The Effect of Music Therapy on Postoperative Pain, Heart Rate, Systolic Blood Pressures and Analgesic Use Following Nasal Surgery

Journal

Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy

Year

2005

Abstract

The prevalence of unrelieved postoperative pain is high and may lead to adverse effects including prolonged hospitalization and delayed recovery. Distraction may be an effective pain-relieving strategy, and can be implemented by several means including affective imaging, games, and possibly music. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of music therapy on postoperative pain. Fifty-seven patients (24 females, 33 males; mean +/- SD age 39.9 +/- 14.35 years [range 15 to 69 years] were matched for age and sex and then nonselectively assigned to either an experimental (n = 27) or a control (n = 30) group. Music was played intermittently to members of the experimental group during the first 24 hour postoperative period. Pain intensity was measured using the Pain Verbal Rating Scales (VRS). Significant decreases in pain intensity over time were found in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.0001). In addition, the experimental group had a lower systolic blood pressure and heart rate, and took fewer oral analgesics for pain. These findings suggest that music therapy is an effective nonpharmacologic approach for postoperative pain management.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Adolescents; Adverse Effects; Analgesic Intake; Blood Pressure; Elderly; Heart Rate; Hospital Length of Stay; Hospital Setting; Medication Use; Music Listening; Music Medicine; Music as Distraction; Pain; Pain Management and Control; Pain Score or Rating; Pain Severity; Postoperative Pain; Postoperative Patients; Recovery Time; Self-Report Measures; Surgery; Surgical Patients; Vital signs

Indexed Terms

Acetaminophen; Adolescents; Elderly; Analgesia; Analgesics; Blood Pressure; Diclofenac; Heart Rate; Nose; Otorhinolaryngologic Surgical Procedures; Pain Measurement; Postoperative Pain

Study Type

Randomized Controlled Trial; Quantitative Methods

PubMed ID

16219608

Document Type

Article

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