Music helping the sick

Music is used by many to benefit health. It is used in meditation, during workouts and as a form of treatment for illnesses. Residents from a veteran home called Stony Brook diagnosed with dementia were given personalized iPods and MP3 players by an organisation called 'Music & Memory.' Studies previously conducted had shown that music reduces agitation in Alzheimer's patients in addition to improving cognitive skills. Those who had conducted this research had recommended that individualized music be used. The results of this form of treatment of the home were of revivals of happy feelings from memories from back in their day. The faces of the residents faces would light up and some would even become more talkative and animated such as Henry seen in this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyZQf0p73QM, as they listen and remember.

In advance to this, the organisation started using the iPods with the residents as a way of calming them, helping manage their pain and helping them socialize. The music brings them a sense of home, something that, as you can imagine, a lot of the patients look for, which consequently results in bringing calmness to the patients. Similar to this, there have been studies that have shown how intense excitement and uncontrollable movement caused by schizophrenia can be treated by music. The personalized playlists included songs that were favourites during their day. The personalized playlists were made by either asking family members what they liked or used to listen to, nurses building playlists themselves and using the process of trial and error analysing their reactions or family members themselves putting them together.

Similarly Sherri Robb a music therapist who took part of a study on a group of teenage cancer patients where they took part in making a music video, expressed how "songs that are familiar to them [the patients] are meaningful and make them feel connected." Additionally, a spokesman for cancer research UK said that music therapy helped reduce patients' anxiety and some of their physical suffering.

So no, maybe music isn't powerful enough to cure cancer but is powerful enough to help reduce the mental and physical pain caused by cancer and cancer treatments.

 
Sources:
http://amazingdiscoveries.org/S-deception-music_emotion_power

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25878958

http://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/retirement/personalized-music-helps-dementia-patients-1.7120200

Additional recommended reads:
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/apr/15/power-song-helping-people-dementia