Alzheimer disease patients can practice singing to improve or lessen their memory loss. If they were able to learn to play a musical instrument, this would further help in their rehabilitation. Learning to play music increases spatial-temporal reasoning, which means it increases the person's capability in making plans, managing time and thus coping better with life. Music stimulates brain activity. Music's rhythm activates the brain's motor system to synchronize movement in otherwise frozen limbs of Parkinson's and stroke patients.
Music literally becomes the moving force in physical rehabilitation.
Music reduces pain in terminal cancer patients by increasing the endorphins, which are the body's natural pain relievers. Music may not be able to battle cancer but it can make the difference between dying in dignity or dying in agony. Most pain killers will cause the patient to become comatose and unresponsive to relatives maintaining the bedside vigil. The very brave can try to go all the way with music and avoid anesthetics in natural childbirth. Children with disabilities learn to overcome their difficulties with the help of music therapy.