Entrainment mechanisms are involved in pain reduction, muscle relaxation and music-mediated imagery

Journal/Book: Journal of Music Therapy. 1985; XXII: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. National Association for Music therapy 8455 Colesville Rd., Suite 930 20910 Silver Spring, Maryland USA. 183-192.

Abstract: This study evaluated the effect of different types of music-medicated imagery on pain reduction, EMG tension, and imaghery vividness and activity in a group of spinal pain patients (N=23). Music conditions consisted of two minimalist selections, two conventional relaxing selections, one entrainment selection, and two control conditions, one iwht no music and one with no imagery induction. The 20-minute tape-listneing procedure consisted of 10 minutes of music, to which subjects were instructed to image their pain being subdued by their endorphin system. Analysis of variance indicated significant treatment effects for both pain and EMG reduction, with the entrainment condition being the most effective. Treatment effects were nonsignificant for both imagery conditions, although the highest imagyer scores were obtained in the entrainment condition. Pain was attenuated best by high-imagery conditions rather than by high-preference conditions.

Keyword(s): imagery, muscle, relaxation-training, pain, tension, electromyography, endorphins, entrainment, music-mediated-imagery.

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