More on Music and Medicine

More and more researchers are looking at the relationship between music and the human body. Here are a few recent developments! At the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute in New Jersey, patients who undergo surgery are accompanied by music during recovery. The heart tends to fall into rhythm with music — the beat helps the heart maintain a smooth, steady pace. Music is also used in the recovery room immediately after surgery to help quiet anxiety and promote feelings of peace. A study from the University of Maryland Medical Center found that hearing your favorite song can be a big benefit for … Continue reading

Pets and Music Revisited

I have mentioned before that my dogs seem to like music. Moose (my German shepherd mix) seems to like it more than Lally (my boxer mix) does. When we lived in New Jersey, Moose would sit by the fence and listen to the teens down the street rehearse in the garage. He’d sit there for hours just listening! Music isn’t just for entertainment, either. It can be healing for people — and for pets. A harpist from Oregon conducted a study on the power of harp music on animals in 2000. Alianna Boone played her harp for dogs hospitalized at … Continue reading