Music therapy for assistance with pain and anxiety management in burn treatment

The management of pain is one of the primary issues in burn care. Pain is not only a physiologic experience, but a psychological one as well. With this in mind, the treatment of burned patients must incorporate a holistic view of pain management and healing. Cognitive, behavioral, and pharmacologic interventions all have a role in pain management. Studies, as well as clinical experience, have shown that musical intervention has been helpful in assisting patients with pain management in a variety of medical settings. Music is an element of normal life that can be easily adapted for the needs of individual patients and their current environment while providing a means for self expression and for normalizing the environment. This article examines the rationale for using music therapy with burned patients, describes several protocols that have been adapted to meet the specific needs of burned patients, and summarizes our preliminary findings, which demonstrate significant response to music therapy protocols employed on our patients.