Music therapy eased the perception of chronic pain in a study of 60 patients who had osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or disc problems. Most of the study participants suffered with continuous pain in two or more body parts. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic divided the participants into groups.

• One group listened to music on headsets for one hour a day (half chose the music they listened to, half chose from five relaxation recordings provided to them).
• The other group did not listen to any music.

The study results, published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing (June 2006; Volume 54, Page 553), revealed a significant decrease in pain levels with music therapy. There was a 21 percent reduction in pain and a 25 percent reduction in depression associated with pain perception. There was no distinct difference between participants who chose their own music or selected music from a limited list.

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