Argumentative Essay On Music Therapy

Alicia Turnquist

Mrs. Radke

English II

16 October 2015

Title

Often times when people think about the concept music, they just think of something to listen to when working, or something to do in one’s past time. What some people do not realize is that music can also be used as a therapy tool and can also help those with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. In the twentieth century, the idea of music therapy first came about when musicians during World War I and World War II would go to Veterans hospitals and play for them. The patients began to show an improvement. This improvement called for colleges to start adding this to their curriculum (Music Therapy.org). Music therapy today is defined as professionals who use music to accomplish individualized

It can help in overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increased motivation in treatment, provide support, and outlet for expression and feelings (Music Therapy.org). Besides helping a person’s feeling and functions, music therapy can help premature infants to gain weight, autistic children communicate, stroke patients to regain speech and mobility, dental, surgical, and orthopedic patients to control chronic pain and psychiatric patients manage anxiety and depression (Beckl). By using music therapy it can help people who can’t express themselves through speech, express it through music (Music Therapy.org). Music therapy is often used for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia. According to Concetta Tomaino, “... music is stimulating dormant areas of the brain that haven’t been accessible due to the degenerative disease” (Beck). Dr. Tomaino has worked with music therapy and how it helps those with dementia. With his studies, he has seen the patients make progress in cognitive function (Beck). This shows just how powerful music can

People are worried that if patients are able to choose their own music, depending on what they are listening to, might speed up their heart rate and cause problems. They are also worried that the music might affect the patients mood. Music therapists, however, are trained to know if there will be that sudden change in mood (Storrs.)

When comparing patients who had listened to music before surgery to those who didn’t, it showed that the music had helped the patients up to four hours after their surgery. Keeping them calm, and reducing pain levels. Since music is showing positive outcomes, hospitals all over are starting to use this therapy. There are currently over one thousand hospitals leaning towards this therapy. With this increase, some hospitals are staring with offering music therapy to certain groups first. Generally they start with cancer patients, surgery patients, and children