ADITI SARAWAGI
Music is basically a form of sound and sound is a form
of vibration. A team of researchers at the University of
Toronto are trying to forge ways as to how vibrations
can be used to ease the symptoms of Parkinsons’s disease
and even depression. Known as vibro-acoustic therapy,
vibrations are absorbed by the body via a low frequency
sound while the patient is made to lie on a bed or a mat
or made to sit on a chair where the frequencies can be
heard and felt as well. It is much like sitting on a speaker
or home theatre system. A similar study at the Wilfrid
Laurier University, in Waterloo, Ontario, proved that
using vibro-acoustic therapy on patients suffering
from Parkinson’s disease did in fact improve their
symptoms like reduction in stiffness and tremors and an
improvement in walking speed. There is further ongoing
research in this field by the University of Toronto's Music
and Health Research Collaboratory, which has scientists
from across the globe studying music’s effects on health. It is not necessarily implied that listening to Indian or
Western classical music has a more significant impact
on a patient’s condition. It is said to be dependent on the
person’s choice, the condition he is undergoing treatment
for, and his preference and personality. People may
respond more to a Taylor Swift song or a classical raga
depending on their cultural connect. Instrumental music
is also widely used in music therapy sessions. Some
institutes use music played on the sitar to improve the
patient’s mood whereas flute music is often used to help
patients relax.
India too is not far behind where medical practitioners
and musicians are waking up to the benefits of music
therapy. There have been proven cases of the reduction
of arthritic pain by listening to the Marudh Raga even
though long term relief or a complete cure is unheard
of. The Marudh Raga CD is the work of Shashank Katti,
an AIR (All India Radio) artiste, sitar player as well as
an electrical engineer. According to him, music has an
inherent influence in aiding recovery from an injury or
disease. Music therapy releases various neurohormones,
and is said to have a meditative effect. Listening to music can evoke emotions and also create
a sense of social belonging. Music is said to affect the
nervous system and releases neuro chemicals which
affect both mind and body. It is also said to strengthen the
immune system, treat people for blood pressure issues,
stress, autism and other lifestyle caused issues. Music
and its effect on the brain is said to be connected and
intertwined. The brain responds to music in very specific
ways and is also said to help in treating pain and reducing
stress and even help in restoring speech. It also helps
in addressing issues related to PTSD or Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder.
In Mumbai, the Sur Sanjeevan Music Therapy Trust not
only helps treat people suffering from anxiety, stress,
depression, etc. but also teaches music therapy to people
further wanting to help patients through music therapy.
They have designed several CD’s for various conditions
using different ragas based on their energy levels. Each
CD is for a specific condition like the Paranshaya for
asthma patients and the Madhuparna raga for patients
with diabetes. Indian classical music is predominantly
used by Sur Sanjeevan in its music therapy sessions.
The type of music used in music therapy is also key to
addressing issues relating to each medical problem. Fortis
Hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR) also run
music based therapy programmes and psych ologists
believe that the type of music to be used depends on the
expected reaction from the patient. Listening to fast-paced
music will not calm down a patient nor will listening
to mellow sounds encourage movement. A study in the
Deutsches Ärzteblatt International journal states that
listening to soothing classical music by Mozart will be
more effective in lowering one’s blood pressure and heart
rate than the new age pop music by say, Abba.
Though music therapy is gaining momentum in popular
culture now, history tells us that it’s seeds have been
there since ancient times. In ancient Egypt, chants were
often used during the healing process. It is also said that
Greek philosophers Aristotle and Plato believed that
music could help people overcome emotional difficulties.
An important point to be kept in mind while practicing
music therapy is that it can aid healing along with the
traditional methods of medical science and cannot be
completely used as a replacement of traditional practices.
A healthy diet, ample physical activity, medicines and
music therapy together can lead to holistic and faster
healing.
Music is one of the most beautiful creative art forms and
is one of the most surreal ways to express oneself. It is not
only used as an art or expressive form but has multiple
nuances attached to it. Music has many facets and music
therapy is one of them. Music can aid the healing process
and is a new age way to help one recover faster. Music is
indeed therapeutic and science is using this wondrous
medium in the medical world. More and more institutes
are opening up to the possibility of music therapy as an
alternative form of healing and making it more widely
and easily accessible is needed today. This is just the
beginning and as more and more studies are being done
across the world, by music connoisseurs, researchers
and scientists alike, music therapy is sure to gain more
momentum and be used even more widely.
The
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