“Music was my first love and it will be my last…” Do you remember that John Miles song from the 1970s?
Today, 26th September 2019, is BBC Music Day: “the UK wide, annual celebration of the power of music to change lives” – something dear and near to my heart.
From an early age I realised that music has the power to soothe pain – my parents brought me up to listen to classical music rather than pop, so for me – suffering from 6 years of relentless headaches in my childhood (until at 13 I discovered the osteopathy that changed my life, and quite possibly saved it) – it was the slow movement of Winter, from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons that calmed my pain.
Later, when I was 22 and in hospital for 6 weeks with multiple spinal fractures recovering from a nasty car accident, a friend made me up a cassette for my Walkman with Beethoven’s Spring Sonata and even now when I hear that opening phrase I can feel my shoulders ease and relax…
And then when I was 44 and going through my tests and treatment for breast cancer I had a surprising reaction. Anything with words was simply too emotional for me to cope with: – from the banalest of pop songs to high opera, from get-down-and-boogie disco music (my tastes had broadened quite a bit by now!) to sacred renaissance polyphony, from folk to jazz – Anything with words simply dissolved me into tears.
And yet I knew that I needed music, and what soothed me was baroque music – its sense of order reassured my world of physical and emotional chaos.
Several years ago, as an exercise for Lent, I decided to give up listening to music – until I became physically ill… I then modified that to not having background music on, but to actually sit and really LISTEN to some music every day. Health was swiftly restored! A powerful lesson for me to learn.
One of my older patients, riddled with arthritis and a devout church goer, is inclined to depression. Something which I have recommended to her over the years, especially if she is unable to get to church services, is to sing along with one of her CDs of hymns – this always helps her to feel a bit better: both the action of deep breathing, as well as singing familiar and much loved tunes and words.
Indeed this sense of familiarity is also a powerful part of music’s appeal – remember in your teens listening to the same record, the same album, again and again and again?
Or hearing a busker play your favourite song…?
Singing is such a powerful thing we can do, whether or not we can ‘sing’ – it is a powerful emotional release, and physically it gets the diaphragm pumping. I often recommend it to my patients, whether singing while being a domestic goddess (or god), or while driving – or even seek out a choir to join: from community choirs to Rock Choir, church, classical or gospel. You turn up to choir practice feeling really tired, and leave feeling pumped and energised. Wonderful stuff!
What has music meant to you in your life?
I am fascinated by the effects that chronic pain can have on our mood and comfort, and have treated thousands of patients, including scores of musicians, and hundreds of stressed men and women.
If you live or work in or near Baldock in North Hertfordshire, or Bromley in South East London, and would like to have a chat about how osteopathy might be able to help you, then do get in touch: text me on 07535 350 343. I may be with a patient, so a text is best, and I can call you back.