If you’re one of the millions of Americans searching for relief from pain caused by arthritis or other chronic conditions, researchers have a suggestion for you: Put on some music and listen to your favorite tunes.
As far fetched as it sounds, according to a study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, chronic pain patients who listened to an hour of music everyday for a week reported their levels of pain and disability all declined. They also felt more empowered to help themselves improve their condition which alleviated the feelings of depression that frequently afflict chronic pain sufferers.
The study included 60 adults from differing ethnic backgrounds who had reported pain in the neck, back and joints for a minimum of 6 months. Although many of the test subjects had received no specific diagnosis, of those who had arthritis was the most common cause however, all patients were using standard pain medications and/or therapy to treat their symptoms.
One third of the subjects were instructed to listen to music of the researcher’s choice and another third were told to listen to music of their own choosing while continuing the normal treatment regimen. The remaining third acted as the control group and received only their standard treatment.
The study found that, after just one week, patients in both music groups reported significantly greater improvements in pain, disability and depression than the control group. Among the music listeners there was a 20 percent reduction in pain rating and a 15 to 23% improvement in depression compared to those receiving only their standard treatment.
The reasons aren’t clear yet, but the addition of music therapy seems to make mainstream treatments like pain medication more effective. More than serving as a simple distraction from pain, listening to music may alter levels of stress related hormones promoting relaxation which in turn changes pain perception.
Amazingly the study indicates that it really doesn’t matter what kind of music you listen to, classical, popular, gospel, country, hip-hop, rock ‘n roll, as long as it makes you feel the way you want to feel. The good news is that, although the studies are on going there’s no reason people with chronic pain should wait to try a dose of music in addition to their current treatment.
To your good health,
Tom Geheren
Director of Health Information Services
Couples Choice Nutrition
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*The information contained in this newsletter is for educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as medical advice and we do not intend it to be used to diagnose or cure any disease nor to prescribe any form of treatment. Always consult a physician with questions or concerns regarding your health, and before making changes to your diet and supplement use.
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