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Music is medicine (sort of)
A meta-analysis of 81 randomized trials found music reduces anxiety and pain around surgery.
Mind & calm · 2 min read
A 2018 meta-analysis in the British Journal of Surgery pooled randomized trials (92 in the systematic review, 81 in the meta-analysis, 7,385 patients) and concluded that music interventions significantly reduce anxiety and pain in adult surgical patients.
In a randomized trial of 207 women having ambulatory breast surgery, live and recorded music did not change the amount of propofol needed to reach moderate sedation, but both reduced pre-operative anxiety compared with usual care.
How we use it: your playlist, your volume, your call. Many people choose something slow and familiar. Some choose silence. We keep headphones ready either way. See Music & Ambience.
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References
- Kuhlmann AYR, de Rooij A, Kroese LF, et al. Meta-analysis evaluating music interventions for anxiety and pain in surgery. Br J Surg. 2018;773-783. PMID 29665028
- Palmer JB, Lane D, Mayo D, et al. Effects of music therapy on anesthesia requirements and anxiety in women undergoing ambulatory breast surgery for cancer diagnosis and treatment: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Oncol. 2015;3162-3168. PMID 26282640