Music Therapy for Stroke Recovery

Music has always been known to have a powerful effect on our minds, especially our mood. Researchers are now discovering that for some serious medical conditions, music may provide dramatic benefits for recovery. Patient's recovering from a stroke are often left in a confused and paralyzed state for periods of several months to possibly their lifetime. Finding ways to speed recovery and diminish long-term damage is critical.

Music Therapy has been used for a variety of medical conditions. A recent study from the University of Helsinki has found that stroke patients who receive music therapy in additional to standard stroke treatment recovery more successfully than receiving standard treatment alone. While the exact mechanism is not completely understood by the researchers, the study clearly demonstrated significant increases in verbal memory and mental control, as well as decreased depression and confusion.

Music therapy is an excellent adjunctive form of care for patients since it is both convenient and cost-effective to integrate into standard care. Patient's experience significant downtime between the various therapies during stroke recovery, and listening to music can further stimulate their brains. The additional stimulation may cause the brain to regenerate faster than normal after a stroke.

While further research is needed on the benefits of music therapy for stroke patients, encouraging the listening of music during the crucial first few months after a stroke can only help the patient's mood and recovery.