Music Therapy Helps Stroke Patients Recover Faster: Study

Learning to play a musical instrument helps stroke patients recover faster, suggest researchers.

Strokes can cause massive damage to the brain. Experts from the Goldsmith's College University of London found music therapy is an effective intervention in restoring functioning after stroke episodes. For the study two stroke survivors were taught to play chime bars. The participants were asked to utilize the stroke-affected side of their body while playing bar chimes. After completing fours session both patients reportedly had notable improvements.

 "Despite a good deal of research into rehabilitation approaches, treatment options are limited," said Lauren Stewart, study author and researcher from the music, mind and brain team based in Goldsmiths' Department of Psychology, reports theDaily Mail.

"Our research shows that playing a musical instrument could be an effective intervention for neglect patients."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, every year nearly 130,000 American adults die from strokes. Every four minutes at least one American dies because of the condition.  Health experts have repeatedly warned people to keep a strict watch on their blood pressure and cholesterol levels that increase risk of dying form strokes. Rehabilitation treatment like speech, physical and occupational therapy are commonly sought methods to help patients recover  lost abilities to perform day-to-day activities.

The authors in the current study believe further investigation is needed with a larger group of participants to assess the impacts of music therapy on stroke patients.

"It would be great to invite more patients to participate in future studies, as well as see if the music intervention has the capacity to translate to improvements in everyday tasks," added Stewart.