Music Reduces Pain And Boosts Recovery From Surgery

Music is really a great healer, as both the arts and science have discovered. New British science discovers that "music during, before and after surgery reduces patients' pain, eases anxiety and lessens the need for painkillers," British scientists said on Thursday, according to abc.

After surveying 7,000 patients, scientists suggested that by choosing the music they want to hear, they can improve their surgical experience.

However, the music should not interfere with the medical team's communication during an operation. "Music is a non-invasive, safe, cheap intervention that should be available to everyone undergoing surgery," said Catherine Meads from Brunel University, who co-led the research.

The scientists went through a "meta-analysis" of the collected and "published randomised trials" that checked how the music would compare with standard care, or other non-drug aids such as massage and relaxation. The Lancet Journal results showed that patients seemed less anxious post surgery and said they felt more satisfied with music. Their need for pain medication reduced, as did pain, according to financialexpress.

Listening to music was effective, but interestingly, music before surgery gave the best results. Selection of their music also helped more.

 "We have known since the time of Florence Nightingale that listening to music has a positive impact on patients during surgery, by making them feel calmer and reducing pain," said Martin Hirsch of Queen Mary University of London, who co-led the work. "However, it's taken pulling together all the small studies ... into one robust meta-analysis to really prove it works."

Paul Glasziou of Australia's Bond University said the results held a clear message: "Music is a simple and cheap intervention," he wrote in a comment in The Lancet. "A drug with similar effects might generate substantial marketing."

The team is now planning a "pilot scheme" by exposing it at The Royal London Hospital for women undergoing Caesareans and others having hysteroscopy. Patients are expected to draw up and give a playlist on any device that would be "connected to a pillow with inbuilt loudspeakers". Later, the information can be analysed.