Music Therapy for Fibromyalgia

“I’m picking up good vibrations, she’s givin’ me excitations!”

Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys is regarded as one of the greatest musical geniuses in history. His musical vibrations have brought love and mercy to so many people around the world, maybe even more than he expected. In fibromyalgia patients, music therapy can reduce pain, depression, and anxiety, as well as improve sleep.

Certain findings have reported that music therapy is known to reduce pain, anxiety attacks, and depression while also improving sleep for fibromyalgia patients. Music therapy, when combined with certain relaxation therapies, is helpful in bringing about improvements in most of the areas of the these patients’ lives. It also helps improve their overall quality of life so that they can go about their daily routine with minimum trouble. Research has suggested that music therapy as well as guided imagery are both cost effective and easy to implement into one’s life for overall effectiveness.

Music therapy treatment is carried out by a music therapist who will initially assess the needs of the patient in order to create an individualized form of treatment. This treatment plan can involve various aspects such as singing, listening to music, composing, or moving to music. Music therapy has been around for quite some time, and it is not only effective for fibromyalgia patients, but for other ailments as well. The main aim is to reduce the pain and stress, as well as bring about an overall improvement in the wellbeing of the individual. There is no prerequisite for the patient to be inclined towards music or to have any specific knowledge about it to fully benefit from this form of therapy. Also, there is no specific type of music that needs to be used. The music therapist can first work closely with the patient in order to understand their needs and then pick the right music based on the established needs. Most of the time, working personally with a therapist is a must, but at times, one can also try prescriptive music, which contains at least 50 to 70 beats per minute. This pre-recorded version of music is known to be helpful in lowering blood pressure as well as providing relief from various kinds of pain. If you have been struggling with the symptoms of fibromyalgia and want to try an alternative method of treatment, it is best to speak to your doctor first about looking into referral music treatment since it can offer a lot of benefits to a patient.

Music is known to be very beneficial for many ailments, especially in those with chronic pain, since it can induce psychological changes in the brain itself. The brain regions that are associated with language, attention, and memory are most affected by these changes; they alter the way the brain processes the symptom of pain, and this can also lead to an overall change in the way the individual experiences pain entirely. At times, a fibromyalgia patient may be too tired or fatigued to even go to the doctor, and in such cases, music therapy at home is a favorable option, and it can also be completed at one’s own pace according to their schedule, requiring no outside expertise. This makes it easily accessible to all patients in need.