Project
Together, a team of researchers, clinicians and people with chronic pain, are developing a music therapy programme for people with chronic pain in Ireland. We offer individual and group music therapy to explore how music and music therapy might help adults with chronic pain. Devising a protocol for working in this way and publishing research in this area is important as this is a very underdeveloped area of work in Ireland. Together we have created international livestreamed events to share information, raise awareness, and train clinicians, music professionals, and members of the public, particularly members of Chronic Pain Ireland, our partner. Our aim is to develop music therapy services that are useful and practical for people living with pain, and to be an international leader in research in this area.
The field of music, music therapy, and chronic pain is well developed in the USA but under researched in Ireland and Europe. Evidence of the benefit of music in reducing pain is scarce and often has poor rigour. This project addresses that gap in knowledge with a collaborative project designed to investigate the connections between music therapy and pain research. Combining UL expertise in Music and Health research with insights and advice from organisations and individuals affected by chronic pain, we have established ourselves as a major centre for music therapy and pain research in Ireland and Europe. Much of the project is focused on increasing awareness and knowledge regarding the potential role of music as part of 'social prescribing' which is increasingly being adopted by doctors, but not well advanced in the Irish medical profession.
• Professor Dominic Harmon, Consultant Anaesthetist and his team at University Hospital Limerick • Chronic Pain Ireland • Music therapy department at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, UL • Health Research Institute, UL • Aging Research Cluster, UL • Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapies • International Special Interest Group of the International Association of Music and Medicine
Every stage of this research is evaluated. Service users from Chronic Pain Ireland (CPI) had the opportunity to participate and review an eight-week programme of individual music therapy and a twelve-week online group. A full evaluation of participants’ experiences has been conducted using qualitative and quantitative methodologies and papers are in press reporting results. Continual engagement with Chronic Pain Ireland members (PPI) is ongoing to ensure research is relevant. Publications are in both academic journals and other print media.