Music Therapy Using Heart Rate-Synchronized Motor Imagery for Treating Pain and Improving Well-being in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis

What this Trial Is About

Multiple sclerosis MS is a chronic, progressive neurological condition affecting the central nervous system, often diagnosed in young adults aged 20 to 30. Pain is a common and challenging symptom in MS, impacting fatigue, mood, sleep, quality of life, and cognitive functions. This research evaluates the effects of telerehabilitation-based music therapy synchronized with heart rate on pain and related symptoms in people with MS compared to those continuing their routine treatments. Participants will be divided into three groups one group will practice motor imagery training by visualizing movements synchronized with their heart rate through a metronome sound the second group will listen to relaxing, lyric-free music matched to their heart rate rhythm the third group will continue their usual treatment without additional intervention. The music therapy sessions will be delivered via videoconferencing twice weekly for eight weeks under physiotherapist guidance, with heart rate monitored throughout. Evaluations will occur before treatment, after eight weeks, and at a twelve-week follow-up. During the study, participants pain intensity, neuropathic pain presence, fatigue, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, quality of life, information processing speed, and autonomic function through heart rate variability will be assessed. These assessments include validated questionnaires and the Visual Analog Scale for pain. The study will last twelve weeks, including treatment and follow-up, providing insights into the combined effects of motor imagery and music therapy on chronic pain and psychosocial factors in MS.

Effect of Music Therapy on Pain in People With Multiple Sclerosis