Music Well-Being and Therapy
Dr. Alicia Howard IG:@ali_how_phd
Title: Founder and CEO of Toronto-based Music Wellbeing practice
Research Topic: Music Medicine: An Alternative Approach for Managing Symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorder
Institution: University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, and Faculty of Dentistry
Co-Sponsors: Dr. Lee Bartel and Dr. Howard Tenenbaum
Abstract: Temporomandibular disorders are one of the most common musculoligamentous disorders that cause chronic moderate to severe orofacial pain. There are many treatment options to date, but none have been demonstrated to be superior to one or the other. Regardless, generally, non-invasive and reversible treatment modalities are preferred. This study examines the effectiveness of music as medicine for patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) characterized largely by pain of muscular origin. The rationale for the use of music as a complementary treatment for TMD is that TMD is a multi-factorial disease which affects mood, depression, and pain levels of the patient and previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of music for managing these types of symptoms in other conditions. Twenty-five patients with TMD were recruited for this 12-week study. Patients were recruited from an out-patient dental clinic.
All patients participating in this study received two Music Medicine treatments (vibroacoustic therapy and listening to a 25-preferred song playlist) as self-administered in-home treatments. This study used a cross-over design with a 4-week washout period. The results showed no statistically significant treatment effects for pain, depression, or iii quality of life, but a statistically significant decrease in anxious and depressed mood was observed. Unexpectedly, TMD symptoms did not increase during the washout period, which makes the other results difficult to interpret. A post-treatment interview showed positive responses by patients to the use of music. The main reported benefit was that music helped manage chronic pain. Overall, the results suggest that music medicine can be an effective complementary treatment for TMD patients, but future research with a control group and a larger sample is needed to provide stronger evidence of treatment effectiveness.
Click below to download the study.
Title: Founder and CEO of Toronto-based Music Wellbeing practice
Research Topic: Music Medicine: An Alternative Approach for Managing Symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorder
Institution: University of Toronto, Faculty of Music, and Faculty of Dentistry
Co-Sponsors: Dr. Lee Bartel and Dr. Howard Tenenbaum
Abstract: Temporomandibular disorders are one of the most common musculoligamentous disorders that cause chronic moderate to severe orofacial pain. There are many treatment options to date, but none have been demonstrated to be superior to one or the other. Regardless, generally, non-invasive and reversible treatment modalities are preferred. This study examines the effectiveness of music as medicine for patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) characterized largely by pain of muscular origin. The rationale for the use of music as a complementary treatment for TMD is that TMD is a multi-factorial disease which affects mood, depression, and pain levels of the patient and previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of music for managing these types of symptoms in other conditions. Twenty-five patients with TMD were recruited for this 12-week study. Patients were recruited from an out-patient dental clinic.
All patients participating in this study received two Music Medicine treatments (vibroacoustic therapy and listening to a 25-preferred song playlist) as self-administered in-home treatments. This study used a cross-over design with a 4-week washout period. The results showed no statistically significant treatment effects for pain, depression, or iii quality of life, but a statistically significant decrease in anxious and depressed mood was observed. Unexpectedly, TMD symptoms did not increase during the washout period, which makes the other results difficult to interpret. A post-treatment interview showed positive responses by patients to the use of music. The main reported benefit was that music helped manage chronic pain. Overall, the results suggest that music medicine can be an effective complementary treatment for TMD patients, but future research with a control group and a larger sample is needed to provide stronger evidence of treatment effectiveness.
Click below to download the study.
howard_alicia_201706_phd_thesis__2___1_.pdf | |
File Size: | 2049 kb |
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