Author: Dr. Bonnie Brock, NMD, RD, MPH
Something you may not know about me is that in addition to being a Naturopathic Medical Doctor and Registered Dietitian, I have been and currently (technically) am a professional opera singer. I have often felt that my life has had two continuous, but distinctly separate, paths; one focused on medicine and one focused on music. Over the past few years, I have seen these paths become more and more entwined, as I have discovered the healing power of music, for myself, my family and my patients. Music is made up of a great many parts, including tone, rhythm, repetition, vibration, lyrics and pitch frequency. All of these parts together produce an experience for the mind, body and heart. The great power of both listening to and performing music can be seen in mental, emotional and even physical healing and well-being.
Music for Pain
More than 100 million Americans live with chronic pain, which produces an enormous financial burden to the healthcare system, but more importantly, the devastating toll chronic pain takes on the mental and emotional well-being of those suffering. Many of the traditional pain treatments such as opiates, spine surgeries and epidural injections bring temporary relief to a small percentage of patients and often come with troublesome side effects. Numerous meta-analyses have been conducted on the topic of music and pain, analyzing more than 70 randomized controlled trials and results conclude that music interventions provide an effective complementary approach for the relief of acute, procedural, and cancer/chronic pain in the medical setting. Pain is a complicated neural phenomenon that exists not at the site of injury, but in areas of the brain. For example, if you stub your toe, you don’t “feel” that pain at the foot, but you experience the pain in areas of the brain, and these areas are impacted by biological, psychological, and social factors. Therefore, any treatment modality that can impact and of these factors in the brain can help mitigate pain perception. Listening to music can impact these factors in a number of ways, including brain distraction from pain inputs, improvement of mood, reduction in the isolation that chronic pain can cause and stress reduction.
Music for Memory
Some of the most persuasive research on the benefits of music comes from the positive impact music has on memory and dementia reversal. Countless stories from memory care facilities recount the positive impact listening to music from a past era on mood, memory retention and overall well-being of the participants. Music seems to have the power to transcend time and space and can bring people back to their youth and maybe happier, more productive times. I have seen the “golden oldies” of the 50’s and 60’s work magic on my mother with dementia. Just playing this music can calm an upsetting spell, initiate conversations about happy memories or even cause her to jump up and dance. The Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) performs and analyzes research and provides music therapy programs and individual sessions to organizations and individuals supporting memory care. The founders of the IMNF believe music has power and help train music therapists to ensure their music activities go beyond simple entertainment but also deliver meaningful therapeutic benefits.
Music for Connection
I have always been a singer in some capacity. My mom tells me stories of always “losing” me in grocery stores, shopping malls and even amusement parks, only to find me having climbed up on top of something high and “entertaining” passers-by with a little song and dance. (Embarrassing!) I have at times sung in community choirs, at church services, performed in musicals and even toured Europe as a professional opera singer. Once Covid came, all my singing engagements came to a crashing halt. In all the nervousness and uncertainty of the times, and then a move from Chicago to Arizona and the opening of a new practice, I didn’t really notice the absence of music in my life. I did notice however that I eventually went from describing myself as a singer to someone who “used to sing”, and that bothered me greatly. It wasn’t until I felt socially isolated and fairly depressed that I made the connection between how I felt and the absence of making music in my life. Making music with others brings me a special kind of social connection that stems from a group effort producing a beautiful experience. Making also empowers me by exercising both my body and mind. Musicians know that practicing your instrument “works out” the muscles, fingers, breathing apparatus and eyes. Finishing a practice session can often feel like you’ve just gone to the gym! For me, most importantly, music fosters a great sense of accomplishment and connection to others via performance. When I learn a new song and master all its musical notes and emotional nuances, I feel I have achieved something important. And if I then have the opportunity to perform the piece for others, I hope to bring them maybe much-needed distraction, foster fond memories or just warm their hearts with joy.
