Can music therapy reduce postoperative pain?

How much does music therapy actually reduce pain?

The strongest evidence comes from a 2023 meta-analysis that combined 19 randomized controlled trials with 1,803 patients. It found that music therapy lowered postoperative pain scores by a standardized mean difference of -0.90, which is a moderate-to-large effect [1]. To put that in everyday terms, it's roughly equivalent to the difference between moderate and mild pain on a 10-point scale. The same analysis also showed that music reduced anxiety, blood pressure, and heart rate on the first day after surgery [1].

Individual studies back this up with concrete numbers. In a 2025 trial of 80 patients undergoing septorhinoplasty (nose surgery), the music group reported an average pain score of 0.8 on a 10-point scale, while the control group scored 1.87 — a statistically significant difference [2]. Similarly, a 2022 study of 60 abdominal surgery patients found that those who listened to music had a mean pain score of 4.40 versus 5.93 in the control group [8]. These differences may seem small, but they translate to real relief and less need for rescue pain medication.

Does music therapy work for all types of surgery and patients?

The evidence is broad but not universal. Music therapy has been shown to reduce pain after a wide range of procedures: oral cancer surgery [3], gynecological laparoscopy [9], hip fracture repair [6], and even in children after surgery [4]. In a 2025 study of 106 oral cancer patients, those who received music therapy had significantly lower pain scores and used less analgesic medication by postoperative day 7 [3]. Another 2023 study of 82 gynecological laparoscopy patients found that intraoperative music improved overall recovery quality and reduced pain at 36 hours after surgery [9].

However, the effect is not always dramatic. A 2022 study of 40 men after robotic prostatectomy found that music therapy did not reduce inpatient narcotic use, though it did lead to a 26% reduction in pain medication use after discharge [7]. And in a 2021 study of 117 hernia surgery patients, music reduced anxiety but did not lower pain scores [5]. So while music therapy consistently helps with anxiety and often with pain, its pain-relieving effect may be more pronounced in certain surgeries or when combined with other non-drug approaches.

What kind of music works best, and how should it be delivered?

The research suggests that patient-preferred music may be more effective than generic selections. A 2021 study found that letting patients choose their favorite music preoperatively reduced anxiety and improved satisfaction, though it didn't lower pain scores [5]. In contrast, a 2025 animal study using classical music in rats showed reduced postoperative pain scores, while fast-tempo music did not [10]. This hints that tempo and genre matter, but human studies haven't yet pinned down the optimal playlist.

Delivery also matters. Most effective protocols involve at least 15-30 minutes of music, often through headphones, starting before or immediately after surgery. A 2022 study in children compared music to playing with Lego and found that Lego was actually more effective at reducing pain [4]. This suggests that distraction itself is key — music is one good option, but active engagement (like playing) may work even better. For adults, music therapy is typically used as an add-on to standard pain medications, not a replacement.

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