She did not know anything about music therapy, even about Hypertension?

[mama]

I am hypertensive patient with getting treatment for 5-6 years now. I used to listen a music from India it is really really soft relaxing type music. Believe or not (most of you will not believe it as much as you believe pills) I feel my blood pressure level going down with same treatment dose of same drug.

Problem is not that...I had to admit to hospital to get treatment for other illness for 6 days recently. When I was hospital I used to listen that music. One nurse was query about the music and I just try to explain her. She starts with jokes and it seems she did not know anything about music therapy. Then I try to explain some thing about cardiovascular physiology and how mind affect to Blood pressure. It seems useless. It is a shame to me being a retired nurse. Tell me what is you impression on music therapy.

I feel people not believe music therapy much. Of course it is not like pills. I found some web site about hypertension and music therapy. If you believe me at least read about it.

http://www.musictherapyresearchcenter.com/Editorial.htm

[itsme]

I believe in any kind of therepy that works instead of meds. I give way too many pills I think. I prefer to try light massage for some pain, 1:1 for anxiety, music for relaxation, etc.. I find that I use those methods and give a heck of alot less PRN meds. Pet therepy is awesome in LTC also!!

[Ted]

Music Therapy is serious business! It's just not so obvious.

Think about it! Music in the shopping malls. . . especially during the holiday. . . kind of makes you want to "spend, spend, spend"!

Music in dentist offices. . . it does sooth the anxious soul who's about to have painful denistry work done!

Music in movies. . . purposefully written to bring out a whole range of emotions while we watch our favorite "flick"!

Music is very powerful. And when written and performed properly, is theraputic. During my college days towards that BSN, I researched and wrote a couple of papers on the subject of music therapy. There's lots of documentation out there providing evidence on the effects of music on blood pressure, heart rate, the immune system. . . as well as the effects of music on the anxious mind.

Incorporating music therapy into one's daily nursing practice can be as simple as offering the suggestion that the patient bring in with him or her their favorite CD's and CD player. I offer that suggestion all the time. As an ICU/CCU nurse, I believe that anything that helps relax the anxious mood of a cardiac patient is helpful. Music is high on my list of tools to use to help with the anxious "rule-out MI" patient. (Ativan and Xanax are other tools used too! )

Great topic! Great mode of therapy. . . music! :)

Ted

[Liddle Noodnik]

Originally posted by mama

Believe or not (most of you will not believe it as much as you believe pills) I feel my blood pressure level going down with same treatment dose of same drug.

I certainly do believe you.

While there ARE times when we are caught unawares by a certain therapy we don't need to be laughing at our patients who do them! The basic principles of relaxation certainly fit right in with the music therapy you're doing and I think it's GREAT! It's like with the cardiac patient, all the meds in the world won't help if they don't also stop smoking, follow a healthy food plan, exercise, etc.

So, you keep right on doing and keep right on educating. I have never heard it called "music therapy" but I do know that music is theraputic!

[MomNRN, BSN, RN]

I am definitely a believer in music therapy.

Eleven years ago next week, I gave birth to a severely, brain damaged son. Almost all types of stimuli would "set him off." Unfortunately, this included his mother's touch!

The only thing that would calm him down and keep him settled were cassette tapes I had brought in. They were just your basic baby tunes and instrumentals. The NICU staff were great about keeping his tapes going. I was very grateful for their assistance.

It was unbelievable to see his reaction to the music. Sadly, he died at 7 weeks of age.

[healingtouchRN]

I love the Gregorian chants & also the music by native americans. I have used this music in my private practice & many of the male clients are moved by it. It affects the root chakra, which is the energy wheel @ the base of the spine, assisting in loosing the back (which is why most men come to see me---back aches). Amazing what music can do. It's mood altering!

[Furball]

Petting your dog and watching fish in a fish tank lowers bp too...

[romie]

The power of music is universal and transcends psychosocioeconomic boundaries. It is one of the few creative arts that can create an immediate and long lasting impression. Its application in health are just begining to be understood and utilized. However passionate you are about music, please be careful to not call yourself a music therapist or what you do music therapy unless you have a minimum of a bachelors degree in music therapy and have earned the credentials MT-BC. The American Music Therapy Association has a great website and is very informative. There is so much exiting research that is being conducted by music therapy researchers and it is published in one of many scholarly journals for music therapy. Inform yourself and your colleagues about this and other fine arts therapies. Please be sure to pay respect to the fine individuals who have worked so hard to earn those credentials.

[lberghood]

Don't know a lot about music therapy but in the hospital where i work(psych) th unit i was on was in a state of chaos with a lot of crisis and someone got all of the patients in the dayroom and put on bob marley cd, worked like a charm!!!!!