Belting out a few tunes by Elvis or the Beatles may reduce symptoms in patients with COPD or interstitial lung disease, a small study has found. 

Those who took part in group singing sessions achieved higher scores on a quality-of-life index, including physical limitation scores and symptom relief, than those given usual care, according to the Monash University findings.

In the study of 101 patients, 64 had COPD and 37 had interstitial lung disease. 

Half were allocated to an online group singing session, delivered and devised by a music therapist over Zoom once a week for 12 weeks; the other half were allocated to usual care.