Music and healing once went hand in hand. The Chinese character for medicine includes the character for music. In the Ottoman Empire, music was used to chant, medicine and soothe pain. Native Americans and Africans used singing and chanting as part of their healing rituals.

In Western medicine, the connection was gradually broken when the art of medicine gave way to the science of medicine. It's slowly being restored as music therapists demonstrate the value of music for treating people with everything from Alzheimer's disease to chronic pain and substance abuse problems. Since 1980, researchers have turned their attention to the effects of music on the cardiovascular system. Most have looked at single variables, such as changes in blood pressure, heart rate, or blood flow through arteries.

According to studies, it appears that music has beneficial effects on the reduction of SBP, DBP, and HR in a variety of clinical settings such as the pre-operative setting and the ICU. These physiological changes may be the result of and/or aid in the relief of patient anxiety.