Abstract

Aim. The aim of this study is to determine the performance of patients with multiple sclerosis who take music therapy treatment for 6 months, from a physical and mental point of view. The purpose of this study is to identify the possible physical, but also psychological improvements that music therapy, mainly classical music, can bring in the life of patients with multiple sclerosis.
Methods. A lot of 6 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis was divided into two groups, one control and the other practicing music therapy for 6 months. The two groups of patients were designated to not differ significantly with respect to age, being between 20 and 40 years. Questionnaires regarding the mental and emotional states of the patients were performed at the beginning and at the end of the 6 months period and the result were compared.
Results. The results of the questionnaires performed before and after the melotherapy session period show a beneficial increase in the clinical symptoms of the patients and a much more improvement in the emotional and mental states of the patients. An important improvement was observed in the symptomatology of depression and anxiety in comparison to the multiple sclerosis patients that were using music therapy.
Conclusions. The findings of the effects of music therapy amongst the multiple sclerosis patients make important objectives for the multiple sclerosis patients or patients with chronic diseases to be completed. The coping mechanisms and the quality of life assured for the patients and their caregivers a healthy life from the mental point of view. For each patient diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the coping mechanisms with symptoms are still insufficiently improved, and therefore the frequency of the depression and anxiety symptoms among the multiple sclerosis patients are prevalent. Melotherapy represents a useful tool for this matter, taking into consideration it’s feasibility and applicability for the era that we live in.

Key words: Anxiety, depression, quality of life, melotherapy, multiple sclerosis.