Music therapy

Examples

Music therapy in psychosomatic medicine - treatment of chronic pain disorder:

A psychosomatic approach of explaining chronic pain is that pain can be an alternative expression of emotional distress. For example the will to control and hide one's emotions may lead to muscular tension which causes pain. This way emotions are associated with pain. Moreover it may be socially unaccepted to show one's emotional distress so that pain turns into a socially accepted way of expressing emotional needs. However this is a learning process which patients are not aware of, not a conscious search for attention. These patients need to learn to express themselves adequately, to substitute pain with emotional reactions. Music as a means of nonverbal communication is yet another alternative of expressing emotions without having to talk about them. In short, pain that has become a substitution for emotional expression is substituted by music. This helps to get in contact with one's own emotions again which in turn helps reduce the pain.

Music therapy in neurological rehabilitation:

Music therapy is also applied in neurological rehabilitation. For examples patients who have had a stroke may benefit from learning to play an instrument with the disabled extremity. Music does not only serve as a strong motivational factor. The auditory feedback may also substitute the possibly disturbed proprioception. Another way that music is assumed to have a positive effect in the rehabilitation of movement is through entrainment or other forms of audio-motor integration.