Blog

Auto & Vehicle Accidents

• Vehicle Malfunction Leads to Fatal Accident in Missouri; No Passengers were Wearing Seat Belts

View All

News

Music Therapy Eases Pain in Patients and Improves Recovery

One of the newest innovations in medicine is the development of music therapy for patients.  Doctors are finding that by applying the theories of music therapy to patients they are seeing reduced pain levels, improved lung function, elevation of feel-good hormones like serotonin, reduction of stress hormones like cortisol and the creation of new pathways in the brain to parts that are not damaged.  The other major benefit is music simply distracts patients from their illness or pain. 

One of the more interesting music therapy studies conducted was in the burn unit of MetroHealth Medical Center in Ohio.  Pain is one of the major problems in a burn unit.  Dressings are required to be changed two to three times daily, causing excrutiating pain that even the strongest of drugs cannot manage effectively.  The studies, which were conducted between 2001 and 2010, showed evidence that burn patient's pain decreased when they participated in music therapy before and during their dressing changes.  The results were not based on just the patient's comments either.  Concrete measures such as stress hormones, respiration and heart rates were also used to assess the pain the burn victims were experiencing. 

Dr. Richard Fratianne, director emeritus of MetroHealth's burn unit, has reviewed these findings and is now a major force in working to get more studies completed that can evidence that music therapy reduces pain.  Fratianne said, "If music therapy can alleviate pain for burn patients, it certainly can work for all the other patients suffering pain."  Fratianne's hope is that these studies will show the medical effectiveness of music therapy and lead to this therapy, as provided by board-certified practitioners, being covered by insurance just as occupational and physical therapy are today. 

So do you have to have musical talent to participate in music therapy?  Not at all.  Music therapists tailor their therapies to each individual patient.  Patients may choose to sing, accompany a therapist with an instrument, or simply listen.  Therapists report that the music they have used ranges from classical, to heavy metal to reggae - all based on patient choice.  One therapist relied on her harp to provide a patient with memories of the sounds of waves at the seashore. 

Overall, music therapy could be a simple answer to what has been a long-standing problem - easing patient pain.  In dollars and cents, easing patient pain could make patients less reliant on medication and could help them to heal more quickly, which would directly reduce medical costs for patient care. 

back to top

Just Ask

Free Consumer Guides

Don't Wreck Your Injury Claim

Nursing Home Neglect How to Recognize it and Stop it

The Truth About Medical Malpractice Claims

How to Avoid Becoming a Work Injury Horror Story

The Truth About Lawyer Advertising

KC Biker Bible

Video

Who Pays for My Medical Bills After a Kansas Auto Accident?

Who Pays My Medical Bills After A Kansas City MO Car Accident?

What Is My KC Car Accident Injury Worth?

Do I Need a Lawyer to Handle My Claim

Devastating Impact of Drunk Driving

View All

click to enlarge

Testimonials

• I’m highly satisfied, I would call Victor again. I needed his help, and he has been a great attorney. I’m very comfortable recommending victor to other clients. Now that I’m happy with how much he’s helped me, I’m definitely recommending him to anyone that needed his help.
• Heather was very nice and polite and very informative. Heather was very responsive when I asked her questions and very informative. Yes, she was very aggressive with the insurance company. She was very aggressive trying to get a higher amount. Yes she was very nice. She is very informative and knows what she is doing.
• It was great to work with Heather, she kept me informed about everything, the dos and the don’ts and what everything was and kept me on track. she was very professional she told you what was going on, she kept you a breast of everything that was going on, she was an excellent lawyer. Ms Heather and the whole staff at the Accident Injury firm, I would recommend them to anybody across the world, that they are excellent, honest attorneys.

View All

Latest News

• Posted on 5/15/2012Paramedics Injured in Auto Accident Caused by Speeding Motorist Running a Red Light
• Posted on 5/15/2012Three Children Killed in Tragic Accident Caused by Blown Tire on Missouri Highway

View All

FAQs

Auto & Vehicle Accidents

• Why are research and statistics that look at gender differences among drivers important? If I am hurt in an Independence, MO car accident, do the research and statistics matter?

View All

Web Resources

• Auto & Vehicle Accidents

more