Listening to Music During Surgery Helps Reduce Need For Drugs, A Study Claims

Music has always been a mood booster for millions of people in high-pressure times. Whether you feel stressed, low, or are dealing with any mental health disorders, music has always been deemed to play a helpful role in your health. Adding to that, a recent study has now shown that playing instrumental music during surgery reduces anaesthesia requirements and improves recovery.

A study conducted jointly by Lok Nayak Hospital and Maulana Azad Medical College presents strong evidence that listening to music during general anaesthesia reduces drug requirement in a modest but effective way.

To discuss more about how music impacts the patients during surgery and to what extent this works, the editorial team of Onlymyhealth spoke to Dr Ramachandra K, Lead Consultant - Anesthesiology, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru.

What the Study Says

The study, published in the Journal Music and Medicine, was conducted on patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery, a standard operation done to remove the gallbladder. It took place between March 2023 and January 2025, involving around 60 patients aged between 18 and 65 years.

The human body responds to surgeries in a very complex way. Each body has a different kind of reaction and ability to undergo the operation, resulting in different recovery patterns.

For most of the aforementioned surgeries, Propofol is given, which helps reduce the consciousness of the patients. The effect of this sedative agent lasts for an hour, and around five to six drugs are used together to keep the patient asleep and block the pain. According to this study, if music is played in the background, it reduces the requirement of anaesthesia and also supports recovery, leading to early discharge of the patient.

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What the Anaesthetist Says

Dr Ramachandra K reacted positively to the experiment, saying, “Music does impact the amount of anaesthesia drugs needed during surgery. Music can effectively reduce anxiety before an operation and pain after the surgery, eventually reducing the use of sedatives and opioids.”

As Dr Ramachandra stated, music acts as a non-medical intervention that not just enhances a patient's comfort but also decreases reliance on medication. This helps in speedy recovery and improves the overall medical experience.

Talking about how long music should be played for its positive impact on the patient’s mind, Dr Ramachandra said, “For the greatest effect in pain relief and drug reduction, music should be played starting 15 to 30 minutes before surgery, if possible during the operation, and for a few minutes after the operation when the patient starts gaining senses.” Dr Ramachandra also underlined that the result may vary person to person, and one should not take it as some magic therapy.

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Bottomline

While music does play a role in a patient's recovery, reducing the usual quantity that is required to keep a patient unconscious, it might not work for everyone. Also, the extent and dose reduction can vary from person to person. The doctor highlights that what type of music a particular patient likes, genre selection, and volume significantly impact recovery experiences, making it essential for doctors to consider these factors in their surgical care approach.