How music can “mute” chronic pain

One good thing about music... when it hits, you feel no pain. - Bob Marley

Imagine waking up every day, not knowing if it’s going to be a “good” or “bad” day…

Picture every limb on your body feeling weighed down by an unshakable heaviness.

Envision feeling excruciating pain from doing everyday things—like brushing your teeth or washing your hair…

Could you deal with dull, constant, burning aches throughout your entire body from morning until night?

This is what it’s like living with chronic pain.

And for many people, it can lead to other challenges including anxiety, relationship problems and depression.

The real kicker when it comes to chronic pain is that these added problems can cause your stress levels to rise…And the more stress you have, the more intensely you feel pain.

Obviously, this vicious cycle is the last thing you need.

But if you’re one of the 30 million people in the U.S. suffering from chronic pain, I want you to know that is hope to obtain lasting, effective relief without having to swallow another dangerous, addictive pain pill.

Erase the painful effects of stress

Simply put… if you reduce your levels of stress, you will reduce the sensation of pain.

Of course, while painkillers can numb your pain, they do nothing to alleviate stress chemicals out of your body.

But here’s the good news: You can do something right now to erase stress and free your body from crushing, debilitating aches and pains.

And you can do it with something that is easily accessible, and costs next to nothing. Even better, this pill-free solution is something you likely already love.

I’m talking about music.

Now, I know what you might be thinking…

“How in the world will music alleviate my pain?”

That’s certainly valid question. And this recent study can give you some answers. Just take a look at the latest research:

Music mutes your perception of pain

In a study published in the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Journal, researchers observed 30 women between 40 and 60 years old with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) to determine the effects of daily music listening on pain and stress.

Over the course of 14 days, participants rated their pain intensity, perceived control over their pain, perceived stress level, and music listening behavior at five different times each day.

Researchers found that listening to music throughout the day gave the FMS patients the feeling of having more control over their pain than those who didn’t.

They attributed these results to music’s ability to effectively reduce stress. The researchers also cited earlier studies showing music’s ability to help relax the nervous system, particularly by lowering both blood pressure and heart rate.

The researchers concluded:

“Perceived control over pain was significantly increased after having listened to music.

This effect was especially profound in participants who listened to music more often, with an increase in the number of music episodes being associated with an increase in the pain-reducing effect of music listening.”

My personal experience with music’s pain-relieving benefits

I can certainly vouch for music’s pain-relieving benefits. I recently went through a series of grueling GI surgeries. During my hospital stay, I had to “learn” how to get out of bed while my incisions healed and to slowly walk around my room. What got me through this very painful time was turning on my Bob Marley playlist every morning when it was time to get out of bed.

Though I was in pain, the music helped me focus on something other than the pain. Instead, I listened to the uplifting lyrics and found myself enveloped in all the good feelings from the music.

Before I knew it, I was walking around. Though I couldn’t yet dance, I allowed my head and shoulders to move to the music ever so slightly.

While the music played, my mood improved, my pain lessened, and I felt a more like my old self again.

Want to give it a shot?

Here are three tips to try if you or someone you know is suffering from chronic pain:

1. An hour or two before bedtime, play music that incites a feeling of relaxation.
2. In the morning and over the course of your day, put on upbeat background music to give you more energy. Attempt to periodically move to the music. This can be by tapping your foot, snapping, tapping, swaying, or light dancing.
3. Hum along to three or four of your favorite songs once or twice per day. This will vibrate your vagus nerve and activate the production of your body’s natural pain killers, including endorphins and dopamine.

I talk more about the vagus nerve and the power of music—in addition to many other pill-free pain-relieving techniques—in my Whole Body Sound Healing System. Click here to read more about this interactive online learning tool, or to enroll today.

SOURCES:

“The effects of music listening on pain and stress in the daily life of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome.” Frontiers in human neuroscience. 2015; 9(434): 1-10. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00434