Among other things, Apollo is the Greek god of medicine and music. Maybe the Greeks were onto something with this particular designation. Throughout the history of medicine, it has been thought that music has a significant influence on health. Ideas about music therapy have been traced back as far as to the writings of Plato and Aristotle. This week, a review article from researchers at Brunel University in the United Kingdom found that music significantly reduced patients’ pain and anxiety levels before, during, and post-surgery.
The researchers compiled data from over 70 clinical studies, encompassing about 7000 patients undergoing all types of surgical procedures except central nervous system, head, or neck surgeries. Compared to headphones with no music, routine care, white noise, or no music, patients who listened to music post-operation had reduced pain and anxiety levels by an equivalent of two points less on a ten-point scale. While patients’ time of stay in the hospital post-operation did not change, the use of painkillers was reduced for patients who listened to music. The most effective type of music appeared to be whatever the patient chose.
Image Source: John Moore
Interestingly, patients who had surgery with music playing also showed improved post-operative recovery, even when patients were under a general anesthetic. The researchers say that these findings add to other studies showing that people on ventilators during surgery show reduced respiration and pulse rate when music was being played. The researchers conjecture that listening to familiar music in an unfamiliar place, such as a hospital, can make one feel more comfortable and relaxed, translating to reduced anxiety and greater pain relief. Further research hopes to find the mechanism by which music is affecting our physiological responses, and whether the style of music, volume, duration, and tempo play a role in the modulation of these responses.
This research raises interesting questions about how hospitals can try to implement music into standard operating procedures and day-to-day care. If the surgeon is a Mozart connoisseur, but the patient is a Dr. Dre hip-hop head, whose playlist wins out?
Feature Image Source: Black and White by StudioTempura
