Music will help patients in UP hospital breathe easy

Lucknow: Suffering from acute pain or an asthma attack? Try listening to the soft musical strains of the Hanuman Chalisa and minutes later, you will feel a sense of relief.

If you are averse to Hanuman Chalisa for certain reasons, try listening to a melodious ghazal and it will have the same effect.

King George’s Medical University has launched a first-of-its kind music therapy for palliative care for patients with respiratory disorders.

According to Surya Kant, head of the respiratory medicine department, “The facility of music therapy is simply an add-on to the medical treatment being given to patients, who often get restless about their ailment. We have started this for patients with respiratory disorders and will later extend it to their departments as well.”

A special 30-bed ward has been set up with amplifiers in which the music will be played.

“We are playing soft music — bhajans, ghazal and even film songs to soothe nerves. Apart from making patients relax, we also hope that the therapy will reduce patient-doctor conflict that is increasing by the day,” Dr Kant said.

The doctor explained that the music therapy has a medical side to it. Soothing music causes the release of dopamine, a hormone which induces a feel good factor and positive energy in the brain and body. This helps in speeding up the healing process and also diverts the patients’ attention from his pain and discomfort.

“This is particularly beneficial in patients suffering from psychosomatic disorders — a condition that is aggravated by a mental factor such as internal conflict or stress.

Some of diseases that are aggravated by this include asthma, bronc-hial and skin diseases.

A junior doctor, who is a part of the programme, said “We get requests for bhajans from the elderly patients, while those who are younger want to hear film songs of ghazals. We do not play high-pitched songs that pump up the adrenaline.” The music is deliberately played on low decibels so as to allow patients to take a nap if they want. “The idea is to keep them relaxed and not disturbed,” he said.

Bina Awasthi, a middle aged patient, who is suffering form acute bronchial infection and has been admitted to the KGMU since the past three weeks, said, “I feel better when the Hanuman Chalisa is played here. The songs divert attention from my agony.”

The doctors are careful not to select melancholic or sad songs that could prove depressing for patients.

The faculty members feel that the music therapy would be particularly beneficial for terminally ill patients, particularly those suffering from cancer.

“Most patients in the cancer ward are consumed by a death wish because they cannot tolerate the pain. The music will not only soothe their nerves but also lessen the realisation of pain by diverting attention. We plan to start the therapy in the cancer wards soon,” said a faculty member.

The music therapy had been propounded by the Bhatkhande Music University in Lucknow about a decade ago. The university, as part of its research, had identified classical ragas that elevate the mood and reduce pain.

The findings, however, did not have many takers since those in the medical profession were then sceptical about the research.