Incorporating Music Therapy With Acupuncture in Managing Cancer Pain at an Acupuncture Practice

Area of Science:

• Integrative oncology
• Pain management
• Complementary and alternative medicine

Background:

• Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) offers nonpharmacologic pain management options like acupuncture and music therapy.
• Limited research exists on combining acupuncture and music therapy for cancer pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of acupuncture-only therapy versus dual therapy (acupuncture and music therapy) in reducing pain intensity scores among cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• 102 participants were enrolled in a private acupuncture practice.
• One group received acupuncture only for six weeks; the other received six weeks of acupuncture and music therapy.
• Pain intensity was assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale before and after interventions.

Main Results:

• Both treatment groups demonstrated clinically and statistically significant reductions in pain intensity scores.
• No significant difference in pain reduction was observed between the acupuncture-only group and the dual therapy group.
• Both acupuncture and music therapy, individually, proved effective in managing cancer-related pain.

Conclusions:

• Acupuncture and music therapy are effective interventions for managing cancer-related pain.
• Combining acupuncture with music therapy does not yield significantly greater pain reduction compared to acupuncture alone.
• Further research may explore optimal combinations and durations of CAM therapies for cancer pain.