Music Therapy: How Music Aids in the Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

The therapist usually does this through determining musical patterns from different genres. These patterns will be translated into a rhythm that emulates the rhythm of everyday movements such as walking, balancing, eating, etc. With this, patients will be able to feel the pulse of the movement. This gives their motor skills a boost and gives them more coordination. In fact, music can also help their breathing and their speech by also giving these body movements some pulse.

This is why music therapists also encourage patients to sing. Aside from giving them a pulse to follow, singing also helps improve breathing and also lets them have a chance to practice talking and pronouncing syllables.

Aside from just the physical and mental aspect, music therapy also helps with the emotional aspects of Parkinson’s. Patients who suffer from the disease also usually suffer from mental conditions such as depression or anxiety. Aside from the fact that music can uplift moods (It does produce two happy hormones after all), it also encourages the patients to socialize with the others who are undergoing the same treatment. This prevents instances of isolation.