In this week’s column, UTMB’s Dr. Victor Sierpina writes about the benefits of music, the universal language that speaks to all people and all ages and is part of every healing tradition. Research on music therapy has found that music chosen for an intervention, be it for pain relief, reduction of anxiety or suppression of stress hormones, is most effective when the person being tested chooses the music. It seems that hip-hop, classical, country western, new age, opera, or rock-and-roll all can be effective.