Music-based treatments and pain

10 Jan Music-based treatments and pain

Researchers have discovered that music may help people manage their pain, but they don’t know why it helps. The purpose of this study is to find out how music-based treatments change brain wave activity, and how these changes may explain how these types of treatments improve chronic low back pain. The findings of this research study may help improve the overall effectiveness of music-based treatments and other similar treatments besides pain medications.

Participation in this study will last two days and involve the following activities:

• Answering basic questions about yourself, including your age, sex, race and pain
  history (10 minutes)
• Answering questions about your pain, mood, and sleep quality right before the
  treatment session (5 minutes)
• Participating in one 20-minute session of music-based treatment at the University
  of Washington (UW) Integrated Brain Imaging Center (IBIC). Five minutes before
  and during the treatment session we will measure your brain activity by using an
  electroencephalogram (EEG), a device that measures the electrical activity in the
  brain through electrodes put on the scalp
• Answering questions about your overall experience during the treatment session
  (5 minutes)
• Answering questions about your pain, mood, and sleep quality via telephone about
  24 hours after your treatment session (10 minutes)

You may find the treatment session relaxing. You might not experience any benefit from being in the study, however:

• You may find answering questions about your mood uncomfortable.
• You may find sitting for the entire treatment session uncomfortable.
• You may experience some discomfort or pain while wearing the electrode net on your head.

Participant Eligibility

Participants must be 18 years of age
Able to speak, read and write in English
Able to come to the UWMC IBIC lab in Seattle for 1 session
If Healthy volunteer, must not have any pain
Does not have a health condition associated with central nervous system damage (e.g., epilepsy, traumatic head injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s)

Contact

Ai Vy Nguyen
(206) 616-9513