Music reduces pain during surgery (except heavy metal)

[Domeniss]

Patients who wear headphones with music before, during and after an operation require less heavy, addictive pain medication than people who are operated on without hearing music. This is according to research from the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam.

 

The researchers at the university medical center examined the results of 55 previously conducted studies. Some participants in these studies received headphones with music before, during and after the procedure. Others did not hear any music.

It turned out that after surgery, the group that heard music needed much less addictive pain medication, the so-called opioid, than people who received the same operation without music. Patients also needed less of the anesthetic propofol and the muscle relaxant midazolam during the procedure.

"Music has an effect on our physiological system via the brain, so in the body," explains the leader of the research group Music as Medicine, Hans Jeekel, on the Erasmus MC site. 'Among other things, the stress response, the immune system, the immune system and the hormone balance. How it works exactly is not yet known, but it clearly reduces the pain, anxiety and stress. The effect of music in the brain is being further investigated. "

 

Heavy metal

 

The researchers also discovered that the favorable effect is not achieved with some types of music. Jeekel chose Chopin Fantasie-Impromptu when he needed surgery. Heavy metal does not seem to work and a certain type of hard rock either. Jeekel: 'There are indications that the music must meet certain conditions. There must be a certain rhythm that fits in with the heart rhythm, there must be harmonies and pauses. That is not in some music. Then it doesn't work well. "

Music is now being introduced as a treatment in a number of departments at Erasmus MC. "A new treatment with music that gives no side effects, costs virtually no money, but will save money," said Jeekel.

 

The study is published in the surgical journal Annals of Surgery.

 

 

 

[Ralf11]

I listened to Coltrane during an MRI once

[John Dyson]

I just might believe that it is true (about music helping with pain.)   i am working on something right now, and need to listen to music that is generally 'pleasant' to me.  Even when I am not concentrating, the severe tongue lesion that I have is much less distracting (some kind of auto-immune issue.)  The pain is severe -- even with Ibu/Tylenol & Narcotic -- yet the music tends to make it go away to some extent.  I don't get into 'metaphysical' kinds of things -- but there is *something* valid about music helping with pain -- at least in my case. (And yes, I have recently lost 34lbs, 10lbs in the last month -- tongue pain is no-joke.)

 

John

[esldude]

Maybe it explains the connection between narcotics and heavy metal/hard rock.