Music eases pain after surgery, study reveals

Listening to music before, after and even during surgery reduces anxiety and the need for painkillers, according to a comprehensive study published on  Wednesday reports AFP from Paris.
In a review of more than 70 clinical trials involving nearly 7,000 patients, researchers found music to be a powerful analgesic under almost all circumstances. On a scale of one to 10, post-operative pain was reduced on average by about a fifth compared to standard treatment, said lead author Catherine Meads of Brunel University in Uxbridge, England. “If you imagine a 10-centimetre (four-inch) line where at zero you have no pain and at 10 it is the worst pain imaginable, the impact of music was to shift the pain you feel two centimetres towards zero,” she told AFP by email.
According to the study, the benefits held true regardless of the kind of music or who selected it. The sampling also covered all types of procedures except surgery on the brain or central nervous system. Surprisingly, even listening to music under general anaesthetic resulted in feeling less pain, though the effects were larger when patients were conscious during an operation.
“Currently music is not used routinely during surgery to help patients in their post-operative recovery,” Meads said in a statement, pointing to widespread scepticism among health professionals. “We hope this study will now shift misperceptions and highlight the positive impact music can have.” The link between music and healing has a long history. The ancient Greek philosopher—and musician—Pythagoras practised “musical medicine,” favouring stringed instruments. Today, music therapy is an established field, with thousands of practitioners and its own academic literature, including the Journal of Music Therapy, published by Oxford University Press.

Music eases pain after surgery, study reveals

Listening to music before, after and even during surgery reduces anxiety and the need for painkillers, according to a comprehensive study published on Wednesday reports AFP from Paris. In a review of more than 70 clinical trials involving nearly 7,000 patients, researchers found music to be a powerful analgesic under almost all circumstances. On a scale of one to 10, post-operative pain was reduced on average by about a fifth compared to standard treatment, said lead author Catherine Meads of Brunel University in Uxbridge, England. If you imagine a 10-centimetre (four-inch) line where at zero you have no pain and at 10 it is the worst pain imaginable, the impact of music was to shift the pain you feel two centimetres towards zero, she told AFP by email. According to the study, the benefits held true regardless of the kind of music or who selected it. The sampling also covered all types of procedures except surgery on the brain or central nervous system. Surprisingly, even listening to music under general anaesthetic resulted in feeling less pain, though the effects were larger when patients were conscious during an operation. Currently music is not used routinely during surgery to help patients in their post-operative recovery, Meads said in a statement, pointing to widespread scepticism among health professionals. We hope this study will now shift misperceptions and highlight the positive impact music can have. The link between music and healing has a long history. The ancient Greek philosopherand musicianPythagoras practised musical medicine, favouring stringed instruments. Today, music therapy is an established field, with thousands of practitioners and its own academic literature, including the Journal of Music Therapy, published by Oxford University Press.