospital setting and how it can be helpful at home on an iPod or stereo system, but the listening devices prescribed to patients are not really described in your post except for the fact they are “similar to iPods”. There are important things to consider here. How much does it cost to fill a music prescription, how much does the device cost that the prescribed music would play on, and does health insurance help cover these costs? These are very crucial factors, especially in times like this where people are not as willing to fork out money that may be unnecessary if there are other, more traditional, methods of treatment. Also, what types of music are prescribed to patients? Is the music more ambient and soft, classical or do they vary based on what is being treated? Despite all these factors to take into account I do believe that music therapy is a very useful tool that can, if implemented effectively, help everyone. I would like to hear your thoughts on what you see in the future of music therapy.
This post is well written and executed, however I do have a few comments and questions that I feel would be beneficial to your readers. The topic of this post in very interesting and engaging and a further understanding of what kind of music is being discussed would be helpful. Is this classical music or all types of music? For example, when college students generally listen to music to uplift their spirits it is rare they listen to classical, so would all music be helpful medication or only specific types? Also, I was curious if while researching for this post you discovered what kind of patients this could help in addition to stroke victims. This information could make the post more infomative about who could benefit from “music prescriptions”. Finally, you pose the question of whether this could be a way for muscians to both help and make money. I am curious of your position on who would or should pay for these muscians. If it is a form of therapy for a certain person would they have to pay, or would it be an insurance or hospital expense? These questions are simply things to think about in order to make your post even more compelling. Overall, it is a facinating post and other than a few technicals errors (like italicizing magazine and newspaper articles) I found it very interesting.
ReplyDelete