Music could soon be part of post-operative treatment in surgeries: Study

NEW DELHI: Music could be offered as a clinical treatment to help patients recover after surgery . Any form of music has been found much more effective than standard care or other non-drug interventions in post-operative recovery in adults, says a latest study published in the international medical journal `The Lancet'.

However, the use of music in clinical care does not help reduce the hospital stay of a patient, says the study . The findings of the study show that as a non-invasive, safe and inexpensive intervention, music can be successfully used to help patients reduce pain and anxiety .

The findings were part of a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by some renowned doctors and clinicians to assess whether music improves recovery after surgical procedures.

While various studies have previously shown that music has healing powers and can be useful in providing palliative care, doctors say this is for the first time that a study showed music can aid post-operative recovery .

Doctors in India say the study provides a scientific basis and hospitals should also start playing music ac cording to patients' needs.“Music disrupts the brain's `pain-stress-pain' feedback loop by working on limbic system and altering brain's neurochemicals. Interestingly , this is wisdom of our ancestors too, relying on musical hymns and chants in difficult times,“ says Dr Anoop Misra, a leading endocrinologist and chairman of Fortis C-DOC.

Music affects different areas of brain. It helps in increasing certain chemicals which reduce pain. According to Dr Misra, though a few private hospitals in India play soft instrumental music in their out-patient departments, most doctors often feel it is not professional to do so. “This study provides strong evidence in support of efficacy of music even in post-operative care and this should encourage doctors to use it as part of their treatment methods,“ he added.

Methods of the latest study included randomised controlled trials of adult patients undergoing surgical procedures, excluding those involving the central nervous system or head and neck.

The study also included trials in which any form of music initiated before, during, or after surgery was compared with standard care or other non-drug interventions.While the choice of music, timing, and duration varied depending on clinical settings and medical teams, the comparators included routine care, headphones with no music, white noise, and undisturbed bed rest.

Findings of the study showed music not only reduced post-operative pain and anxiety but also analgesia use and increased patient satisfaction.However, length of stay did not differ, it said.Subgroup analyses showed that choice of music and timing of delivery made little difference to outcomes.