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Context: Throughout time, people have loved music for its ability to transport them into a world of rhythm and melody. Recently more and more hospitals and clinics have been _ the power of music -not only to comfort patients, but to help cure them as well. Welcome to the world of music therapy . 

After each of the two world wars, musicians visited hospitals and played instruments for injured soldiers suffering from emotional and physical pain. Today's music therapists continue this practice, playing instruments such as guitars and harps to bring comfort to their audiences. 

Therapist Eric Mammen encourages his patients at a children's hospital to participate with him as he plays. During visits with 13-year-old cancer patient Lawrence Garcia, Mammen encourages Garcia to beat on electric drums while he plays the guitar. The therapy won't cure his cancer, but it does, according to Garcia's mom, take away much of the boy's depression . 

Music therapy can put patients in better moods and ease the symptoms of depression according to the American Music Therapy Association. Other benefits include relieving pain, calming tension, aiding sleep, reducing worry or fear, and easing muscle tension. 

Jose Haro personally experienced the benefits of music therapy when he was recovering from heart surgery. During his recovery, he played a piano whose keys lit up, indicating which keys to touch to play along with the background music. Soon he was playing tunes and noticing something strange. "I was searching for my pain." He says of his experience, "but it was gone." 

While Haro's experience provides an evidence of the power of music to relieve pain, scientific research has proven music also helps patients with Alzheimer's disease and arthritis. 

In addition, music therapy helps premature babies. Doctors are tapping into a powerful way to teach premature babies that haven't yet learned how to suck. Doctors use a device that comforts the babies by playing music when they suck on a pacifier . Soon the babies learn to suck in return for music, gaining weight faster and going home earlier than those who do not use the device. 

Even perfectly healthy people are discovering the power of music to calm and heal. Drum circles attract people who find stress relief in beating out rhythms. While music is not a cure-all, it does make life a little easier.
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What profession is Eric Mammen in?
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Therapist
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Who does he encourage?
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patients at a children's hospital
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What does he encourage them to do with him?
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play instruments
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How old is Lawrence Garcia?
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13
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What's he dying of?
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cancer
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What's Mammen encourage him to beat?
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electric drums
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Will it cure his cancer?
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no
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What will it do, though?
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help his depression
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According to whom?
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Garcia's mom
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So music therapy makes people happier or sadder?
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happier
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What is another benefit of music therapy?
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relieving pain
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What's another one?
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calming tension
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Can you name one more?
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aiding sleep
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Who personally experienced such benefits?
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Jose Haro
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What was he recovering from?
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heart surgery
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What instrument did he play?
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piano
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What did he search for, because it was now gone?
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pain
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After what wars did musicians start visiting hospitals?
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WWI and WWII
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Who were they playing for, then?
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injured soldiers suffering from emotional and physical pain
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What world does music transport someone to?
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the world of music therapy