Define music therapy and describe the benefits of music therapy.

 Music therapy is different from just playing and listening to music. In music therapy, there is a purpose behind playing or even selecting a particular musical piece.Music acts as the mode of communication between the client and the therapist, especially for patients who have speech difficulty or general difficulty in expressing through words. Music therapy helps in providing an outlet for expression of patient’s thoughts and emotions, and meeting the patient’s family members ’emotional needs as well. Music therapy is a complex concept to be described by one single line definition.

However, music therapy should not be confused with the concept of ‘music medicine”. Bradt & Dileo state that, music therapy is performed by qualified music therapists, however, music medicine sessions can be conducted by health professionals. For example, a music therapist has studied and qualified to be a music therapist. They develop the treatment plans based on music therapy. But let’s say a nurse plays music for a patient as part of the treatment plan.  That is essentially music medicine where music is used as a medicine for the patient’s better mental health. Benefits of Music Therapy : Studies have revealed activation of different parts of the bram when listening to music or playing a musical instrument.

For instance, the memory aspect and experiences related to music are controlled by the hippocampus. The motions involved playing musical instruments in controlled by the cerebellum while the visual cortex is utilized for comprehending music. Benefits of music therapy have been observed in a wide range of physical and mental health issues. Music helps lower hypertension, increase muscle relaxation and lower heart rate by calming the patient. The emotional benefits of music therapy are equally significant and range from reduced stress and fatigue to improved pain management.

Development of communication skills, increased concentration and memory retention are some of the known cognitive benefits of music therapy. Positive response to music therapy on cognitive skills were evidence in study conducted on children with autism and neonatal care. A similar research involving children in post-operative care and recovery in age group of 9-14 conducted at the Lurie Children’s hospital of Chicago found that children who were allowed to listen to their favourite music reported lesser pain.

The selection of appropriate music and the choice of music used in music therapy sessions has an impact on the results achieved through music therapy. Each individual is unique and so are their music choices. Thus, the selection of music and the assessment of the music choices plays a vital role. It is like having individual treatment plans for each individual based on their needs and choices as this gives a sense of autonomy to the patient allowing for greater results with the therapist playing an active role in making such selections and treatment plans.

Factors affecting these individual choices and music selection by the therapist can range from age, gender, personality traits, family background to the mental state of mind and present conditions of the patient.  Music makes people happy with the release of hormones such as dopamine, endorphins, and cortisols. Hence music has the potential to make people feel the pleasure and reduce their pain sensation.

It has been found to have similar effects like drugs, alcohol and sex. Also, music helps in neuroplasticity of brain, it can induce structural and functional changes in the brain helping patients recover from brain damage. Music therapy addresses problems in communication also as it gives people with verbal communicate problems, a mode of expressing themselves through their music choices.

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