Art that cures. The power of interventions based on music, painting, writing and movies to relieve physical and mental pain

The irruption of illness into a person’s life is an overwhelming event that affects individuals and families at all levels. Therapies based on art have been used for decades, and in some cases for millennia. These powerful tools share the ability, at least, to make patients more aware of their emotions and more capable of expressing them; to facilitate communication and relationships with family members and caregivers; to alleviate distress and pain and to bolster resilience and mind-body integration. A wide range of art therapies is currently available to support psychological and pharmacological treatments. This article describes a number of interventions based on music, painting, writing and movies and some of their earliest applications, which is some cases date back to the ancient Greek world, thus highlighting the remarkably long shared history of art and medicine.