The concept of music as medicine is not new—ancient civilizations used music for healing—but it's gaining renewed legitimacy through modern science. In I Heard There Was a Secret Chord, Daniel Levitin highlights that listening to music you enjoy triggers the release of the brain’s natural opioids - offering a pain relieving effect. In addition to controlled studies that show that specifically designed “positive” music increased a key immune-system antibody known as Salivary IgA by 55%.
Beyond just pain relief, the application of music in health care spreads wide and deep, however, the integration of music into the U.S. healthcare system remains undersupported—modalities like music therapy are often excluded from insurance coverage and considered “out-of-network,” limiting access. In fact, only 20% of U.S. music therapists receive insurance reimbursements. ~ Kristin Westcott Grant