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If you are going into hospital for an operation, don’t forget your iPod. Patients having surgery should be played music because it reduces pain and helps recovery, a study suggests: and the effect is better if the tunes are favourites.
The study from Queen Mary University of London, which involved 7,000 patients, also found patients experienced a lesser degree of pain after the operation.
“Music is non-invasive, safe, cheap intervention that should be available to everyone undergoing surgery,” said Dr Catherine Meads, from Brunel University who led the team, according to Reuters.
In a statement on the university’s website, she said “the lack of uptake [was] often down to the scepticism of professionals as to whether this genuinely works”.
“We hope this study will now shift misperceptions and highlight the positive impact music can have.”
The study compared the effect of listening to music with factors such as routine care, headphones with no music, white noise and undisturbed bed rest. Patients even benefited from listening to music while they were under general anaesthetic, according to the research published today in The Lancet.
Jenny Hole, a co-author and medical student, said: “Patients should be able to choose the type of music, and timing and delivery may be adapted to different settings depending on medical requirements and teams involved.”
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said doctorsshould take note of the findings.
“This is very interesting research. We hope doctors consider the findings closely, because we want patients to have the best experience and recovery possible when they undergo surgery.”
However, the scientists warned that the music should not interfere with hinder communication between the medical team.
Earlier this month, research from the National Journals of Nurses found that listening to music, particularly drum and bass, during procedures could made it more difficult to concentrate and hear instructions.
Agencies/Canadajournal
