Nonetheless, the employment of music therapy must be done with care. The choices of music, as well as who chooses the music, can contribute to the rising or falling of a patient’s cortisol levels.4 Interestingly, a rise in cortisol levels was observed over time in a provider-selected music group, while a patient-selected music group continued to have decreased cortisol levels. Variation between the patient-selected versus the provider-selected music group suggests that the element of patient selection is significant.4
Pfister also reviewed the effects of music therapy on minimizing pain, post-op nausea, vomiting, and decreased recovery time, arguing that music has an effect on mu-opiate receptors, associated with the sensation of pain.4 A study conducted on 60 patients demonstrated that music had adjuvant analgesic effects for patients suffering from pain and discomfort.4 Guzzetta conducted similar tests on 80 patients in a coronary care unit.5 The study resulted a lowering in the incidence of cardiac complications, lowering in the apical heart rates, and a rise in the peripheral temperatures of the patients who have been subjected to relaxation and music therapy sessions. Guzzetta concluded that both relaxation and music therapy are effective modalities to reduce stress in these patients