Listening to music improves recovery after surgery says large review in leading journal

Listening to music before, during or after a surgical procedure is beneficial and can significantly reduce pain and anxiety, and decrease the need for pain medication, according to the most comprehensive review of the evidence so far, involving almost 7,000 people, published in The Lancet.

A team of UK researchers reviewed all published randomised trials examining the impact of music compared with standard care or other non-drug interventions on recovery after operations in adults. They looked at 72 trials involving nearly 7,000 people and found that people who listened to music were:

• Less anxious after surgery and reported more satisfaction;
• Needed less pain medication and reported less pain.

Listening to music at any time was effective but there was a trend for better outcomes if people listened to music before surgery rather than during or after.

When people selected their own music there was a slightly greater (but non-significant) reduction in pain and use of pain relief. Even listening to music while under general anaesthetic reduced levels of pain but the effects were larger when people were conscious. But music did not reduce length of hospital stay.

“More than 51 million operations are performed every year in the USA and around 4.6 million in England,” says lead author, Dr Catherine Meads. “Music is a non-invasive, safe, cheap intervention that should be available to everyone undergoing surgery. Patients should be allowed to choose the type of music they would like to hear to maximise the benefit to their wellbeing. However, care needs to be taken that music does not interfere with the medical team’s communication.”

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