| It has long been suggested that "music soothes the | | | | brain which is a key component in your nervous |
| savage beast." But is this true? And if it is, does this | | | | system and controls the functions of the body and |
| have any implication where humans are concerned? | | | | the brain responds to the stimuli that it is given. |
| The answer, apparently, is yes. To illustrate this, | | | | In light of this, music therapy can and often is used in |
| researchers point to the different physiological | | | | a wide variety of applications. One common |
| changes that take place within the human body in | | | | application for music therapy is in working with |
| response to different sounds and noises. A loud noise | | | | autistic individuals because research has found that |
| that shatters the silence sets the human heart racing | | | | music can help autistic children to express |
| and stimulates a rush of adrenaline that prepares you | | | | themselves. Likewise, music therapy has been found |
| for flight. In contrast a soft, soothing sound helps us | | | | to help individuals with physical disabilities to develop |
| to relax. | | | | better motor skills. |
| Music therapy has, in fact, been around for | | | | With music therapy, individuals with high levels of |
| thousands of years. Nearly four thousand years ago | | | | anxiety can be helped to express suppressed |
| the Hebrew Scriptures recorded that the boy who | | | | emotions thereby discharging anger, or enabling the |
| would later become King David was hired by his | | | | individual to express the joy they would not |
| predecessor to play the harp to calm King Saul when | | | | otherwise be able to express. Likewise, research has |
| he would go into a rage. Likewise, the use of music | | | | found that music therapy can help lower the anxiety |
| therapy is found in the writings of ancient civilizations | | | | levels of hospital patients who find themselves facing |
| such as Egypt, China, India, Greece and Rome. | | | | frightening prospects and in an unfamiliar environment. |
| More recently, scientists have been studying the | | | | Furthermore, music therapy has been found to help |
| effects of music therapy and have documented | | | | medical professionals with pain management such |
| changes in respiratory rates, blood pressure, and | | | | that they have been able to reduce pain medication |
| pulse in response to musical stimuli. Likewise, | | | | by as much as one half by helping to stimulate the |
| researchers in the realm of music therapy have | | | | production of the body's own pain killers, called |
| found that the use of music therapy can be | | | | endorphins. |
| effective in areas as diverse as IQ and recovery | | | | Music therapy can come is a wide variety of forms. |
| rates, pain management and weight loss. | | | | In some cases it's as simple as having the individual |
| Some object that this sounds too good to be true. | | | | listen to particular music. In other cases music |
| How can music therapy change something like pain | | | | therapy requires a more interactive approach, having |
| management? Researchers tell us that the reason | | | | the individual respond to the music either in dance or |
| music therapy works is based on how we hear. | | | | using some other form of expression. But in its many |
| Sound is little more than vibrations in the air that are | | | | forms, music therapy has often been found to be |
| picked up by the inner ear and transferred to the | | | | beneficial. |