Research shows that Music is good for surgery

               

Researchers have called for music to be offered to all surgical patients as a ‘non-invasive, safe and cheap’ pain intervention

Listening to music before, after or during an operation reduces the pain and anxiety felt afterwards, a study has found:

Fewer painkillers are needed and patients leave hospital happier – with even those under general anaesthetic benefiting if music is played while they are on the operating table.

Researchers from Brunel University London and Queen Mary University London, looked at data from 7,000 patients in 73 trials.

Patients were asked how much pain they felt on a scale of one to ten up to 24 hours after surgery.

Those who heard music at any point reported feeling an average of two fewer ‘pain points’ than those who had not heard any music. 

They also required fewer painkillers and felt less anxious

Listening to music at any time seemed effective, but those who listened to music before surgery felt slightly better than those who listened during or after. Patients who were allowed to select their own music also felt slightly better than those who had no choice.

DM