Music Therapy an Alternative Method for Patients

Music Therapy an Alternative Method for Patients
Music therapy; should it be used as an alternative method to help people who suffer from chronic pain or mental distress? Music has been around as long as the human race has existed, yet many people still have not recognized the importance that it holds. Very few medical researchers acknowledge the healing effects music can have. For instance many people subconsciously turn to music when they encounter stressful situations. If music doesn’t soothe in some way, then why does a baby quiet when it hears music? "We can say that insofar as the physical body is concerned, the notion that music has no effect upon man, or that all music is harmless, is ABSOLUTELY IN ERROR" (qtd. In Tame 141).
Recent research has discovered that music has healing properties. Many of our physicians today rely on music as a therapy. Music therapy is one of the recreational therapies that focus on healing from the inside out. This non-drug method is known to alleviate pain, both physically and mentally in patients. Music is also a form of therapy that can assist people in all areas, ranging from physical pain to mental strains or disorders. “Though it is a rarely used method, music therapy has been proven quite effective in most cases.” (Dr. Mythili). In a fairly recent article with Professor Demsey, professor of music at WPUNJ, he was asked if he agreed with a paper written by Shauna S. Roberts. Ms. Roberts states that music therapy is a new, but still controversial non-drug method for helping to relieve pain. Professor Demsey replied, “Strongly agree, although it’s not new! It has been around for decades.” Music as a therapy has been around for a while, yet it is not too widely known or used. Music therapy is a method that is sometimes looked upon, when other drug-related suggestions fail. Also stated by Professor Demsey, “Too often therapy is drug-oriented, when the mind and whole body approach is much more useful.”
This research...