At first glance, medicine and music might seem worlds apart, given how different their origins are. Yet both combine science and art with a shared purpose: to relieve human suffering. From different angles, they contribute to the individual’s overall well-being, exerting a positive influence on physical, emotional, and social health (Alpert, Joseph S., 2022).
Music has accompanied humans since the dawn of time, although its study as a scientific discipline didn’t emerge until the 19th century. A key milestone came in 1879 with the publication of “Music Physically Considered” in The Columbian, a pioneering article that laid the groundwork for the development of music-based therapies and future research. Later, during World Wars I and II, music therapy became established as a profession, helping to care for wounded soldiers. This marked a turning point that led to the academic institutionalization of the discipline, with the first university program launched at Michigan State University in 1944, featuring key figures like Margaret Anderton and Everett Thayer Gaston (Bhandarkar. S et al., 2024).
Music-based interventions are generally classified into two modalities: music medicine and music therapy. Music medicine involves the passive use or listening of music in clinical settings, typically administered by healthcare professionals (de Witte M et al., 2022). Music therapy, on the other hand, is an active therapeutic process led by a trained music therapist, involving more complex interventions—both passive and active—used as tools to achieve specific clinical goals (Gramaglia. C et al., 2019).
Elements such as rhythm, melody, and harmony can affect bodily functions as well as emotional, cognitive, and physiological states (Bradt. J et al., 2021). Thanks to its capacity to elicit a wide range of emotions and activate both cortical and subcortical brain regions, music can modulate processes like sensorimotor control, pain perception, mental stimulation, attention and perception, memory, imagination, and communication (Andrade. PE & Joydeep. B, 2018). It can also help regulate cortisol levels, heart rate, and blood pressure, among other physiological parameters (Dong. Y et al., 2023).
In this way, the power of music seems virtually limitless, touching multiple dimensions of the human experience. That’s why it is now used in a broad array of therapeutic contexts—ranging from cancer (Li. Y et al., 2020), fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression disorders, and chronic fatigue syndrome to mental health, neurorehabilitation, and even palliative care (Zhi. L et al., 2024).
It’s important to note, however, that these effects can vary greatly depending on factors such as musical genre, tempo, key, sociocultural context, and the personal relationship the listener has with the music. Fast and rhythmic compositions may enhance motor activation, whereas slower, more harmonious pieces are typically associated with relaxation and reduced heart rate. On an emotional level, music can evoke memories and stir intense feelings of joy, enthusiasm, pleasure, or well-being—or, conversely, bring up sadness, nostalgia, or unease. This duality is not a contradiction, but rather a reflection of music’s expressive richness and its deep connection to human subjectivity (Cowen. AS. et al., 2020).
All in all, music is a powerful and valuable resource in healthcare. By promoting emotional, mental, and physical balance, its thoughtful use in clinical settings shows that—beyond its artistic value—music can play a meaningful role in improving health and supporting therapeutic care. In every note, a spark of life!
References:
- Alpert JS. ¿Medicine and music – is there a connection? Am J Med. 2022;135(6):663–4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2021.11.003
- Bhandarkar S, Salvi BV, Shende P. Current scenario and potential of music therapy in the management of diseases. Behav Brain Res. 2024;458(114750):114750. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114750
- de Witte M, Pinho A da S, Stams G-J, Moonen X, Bos AER, van Hooren S. Music therapy for stress reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Psychol Rev. 2022;16(1):134–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2020.1846580
- Gramaglia C, Gambaro E, Vecchi C, Licandro D, Raina G, Pisani C, et al. Outcomes of music therapy interventions in cancer patients-A review of the literature. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2019; 138:241–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.critrevonc.2019.04.004
- Bradt J, Dileo C, Myers-Coffman K, Biondo J. Music interventions for improving psychological and physical outcomes in people with cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;10(9):CD006911. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006911.pub4
- Andrade PE, Bhattacharya J. Not cure but heal: Music and medicine. Adv Neurobiol. 2018; 21:283–307. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94593-4_11
- Dong Y, Zhang L, Chen L-W, Luo Z-R. Music therapy for pain and anxiety in patients after cardiac valve replacement: a randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2023;23(1):32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12872-023-03058-5
- Li Y, Xing X, Shi X, Yan P, Chen Y, Li M, et al. The effectiveness of music therapy for patients with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Adv Nurs. 2020;76(5):1111–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jan.14313
- Zhi L, Hou D, Hong Y, Ke M, Zhang Q, Wang Y, et al. Research on music therapy from 2013 to 2022: a bibliometric and visualized study. Front Psychiatry. 2024; 15:1323794. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1323794
- Cowen AS, Fang X, Sauter D, Keltner D. What music makes us feel: At least 13 dimensions organize subjective experiences associated with music across different cultures. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2020;117(4):1924–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1910704117