Music is far from being simple entertainment. The scientific community has understood this and is increasingly interested in the benefits of the fourth art, particularly in terms of pain management. Listening to music after surgery could be a simple way to soothe patients' pain.
A research team at the University of California Northstate, led by Dr. Eldo Frezza, came to this conclusion after analyzing the findings of 35 studies on the impact of music on pain, anxiety, heart rate, and morphine consumption after surgery. Each of these studies involved, on average, about 100 people who had just undergone abdominal or bone surgery.
Half of the volunteers listened to pieces from various musical genres after their surgery. Listening time varied from study to study, with some patients listening to music for half an hour and others throughout their hospitalization. The participants in the control group did not listen to music following their surgery.
The results speak for themselves: music seems to reduce the level of pain felt by patients by about 20% on average. Volunteers who listened to music during their hospital stay also needed half as much morphine as those who did not, according to New Scientist magazine, which shares the findings of the study.
In addition, the researchers also found that music significantly soothes patients after their surgery. It lowers their heart rate by 4.5 beats per minute and reduces their anxiety levels by 2.5 points on a scale of 20 to 80.
All these virtues are linked to the fact that the brain can secrete neurotransmitters such as serotonin or dopamine when listening to a pleasant song. Indeed, many studies have shown that music has multiple positive effects. Each of us can experience it on a daily basis, by listening to this or that track to divert our attention from the negative emotions we may feel.
The medical profession has understood this and is increasingly using music to relieve patients during certain operations and therapeutic procedures, or during childbirth. Surprisingly, "great music" - that is, classical music - is not necessarily the most effective. You need to listen to a song that is dear to you to counteract the pain you may feel after surgery.