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SAN FRANCISCO — Have you ever felt the stress melt away while listening to your favorite song? Well, it turns out that music might do more than just lift your spirits – it could actually help you recover faster after surgery.
A new study presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2024 in San Francisco suggests that simply pressing play on your favorite playlist could be a game-changer for post-surgery recovery. Researchers from California Northstate University College of Medicine dove into the world of music and medicine, analyzing a whopping 3,736 studies before narrowing it down to 35 solid research papers. What they found might just make you want to pack your headphones for your next hospital stay.
It turns out that patients who listened to music after surgery experienced some pretty impressive benefits. Let’s break down the results:
Less Pain, More Gain
Remember that awful post-surgery pain that makes you want to curl up and hide? Well, music might be your new best friend. Patients who tuned in reported feeling significantly less pain the day after surgery. We’re talking about a 19% reduction on one pain scale and a 7% reduction on another. That’s nothing to scoff at when you’re trying to get back on your feet!
Anxiety? Not Today!
Hospitals can be scary places, especially when you’re recovering from surgery. Here’s where music works its magic again. Patients who listened to tunes reported feeling less anxious overall. While a 3% reduction in anxiety might not sound like much, every little bit helps when you’re trying to heal.
Opioid Use Takes a Nosedive
Patients who listened to music used less than half the amount of morphine compared to those who didn’t on the first day after surgery. That’s a big deal, especially considering the ongoing concerns about opioid use in healthcare.
Heart Rate Harmony
Your ticker gets in on the action too. Music listeners experienced about 4.5 fewer heartbeats per minute compared to non-listeners. Why does this matter? A steady, calm heart rate helps your body circulate oxygen and nutrients more effectively, which is crucial for healing. Plus, it reduces the risk of scary complications like abnormal heart rhythms.
“When patients wake up after surgery, sometimes they feel really scared and don’t know where they are. Music can help ease the transition from the waking up stage to a return to normalcy and may help reduce stress around that transition,” explains Dr. Eldo Frezza, a professor of surgery and senior author of the study, in a media release.
Patients who listened to music reported feeling significantly less pain the day after surgery. (Photo by Alex Negroe from Pexels)
What makes music such a powerful healing tool?
For starters, it’s incredibly easy to use. Unlike other therapies that might require concentration or movement, listening to music is a passive experience. You don’t need special training or equipment – just pop in your earbuds or turn on a speaker, and you’re good to go.
“Although we can’t specifically say they’re in less pain, the studies revealed that patients perceive they are in less pain, and we think that is just as important. When listening to music, you can disassociate and relax. In that way, there’s not much you have to do or focus on, and you can calm yourself down,” says Shehzaib Raees, the study’s first author and a medical student.
The science behind this musical medicine isn’t fully understood yet, but researchers think it might have something to do with cortisol levels. Cortisol is often called the “stress hormone,” and music might help keep those levels in check, easing your body’s stress response and helping you heal.
Now, before you start curating the perfect post-surgery playlist, keep in mind that this study looked at existing research and couldn’t control for all variables, like how long patients listened to music. But don’t let that stop you from giving it a try.
“We’re not trying to say that one type of music is better than another. We think music can help people in different ways after surgery because music can be comforting and make you feel like you’re in a familiar place,” Dr. Frezza advises.
So, whether you’re a classical connoisseur, a rock enthusiast, or a pop fanatic, your favorite tunes might just be the prescription you need for a smoother recovery. Next time you’re facing surgery, consider adding “pack headphones” to your hospital bag checklist. It could be the easiest and most enjoyable way to boost your healing process.
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