Journal article
Beyond Distraction: Music Therapy for Chronic Pain Management in People with Advanced Cancer
Integrative cancer therapies, v 24, 15347354251395283
Jan 2025
PMID: 41293896
Abstract
Effective, non-pharmacological approaches to pain management for people with advanced cancer that can enhance quality of life while minimizing adverse effects are urgently needed. While music therapy has been demonstrated to be effective in reducing pain and improving pain-related outcomes across various patient populations, it has not been specifically examined in addressing chronic pain among people with advanced cancer. This study aims to enhance understanding of how people with advanced cancer experience music therapy for pain management.
As part of a mixed methods intervention trial, we conducted semi-structured interviews with a subsample of 25 outpatients with advanced cancer (Stage 3 & 4) and chronic pain who had participated in 6 music therapy sessions designed to address psychosocial factors known to exacerbate the experience of chronic pain. We analyzed the interview transcripts using theoretical thematic analysis.
The findings suggest that engagement in music therapy enhanced psychosocial well-being, contributed to better pain management, and helped build early therapeutic rapport. Participants emphasized that co-creating and engaging in active music making enhanced their self-efficacy as they learned to use music to improve emotional regulation skills, increase physical functioning, relax, and decrease their medication use.
Music therapy's role in pain management goes beyond distraction and relaxation to include stress reduction, emotional expression, enhanced self-efficacy, and therapeutic connection and support through shared musical experiences. Incorporating board-certified music therapists into psycho-oncology care teams can help enable patients to effectively harness music as a daily tool for symptom management.
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Details
- Title
- Beyond Distraction: Music Therapy for Chronic Pain Management in People with Advanced Cancer
- Creators
- Joke Bradt (Corresponding Author) - Drexel UniversityLynn Gumert - Drexel UniversityCarrie Cottone - Drexel UniversityMing Yuan Low - Drexel UniversityClarissa Lacson - Drexel UniversityKate Myers-Coffman - Drexel UniversityKarolina Bryl - Drexel UniversityPreethi Selvan - Thomas Jefferson UniversityJacelyn Biondo - Drexel UniversityAllison Millstein - Drexel UniversityAnna Cephas - Drexel UniversityStephenie Sofield - Drexel UniversityBrooke Worster - Thomas Jefferson UniversityAmy E Leader - Thomas Jefferson University
- Publication Details
- Integrative cancer therapies, v 24, 15347354251395283
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- National Institute of Nursing Research: R01NR016681
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health (Award Number R01NR016681). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The study's funder was not involved in the study's design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, or manuscript preparation.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Creative Arts Therapies
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001625690200001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105023001837
- Other Identifier
- 991022133561404721
InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Integrative & Complementary Medicine
- Oncology