Music could help ease pain from surgery or illness: scientists

Salaysay helps patients manage post-surgery pain by offering live music alongside conventional medication. His repertoire ranges from English and Spanish folk songs to classical pieces such as Minuet in G Major and movie classics like Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Patients often respond with smiles, nods, or even improved vital signs such as lower heart rate and blood pressure. Some have reported needing fewer painkillers.

“There’s often a cycle of worry, pain and anxiety in hospitals,” Salaysay said. “But you can help break that cycle with music.”

Salaysay’s approach is part of a growing trend. Over the past two decades, hospitals and clinics have increasingly introduced both live and recorded music as studies continue to explore how melodies may help ease pain.

Scientists examine how music influences pain

While the healing power of music feels instinctive, research into what scientists call music-induced analgesia — the ability of music to reduce pain — is only beginning to catch up.

No one suggests that a song can completely erase severe pain. But several recent studies, including in the journals Pain and Scientific Reports, indicate that listening to music can lower the perception of pain or increase pain tolerance.

The key, researchers say, is allowing patients or their families to choose the music and to listen actively — not just as background noise.

How music alters pain perception

“Pain is a really complex experience,” said Adam Hanley, a psychologist at Florida State University. “It’s not just a physical sensation, but also shaped by our thoughts and emotions.”

Two people with the same injury can experience pain very differently — and even the same person can feel varying levels of pain on different days.

Acute pain occurs when the brain processes short-term signals from the body, such as touching a hot stove. Chronic pain, however, involves longer-term changes in brain structure that heighten sensitivity to pain signals, researchers say.

“Pain is interpreted and translated by the brain,” explained Dr. Gilbert Chandler, a spinal pain specialist at Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic. “That signal can be turned up or down.”

Studies show that music can distract the brain from pain, reducing discomfort — and that preferred music is more effective than, for example, listening to a podcast.

“Music is a distractor, but it’s doing more than that,” said Caroline Palmer, a psychologist at McGill University who studies music and pain. “Almost all of the brain becomes active when we engage with music.”

That broad activation can alter how pain and anxiety are experienced, added Kate Richards Geller, a Los Angeles-based music therapist.

Genre matters less than personal choice
The idea of using recorded music to relieve pain dates back to the late 19th century, before local anesthetics were widely available. Today, scientists are examining what kinds of music — and listening habits — work best.

In one study by researchers at Erasmus University Rotterdam, 548 participants were exposed to cold temperatures to measure how long they could withstand pain while listening to classical, rock, pop, urban or electronic music.

All genres helped, but none stood out as most effective.

“The more people listened to their favorite genre, the more pain they could tolerate,” said co-author Dr. Emy van der Valk Bouman. “People often assume classical music works best, but we’re finding that the music you love is what matters most.”

That may be because familiar songs trigger memories and emotions, she added.

Letting patients choose also makes a difference, said Claire Howlin, director of the Music and Health Psychology Lab at Trinity College Dublin. “It gives people agency — something they can control even when living with chronic pain.”

Listening with intent

Active, focused listening seems to amplify music’s effect. Hanley’s preliminary study suggests that attentive listening sessions can help ease chronic pain over time.

“Music lights up different parts of the brain,” he said. “It gives people a positive emotional lift that draws attention away from pain.”

Doctors note that it’s a simple, side-effect-free prescription — and one that can complement traditional treatment, reports UNB. 

Jazz singer Cecily Gardner from California, who used music to cope with her own illness, said she has sung to friends in pain. “Music reduces stress, builds connection,” she said. “It transports you to a better place.”