Music as Medicine: The History and Real-Life Examples of Healing with Music
- By Dr Li Lian, Gan
Introduction
Music is an essential part of the human species. Throughout our life, we constantly make music with our bodies, whether we realise it or not. Every civilisation, from the most primitive, to the most modern, has some form of musical expression. That's why some consider music a universal language.
The evolution of music as medicine
The history of music and its connection to mankind dates back to the beginning of time. As civilisations developed, music use increased.
Photo by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu courtesy of Unsplash
The use of music in pre-historic cultures
Ancient civilizations, such as the early Native Americans, used music as a spiritual conduit to interact with nature and their gods. Music also served as a means of socializing and curing the sick. Back in the day, it was common for them to gather as a tribe to chant, dance, and pray for their sick tribal members.
The role of music in today's society
In the modern era, before the developments in brain imaging, music therapy started purely as a supporting tool to:
stimulate emotional expression
foster connections
improve group sessions
Now, it is more common to observe music therapy in modern healthcare institutions. Why?
This is because researchers and physicians have increasingly observed favourable outcomes after applying music therapy on their patients. As a result, there is an increasing understanding for the relationship between music and physical and mental health, and this trend is predicted to continue.
Photo by Matthias Zomer: Courtesy of Pexels
Is there a link between music and health?
The human brain and neurological system have evolved to recognise and respond to:
musical rhythms
repetitions
tones
melodies
This makes it possible for us to tell music apart from other sounds.
Is this a pure coincidence, or does it serve a greater purpose?
While there is no definitive answer, it is now clear that music can improve our performance, physical and mental health. While some studies showed that music may promote the brain's ability to make new connections between nerve cells. The exact mechanism on how music exerts its benefit are still largely hypothetical.
Here are some instances where music therapy has shown successes:
Improving mental health
Depression and schizophrenia: Numerous studies have shown that music has a positive effect on mood and social interactions in addition to alleviating symptoms of mental illnesses (1-3).
Dementia: The same is true for older persons with senile dementia. Music has been demonstrated to help lessen their anxiety and agitation (4).
Autistic spectrum disorders (ASD): Children diagnosed with ASD were noted to be particularly receptive to music (5). This is especially true when music is used on purpose and in a way that fits the child's age and stage of development. It can change behaviour and help kids learn new skills (5).
Photo by Ksenia Chernaya: Courtesy of Pexels
2. Maintaining cardiovascular health
Scientists believe that music may be good for the heart through complex interactions between breathing and the way the heart works on its own (autonomic cardiovascular control).
Indeed, studies have shown that music tempo may directly correlate with changes in:
heart rate
breathing rate
blood pressure
Other positive effects of music on cardiovascular health include:
Better exercise performance: Researchers have found that listening to music while working out is great, especially there are music with beats that match the workout. Because it can reduce fatigue, boost endurance, and encourage you to keep working out.
Reduces strain on heart by relieving stress: Slow tempo music, on the other hand, can generate relaxation, most likely due relief from focus and attention. Several major studies have also shown that high-risk people, like those who are on dialysis, are less likely to have fatal cardiac events if they listen to music. In that study, people who listened to music for at least a week had lower levels of cortisol, which meant they were less likely to have a fatal heart event within 5 years (6).
3. Improve cognitive functioning (thinking)
Usually, dementia affects a person's ability to think, feel, be who they are, and move around. Patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other types of dementia showed improvements in their thinking, especially in their ability to speak and pay attention. Music therapy, according to researchers, is a versatile technique since it can be tailored to the diverse needs of patients with dementia (7).
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4. Strengthening immunity
Yeah, you read that correctly - music can help boost your immune system, your resistance. We know that the immune system is strongly linked to mood, psychological state, and hormonal balance (8). As a result, poor mood and psychological stress can wreck the immune system and disrupt how it functions, increasing health risks. Scientists were able to examine changes in molecules and cell activity related with immune response. It turns out that music can mediate anti-inflammatory effects, making it useful in the care of unwell individuals (9).
Of course, the list could go on and on.
What I wanted to emphasise here is that music has proven useful, and it is exciting to watch how, with a greater understanding of how it works, scientists and healthcare providers can devise better regimens to assist those who can benefit from using music as medicine.
Final Thoughts
A doctor is more than just an expert in how the body works and how to cure it, and a patient is more than just someone who is sick. The key to helping a patient feel better is showing them empathy and compassion. I am grateful that my musical inclination has helped shape me into the compassionate provider I am today.
About The Writer
Li Lian has a degree in medicine and a deep love for music.
Previously, she had worked with Melissa. Having experienced the Intuitive Music Programming Course and the Playground of Dreams, Li Lian has undergone a transformative experience both in her personal development and professional journey.
She plans to share her insights about the science of music on this site. Inquisitive and curious in nature, she enjoys researching and experimenting with making new sounds.
She used to sing and play the piano for fun, and she is now on her way to becoming a recording artist and music producer.
Like Melissa, Li Lian is a strong advocate of using music to improve people's health and happiness and encourage them to realise their full potential.
References and further reading:
1. Edwards J. Music therapy in the treatment and management of mental disorders. Ir J Psychol Med. 2006;23(1):33-35. doi:10.1017/S0790966700009459
2. Geretsegger M, Mössler KA, Bieleninik Ł, Chen XJ, Heldal TO, Gold C. Music therapy for people with schizophrenia and schizophrenia-like disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;5(5):CD004025. Published 2017 May 29. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004025.pub4
3. Erkkilä J, Punkanen M, Fachner J, et al. Individual music therapy for depression: randomised controlled trial. Br J Psychiatry. 2011;199(2):132-139. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.110.085431
4. Sung HC, Lee WL, Li TL, Watson R. A group music intervention using percussion instruments with familiar music to reduce anxiety and agitation of institutionalized older adults with dementia. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012;27(6):621-627. doi:10.1002/gps.2761
5. Music therapy as a treatment modality for Autism Spectrum Disorders. American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). 2012. http://www.musictherapy.org/assets/1/7/MT_Autism_2012.pdf
6. Kulinski J, Ofori EK, Visotcky A, Smith A, Sparapani R, Fleg JL. Effects of music on the cardiovascular system. Trends Cardiovasc Med. 2022;32(6):390-398. doi:10.1016/j.tcm.2021.06.004
7. Brancatisano O, Baird A, Thompson WF. A 'Music, Mind and Movement' Program for People With Dementia: Initial Evidence of Improved Cognition. Front Psychol. 2019;10:1435. Published 2019 Jul 16. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01435
8. Segerstrom SC, Miller GE. Psychological stress and the human immune system: a meta-analytic study of 30 years of inquiry. Psychol Bull. 2004;130(4):601-630. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.130.4.601
9. Fancourt D, Perkins R, Ascenso S, Carvalho LA, Steptoe A, Williamon A. Effects of Group Drumming Interventions on Anxiety, Depression, Social Resilience and Inflammatory Immune Response among Mental Health Service Users. PLoS One. 2016;11(3):e0151136. Published 2016 Mar 14. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0151136
10. Novotney A. Music as medicine – American Psychology Association. November 2013. Accessed March 2, 2023. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/11/music
11. Teng XF, Wong MY, Zhang YT. The effect of music on hypertensive patients. Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2007;2007:4649-4651. doi:10.1109/IEMBS.2007.4353376
12. Loomba RS, Arora R, Shah PH, Chandrasekar S, Molnar J. Effects of music on systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate: a meta-analysis. Indian Heart J. 2012;64(3):309-313. doi:10.1016/S0019-4832(12)60094-7
