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Benefits Of Music Therapy

Music therapy uses music to promotemany of them display high levels of
positive changes in the wellbeing of anmusical skill.
individual. These positive changes mayMusic encourages verbal as well as non
be manifested in changes in physicalverbal communication and promotes social
development, social and interpersonalinteraction and relatedness. It's a
development, emotional or spiritualvaluable outlet for self expression and
wellbeing or cognitive abilities.creativity. It has also been
The therapeutic benefits of music havesuccessfully used in pain management by
been known and harnessed since ancientproviding a distraction from the painful
times. However, music therapy in modernstimulus as well as a means of
times dates back to the World Wars whenrelaxation and stress alleviation.
music was used in hospitals in theChildren with developmental and learning
rehabilitation and recovery of soldiersdifficulties,children and adults with
who had suffered physical or emotionalautism spectrum disorder or special
trauma. The University of Kansas was theneeds as well as the elderly and
first University in the United States todementia sufferers have all been shown
offer a degree program in music therapyto benefit from music therapy. Although
in 1944.the benefits of music therapy have been
Early exponents of music therapy in theaccepted intuitively and based on
1950's to 1970's included the Frenchanecdotal evidence it wasn't till
cellist Juliet Alvin and Paul Nordoffrecently that quantitative evidence of
and Clive Robbins. The Nordoff-Robbinsits efficacy started to emerge.
approach is still used in many countriesIn a recent study conducted by the
around the world including the USA, UK,University of Miami School of Medicine
Australia, Germany and South Africa.blood samples of a group of male
So, how does music therapy work?Alzheimer's patients who were treated
Music is universal and connects acrosswith music therapy were found to have
language barriers. Most people cansignificantly elevated levels of
respond to music in some way regardlessmelatonin, epinephrine and
of illness or disability.norepinephrine which are chemicals which
Music has an inherent ability toact on the brain to control mood,
generate an emotional response in thedepression, aggression and sleep. The
listener. It stimulates a relaxationbenefits of the therapy were still
response which can therefore lead toevident even six weeks after cessation
physiological changes in the body. Musicof the therapy and in the case of
is known to reduce stress therebymelatonin the effects persisted even
producing related benefits such as lowerlonger.
blood pressure, improved respiration,Music therapy is gaining wider
reduced heart rate, better cardiacacceptance in the general medical
performance and reduced tension incommunity and has certainly stood the
muscles.test of time. Music therapists can now
Music is processed in both hemispheresbe found practicing in a variety of
of the brain and this stimulation hasinstitutions dealing with mental health,
been shown to help in development ofdevelopmental and early intervention
language and speech functions. Itprograms, correctional institutions and
promotes socialization and developmentspecial education programs to name but a
of communication, self expression andfew. Many are having success where
motor skills. Children and adults withtraditional treatment methods have
autism spectrum disorder have been foundfailed.
to respond very positively to music and



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