Have COPD? Sing and play the mouth organ!

Playing wind instruments and singing for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients has physical and psychological benefits.

Music has the ability to transcend barriers and appeal to people of cultures and languages. Nothing can match the universal allure of music. As a form of therapy, Music offers an alternate form of healing. Scientific evidence suggests that music could heal brain injuries and prove beneficial for cancer patients. Even patients of COPD and other chronic respiratory illnesses could benefit from music therapy when it is used along with their medication. Dr Vivek Anand Padegal from Fortis Hospital, Bangalore explains how music could impact the psychological and physiological well-being of COPD sufferers.

How does music help COPD patients?

When you sing or play a wind instrument like a flute or a trombone, the muscles that help with the respiratory process are employed. According to Dr Padegal, when a person with COPD plays a musical instrument or sings, the respiratory muscles of the chest, diaphragm and the major muscles between the abdomen and chest gets trained.

Even singing could prove beneficial for COPD patients because it helps them combat shortness of breath. That's because singing itself is a breathing exercise says Dr Padegal. "It requires proper posture, which promotes deep breathing," he says. Here are important things you need to know about COPD.

"Musical activities like singing and playing musical instruments help in improving the health of the COPD patients. Sometimes, it may also boost the patient's mood, given that COPD sufferers often face anxiety and depression," says Dr Padegal.

Which instrument works best?

Although it has not been entirely proven, Dr Padegal says that wind instruments help in training the muscles of the chest and diaphragm, which are important for breathing. Any wind instrument, like flute, trombone, trumpet, shehnai, bassoons, saxophones or tuba, works perfectly well, but the best according to Dr Padegal is the harmonica or the mouth organ. Apart from being less cumbersome to carry around, harmonica helps the patients get enough air in and out of the lungs. "When a patient plays harmonica, it leads to deep inhalation and exhalation. This helps in exercising and strengthening the breathing muscles, making it an effective treatment for COPD," he adds.

What are some of the physical benefits of playing musical instruments for COPD?

Since the respiratory muscles are directly involved while playing musical wind instruments, it helps COPD patients train and strengthen these muscles which helps them breathe better. That apart, it also has proven psychological benefits. Individuals with COPD experienced an improvement in the quality of their lives with reduced breathless and lesser anxiety.

What precautions should be taken?

While it may seem like a perfectly safe and fun way to treat COPD, music therapy for COPD is not without its risks. That's why Dr Padegal recommends practising it only under expert supervision and guidance. Patients shouldn't substitute it for medication and should stick to their treatment regimen. Apart from that, Dr Padegal says it is important to take care of your lifestyle. "Stay away from smoking, take care of your diet, keep yourself active by getting engaged in physical activities. This will help you maintain better fitness and overall wellbeing," adds the doctor.

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