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Several studies have established the benefits of music therapy. A recent study conducted by researchers at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, involved 500 patients who underwent abdominal surgery during a 29-month period. The participants ranged from 18 years to 70 years in age and were divided into two random groups. One group was assigned to receive music therapy along with relaxation therapies; the other only received standard surgical care. It was noticed that not only did the former reported less pain while walking and relaxing on the first few days after surgery, they also recuperated significantly faster than those who received conventional treatment.

8220;Music therapy stimulates positive vibrations in the nerves of the listeners and, therefore, brings about a sense of mental well-being,8221; says Dr T. Mythily, director of music therapy department, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. Music is used in hospitals to elevate the mood of patients and help them deal with depression, doubts and fears. It is also commonly used for patients suffering from Alzheimer8217;s and dementia. 8220;Expecting mothers, hyperactive children and patients suffering from neurological disorders also benefit from this therapy,8221; says Mythily.

A study by an antenatal and postnatal care specialist at Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, has shown conclusively that music therapy can also be employed to effectively treat premature babies in need of intensive care. Inside the mother8217;s womb, the noise level is around 80-95 decibels. This is caused by the flow of blood in the placenta as well as the mother8217;s breathing and heartbeat. When the baby is born, the sudden loss of this noise is stressful for the child.

The Atlanta doctor used highly sensitive microphones to record the noises in his wife8217;s womb while she was pregnant and mixed them with gentle music and women8217;s voices. When he used this composition on his own child, he found that the baby went to sleep straight away, and for a longer period of time than usual. This prompted the specialist to try the same composition on several premature babies. At the end of the study, he found that the premature babies who had been exposed to the transition music spent an average of three days less in intensive care than otherwise.

Hospitals such as Breach Candy and Lilavati in Mumbai play soothing tunes in the ICU for patients. 8220;However, if a patient is very critical, then it is avoided,8221; says Dr Narendra Trivedi, vice president, Lilavati Hospital. In most cases, music is used to speed up the recuperation of patients who have been through critical operations.

While the common notion is that a patient has to have some form of music ability to be able to benefit from music therapy, doctors dismiss that belief as untenable. 8220;The only thing that8217;s important is that patients should listen to the kind of music they like. There is no particular type of music that can be said to be therapeutic,8221; says Dr Batra. After all, it8217;s music.

It does not discriminate. It works across the board.