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Week 4 : Medicine + Technology + Art

Medicine + Technology + Art
Source: Maria Fabrizio for NPR
Studying the lectures of medicine, technology and art this week reminds me of music being used as medicine in hospitals. We all know that listening to music can ease our emotional pain but music listening is also a noninvasive, cost effective and safe nursing intervention in hospitals. Not only the classical music but also music of modern artists such as Taylor Swift, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys can also ease physical pain, according to the study of children and teenagers who had major surgery (NPR News). Music therapy is better than traditional painkillers because it is free from drug addiction and harmful side effects. In addition, older adult patients who listened to music in the preoperative holding area reported less anxiety, lower blood pressure and pulse rate than those who did not listen to music (Cunningham). Music can also help the patient who had suffered a Stroke to be able to speak using ‘Musical Speech Stimulation and Melodic Intonation Therapy’.
Musical Speech Stimulation and Melodic Intonation Therapy

Apart from MRI, X-Ray, and dissection of human body that artists are greatly involved in, the topic that influences me the most is the use of virtual reality to relief the pain of patients presented by Diane Gromala in TEDx event. With the aid of technology, patient can now not only be treated using music therapy but also the 3D view of visual effects which change patterns and shapes with patients’ breathing using virtual reality technology. I believe that this is the achievement of medicine, technology and art that will give a great help to the patients with chronic diseases who are living constantly in pain.  

Virtual Reality Helps Patients at Cedar Sinai Hospital
References:
Cunningham T, Monson F, Bookbinder A. The use of music to decrease anxiety in a hospitalized patient. J Music Therapy. 1997;34(3):32– 45.
Good M, Anderson GC, Stanton-Hick M, Grass JA, Makii M. Relaxation and music reduce pain after gynecologic surgery. Pain Manag Nurs. 2002;3:61–70.
MedsRhythms, YouTube, 05 Oct. 2014. Web. 01 May 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK5qqYYxjn4
Neighmond, Patti. "To Ease Pain, Reach For Your Playlist." NPR. NPR, 22 June 2015. Web. 01 May 2017.
"Neurologic Music Therapy." MedRhythms -- A Neurologic Music Company. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2017.
VR World, YouTube, 16 Feb. 2016. Web. 01 May 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pizYFG8F3A


Comments

  1. UnknownMay 3, 2017 at 6:39 PM

    I found your comment about music therapy really interesting! I knew about it before but I still did not relate art/music and medicine together as they seem like completely distinct subjects, or two cultures. I think that hospitals should implement music therapy programs more and maybe even have music therapy instructors teach kids about music to distract them from any pain. I also never knew that musical speech stimulation existed. Apparently musical instruments can help patients have better functional hand movements, limb coordination and finger dexterity!

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