Music therapy for pain .. scientists on board or anyone .. any thoughts?

by talesin 59 Replies latest jw friends

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  mamochan13

  I hadn't heard of that association, Talesin, but I will do some research. That's amazing what it has done for your friend, but not at all surprising. I've been collecting bits and pieces of those kinds of stories for years with the intention of writing my own book one day on the topic.

  The University of Alberta has an interesting program "Arts & Humanities in Health & Medicine". They have links to a lot of library resources and you can join their mail list if you are interested in that sort of thing. I also just came across this: http://www.musicophilia.com/music_links.htm, which looks like a must-read book for me, Oliver Sacks Musicophilia. Also this link to some research seems worthwhile: http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=new-research-explores-how----and-wh-2009-07-06

  There is a lot of anecdotal experience, like your own, but I find you have to weed through a lot of "personal opinion" type articles to find the actual scientific research-based information.
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  james_woods

  I don't believe in narcotics as a long term or daily pain relief either, Talesin - regardless of stomach issues.

  I had a very good friend, a lady who died from a prescription drug overdose at the end of 2011 from pain meds. We do not know if it was accidental or deliberate - but she is still dead. Age was in the late 40s.
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  jamesmahon

  I sit on a guideline development group for chronic neuropathic pain which coincidentally met yesterday. There are members on the group that are patients with MS, diabetic neuropathy etc as well as neurologists and pain specialist physicians. The concensus from the group is that care has to be taken to monitor the meds people are on, but that unfortunately long term pharmaceutical pain relief is the best answer for many people where pain is a constant symptom of a chronic condition. This group is open to recommending alternatives though as part of a management plan (the neurologist in partiuclar is an advocate for non-pharma interventions).

  Don't disagree with the dangers Mr Woods, and I would like to think that I could cope with the pain and avoid the meds. But then I have not had MS for five years. What is important is that physicians monitor dosage carefully, try to prevent what are termed 'breakthrough pain' events where rescue meds (such as opiates) are required and don't just prescribe and forget about the patient.

  I obviously don't know the circumstances of your friend, but would suspect that the meds only killed her indirectly. If it was accidental then her physician maybe should have informed her better of possible contraindications with other meds or potentially lethal doses. If it was deliberate, given chronic pain and depression are often bedfellows the prescribing physician maybe should have been keeping a closer eye on her mental wellbeing before writing the next script. Anyway, I don't think it is appropriate for me to speculate on the events surrounding the events of your friend's death beyond the point that I would be looking at the physician before the drug.
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  james_woods

  Well, Mr. Mahon - the underlying circumstance in my mind was that she did not really need pain medication that badly. I always thought that she was shopping doctors for prescription drugs, and really using them somewhat recreationally.

  I was shocked that the doctors could not see through this and make an attempt to slow this down. Anyway -

  Yes, I know that some people cannot get by without the serious hard drugs. That is too bad, but it is a fact.
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  jamesmahon

  If she didn't need the meds then she should not have been prescribed them. Which in a way supports my point that the physicians were more at fault rather than the drugs. They are on prescription for a reason - because they are potentially very harmful and a trained professional needs to make sure the benefit to you outweighs the risk and then monitor usage and your symptoms. This does not appear to have happened from what you say. It is very sad but I am not surprised.
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  james_woods

  Very sad, and very common. I heard the other day that there are more deaths due to overuse/overdose of prescription drugs in the U.S. than there are from illegal drugs at this time.

  BTW - not that it matters, but she was on disability and got these drugs from Medicaid - so the medical people should have been doubly aware of the danger.
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  talesin

  jamesmahon - I will check that site; it sounds vey interesting, and may be helpful. I'm not surprised that there are programs working with music and schizo---too hard to type! ;) , because I have several friends who deal with that illness, and it makes a helluva lot of sense.

  btw, nice to read you
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  talesin

  mamochan - I will get the name of the association from Dev,,,,actually, its home base is in Manitoba or Saskatchewan, if I recall correctly.
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  talesin

  j_w,., I did not, for a moment, think you were suggesting narcs as a long-term solution. I'm sorry if that was implied. They work hella good after surgery (though I have allergies, and dammit, the morphine gives me hives!), and are great in the short-term, such as knee surgery or whatever.

  Now, I want you and jamesmahon to make nice and get along, kay? You are both opinionated people, with good hearts, and I will have no arguing on this thread, Mr. Thread Police. mwah!

  xo

  tal :)
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  jamesmahon

  Good thread Talesin and nice to read you to.

  Don't worry - I think Mr Woods and I were actually agreeing. Although he may disagree of course...

  BTW - only downside of the Cochrane stuff is that it clearly they are only as up to date as when they did the review. They do update them every few years but it is sometimes worth having a trawl for new info if they are a few years old. On the whole though they often save a lot of time when you are interested in getting a considered unbiased judgement and summary on peer reviewed evidence rather than just the normal fluff you get from google.