Music Therapy And Labor Pain
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Pregnancy is a time of intensive physical and psychological changes, and is accompanied by a high level of anxiety. The anxiety gets intensified when the time of labor approaches.
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Anxiety and stress, as indicated by physicians, can negatively impact the progress of labor and increase the risk of obstetrical complications. Relaxation can help to relieve pain, stress, and anxiety to a great extent.
Of late, there has been an increase in the demand for non-invasive non-threatening and non-pharmacological alternatives for pain-management and anxiety management during labor, and delivery. Music therapy is becoming increasingly popular as a tool for providing the much needed relaxation to women at the time of labor and delivery. Apart from music therapy, other relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing are also considered very effective in providing relaxation to women at the time of labor and delivery.
Music therapy has been in existence for many years now and there are evidences which clearly indicate that when used along with conventional treatment, music therapy can help to relieve anxiety, stress and pain. Music therapy is also found to be effective in regulating the heart beat, blood pressure, and breathing rate, which are very crucial at the time of labor and delivery.
In some modern hospitals which believe in the power of noninvasive pain management techniques, music therapy is administered by trained music therapists. The therapy sessions are commenced soon after the patient is brought in for delivery. Music therapy is administered before, during, and sometimes, even after the birth of the child.
The music therapy helps provide rhythmic breathing, by easing out the stress and helps the mothers in relaxing. When the mother focuses her complete attention on the music, her mind gets diverted from the pain and suffering that she is undergoing. During delivery, music helps the mother to concentrate, relax, and breathe rhythmically and divert the mind from focusing on the pain being experienced by her. Not only this, music assisted relaxation sessions and music therapy have also been proven to reduce anxiety and provide alternative coping strategies for high-risk hospitalized mothers who have been diagnosed with obstetrical complications.
Apart from these aspects, music therapy has also been proved to be extremely beneficial for post-operative obstetric and gynecological patients. The use of music and relaxation techniques soon after the delivery has been proved to reduce the extent of pain and consequently, the dosage of pain-control medication required by the mothers.
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