Straight Talk about Mesothelioma, a blog series created by Michael T. Milano, M.D., Ph.D., a radiation oncology specialist, as a resource for mesothelioma patients and their loved ones.
Music is among the oldest and safest therapeutic tools in healthcare, dating back to healing ceremonies in ancient times. Although Western medicine didn’t formally embrace it until the 1950s, music therapy has now become a formal part of most U.S. complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) programs, which supplement the treatment of 80 percent of cancer patients.
Numerous studies show the effects of music therapy on all cancer types – even rare and aggressive conditions such as mesothelioma, a cancer caused exclusively by asbestos. Here are a few commonly asked questions on how preventative, curative, and palliative cancer care harness the remarkable power of music.
What Is Music Therapy?
Music therapy can be defined in a few ways, but it’s generally divided into 2 categories: active and receptive. In the active form, patients are engaged in musical activity and creation; receptive forms require the patient to simply listen to music.
Both types are suited to all ages and abilities and for various types and stages of cancer. A session can last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes and involves specific techniques based on a patient’s individual needs and the music therapist’s assessment.
For example, active techniques might include singing, movement, writing lyrics, or playing an instrument. Whether one-on-one with a therapist or in a group, music therapy can enhance creativity and form powerful social bonds. But this therapy isn’t about learning to create or appreciate music; you don’t have to be a musician to benefit.
How Does Music Therapy Help?
Studies show that music therapy – especially receptive – boasts many benefits for cancer patients, and can easily be introduced to their treatment programs. When used alongside conventional cancer treatments, music therapy has been shown to:
- Improve mood, relaxation, communication, and memory
- Reduce pain, discomfort, stress, exhaustion, and anxiety
- Offset some side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy (like nausea and difficulty breathing)
- Support social interaction between participants, replacing feelings of loneliness with an increased sense of community
- Connect patients to their emotions and help them better communicate their feelings
Terminal cancers like mesothelioma can cause a great deal of stress, sadness, fear, and anger among patients and their families. Given music’s ability to enrich emotional, physical, spiritual, and social experiences, music therapy makes a great form of support.
Can Music Therapy Help Cure Cancer?
Music therapy cannot cure cancer on its own. However, at its most basic level, music can take patients’ minds off the negative aspects of their treatment.
Even more, music therapy can make patients feel good. The practice encourages feelings of wellness and helps patients better cope with treatment management and survival. It is also a safe medium for people to explore their emotional responses to living with their cancer, as well as any emotional responses to the music itself.
More research is needed to fully understand all the ways music can affect the body. What we do know is that, when used in the right way for each person, music therapy has zero adverse effects and a positive impact on quality of life.
The post Music Therapy in Cancer Care: What Should Patients Expect? appeared first on Mesothelioma Help Now.
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