Music can ignite the spark of people's soul and influence people's emotions subtly. In ancient Greek mythology, the god Apollo, who was proficient in music, was also able to heal diseases, which seems to imply a subtle connection between music and medicine. Nowadays, with the deepening of brain science research, scientists have discovered that some music can indeed change our mood, soothe a tired mind, and can assist in the treatment of some stubborn diseases such as anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, etc. There are even cases showing that , music is also beneficial in treating tumors. This is the power of music. In many cases, the magic that music can display is simply incredible.

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Music has been used to treat diseases in ancient and modern times

In Brazil, there is a 33-year-old bank employee Anthony Cu. Elcampo Diaz underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor at a hospital. During the operation, a conscious Díaz played the guitar so doctors could observe his brain. His clinician, Jean Abreu Machado, said it was important for the surgery to be successful to keep the patient awake and monitor his brain activity.

Coincidentally, Minnesota Orchestra violinist Roger Fritz also played an instrument during surgery to help doctors determine the exact location of his brain implant.

About 4,000 years ago, ancient Indians also used music to relieve the pain of patients. The ancient Greeks regarded emotional purification as an important process of spiritual healing, and the purification process was achieved by watching dramatic performances and listening to music performances.

In modern times, music therapy as a professional discipline originated from Casas University in the United States. After more than half a century of development, music therapy has become a mature and complete discipline, with hundreds of established clinical treatment methods and numerous theoretical schools. There are nearly 80 universities in the United States that have music therapy majors, training bachelor's, master's and doctoral students. Currently, there are approximately 4,000 registered music therapists working in psychiatric hospitals, general hospitals, geriatric hospitals, children's hospitals, special education schools, and various psychological clinics in the United States.

Music therapy was introduced to Asia in the 1970s. At present, most general hospitals in Japan and Taiwan have dedicated music therapists, but they are still rare in mainland China.

In fact, the ancients also realized that music therapy is of great benefit to patients. During the Spring and Autumn Period, the famous doctor of Qin State, Yi He, discussed the relationship between music and people's body and mind. He believed that listening to music selectively is beneficial to physical and mental health. Zhu Zhenheng, a famous doctor in the Yuan Dynasty, clearly pointed out: "Music is also medicine." He advocated listening to music as a kind of spiritual therapy.

Traditional Chinese medicine has long had the theory of "five tones and five elements". According to the "Huangdi Neijing", "Heaven has five tones, and humans have five internal organs; heaven has six laws, and humans have six internal organs." "The horns are the wood sound that connects to the liver, the signs are the fire sound that connect to the heart, and the palace sound that is the earth sound connects to the spleen. According to this theory, the five tones can have an effect on the corresponding five internal organs. For example, the horn sound belongs to wood, can clear the liver, and can control anger, that is, "the sound of water can relieve anger"; Zhengyin belongs to fire. , Tongxin, using Zhengyin can "nourish yin and help the heart". This shows that traditional Chinese medicine has a positive attitude towards the use of music to treat diseases.

Melody and rhythm can regulate physiological responses

What is the essence of music? Music is a series of musical sounds that are combined to form a musical sound combination with characteristics such as melody and rhythm. This combination requires more to instill human thoughts and emotions, making it an "art of manipulating sound" to reflect the human spiritual world.

The ability of humans to distinguish different music depends on two systems. First, the developed auditory system can decompose and process the complex mechanical vibrations of music into a series of ordered neural signals, and Sent to the brain; second, the human auditory center can process these neural signals, allowing humans to respond to these signals. At the same time, the developed cortex of the brain also gives us the ability to generate thoughts, emotions and other advanced neural activities in response to these signals.

Soothing and beautiful music can relax people and eliminate fatigue, while impassioned music can invigorate and empower people.

Studies have proven that melody and rhythm can lower people's blood pressure, slow down their basal metabolism and breathing rate. When stress comes, the body will only produce a mild physiological response because of music, naturally weakening the stress. Therefore, music combined with the medical system can provide auxiliary treatment for various psychological and physical diseases.

Clinical research has found that the limbic system and brainstem reticular structure in the central nervous system play a major regulatory role in human internal organs and body functions. Some scientists believe that music can have direct or indirect effects on these neural structures, that is, physical, physiological, and psychological effects.

Scientists who hold this view believe that from the perspective of physical effects, music is a regular sound wave vibration and a kind of physical energy. After music is introduced into the human body through the auditory nerve, many of the body's own vibration systems, such as heart beating, gastrointestinal motility, brain photoelectric waves and other rhythms, will respond to it. Synchronous and harmonious vibrations may occur, thus regulating blood flow and nerves, achieving Physical harmony and comfort.

From a physiological and psychological perspective, the music activity center is in the right hemisphere of the brain. Beautiful music can regulate and improve emotional states. Pleasurable and positive emotions play a good role in human life activities. It can fully mobilize and unleash the body's potential, increase the excitement of nerve cells and the vitality of the entire nervous system.

In fact, a good emotional state can indeed coordinate the activities of various organ systems in the human body, secrete an appropriate amount of adrenaline hormones, and keep the entire endocrine system and physiologically active substances such as hormones, enzymes, acetylcholine, etc. in the body in a stable and balanced state. . Through the regulation of nerves and neurohumoral fluids, it can promote blood circulation, enhance gastrointestinal motility and digestive gland secretion, strengthen metabolic activities and improve immunity, thus benefiting physical and mental health.

Music therapy is not just listening to music

The current more authoritative interpretation of music therapy should be Cohen, a famous American music therapist, former president of the American Music Therapy Association, and professor at Temple University. Bruscia’s definition in the book “Music Therapy Definition”: “Music therapy is a systematic intervention process in which the therapist utilizes various forms of musical experience and the Therapeutic relationship to enable the recipients to achieve healthy goals."

Brucia reminds people that music therapy is a scientific and systematic treatment process, which includes various methods and schools. The application of theory and its efficacy will be observed and controlled by music therapists at any time. Just like the two patients who underwent brain surgery, they played while undergoing surgery, and the doctor used instruments to directly observe their brains that were excited by the melody to determine whether the operation was successful.

“Music therapy uses all music-related activities as a means, such as listening, singing, instrumental performance, music creation, lyric creation, improvisation, dance, art and other activities, rather than some people I think music therapy is just about listening to music and relaxing,” Brucia said.

Therefore, it is difficult to achieve the effect of music therapy by listening to music alone. The music therapy process must be carried out by specially trained and qualified music therapists, and the treatment plan can be adjusted at any time according to the patient's condition.

Although modern music therapy was introduced to China more than 30 years ago, it has never become popular. What exactly is the connection between music and medicine, and how to use music therapy to make its effect more obvious? These questions have yet to be solved by scientists one by one.

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