Recent studies on: How healing is music?

In the recent 5 years several scientists focused on Music therapy and it´s positive effects to relieve pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue in patients and especially in cancer patients.

There has been a variety of studies with regard to heartbeat, respiration and blood pressure studying the effects of music interventions, imaginative therapy with music, music-directed relaxation on psychological and physical outcomes.
Within the studies music therapy or music medicine was compared with standard treatment alone or standard care combined with other treatments or placebo.
Nine of the studies were performed with the participants, in four studies imaginative therapy with music was performed, two studies focused on music-directed relaxation.
In six studies, the therapist presented selected music and two studies focused on music videos.

The scientists conclude that music interventions may have beneficial effects on anxiety, pain, fatigue and quality of life. Furthermore, music may have a small positive effect on heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure. Reduction of anxiety, fatigue and pain are important outcomes for people with all kinds of illnesses, as they have an impact on health and overall and Quality of Life. Therefore, the scientists recommend considering the inclusion of music therapy and music medicine interventions in psychosocial care.

Source:
https://www.krebsinformationsdienst.de/aktuelles/2016/news66-musik-in-derkrebstherapie.php