Restoring a Tooth with Decay
July 21, 2016To Floss or Not
July 21, 2016One of the customer amenities which sets Serenity Dental apart from most other dental surgeries is the option to select your own music to listen to during your procedure.
The relaxing effect of music on our patients is well known to us – but now it seems there’s even some medical research to back it up…
The NHS and the BBC recently reported on a study conducted by researchers at Queen Mary University, Barts Health NHS Trust and Brunel University; the results of which appeared in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet.
Investigating the Healing Power of Music
The researchers combined results from several similar studies which have been put together over the past century, all of which assessed the effects of music on adult patients undergoing various different forms of surgery (with or without sedation or anesthetic).
Some studies focused on patients who listened to music before their operation, some centered around patients who had music played during their surgery, and some looked at patients who listened to music following their procedure. The study also compared music against various test controls, including white noise, headphones with no music, undisturbed bed rest and routine care.
Can Music Take the Pain Away?
All in all, out of the 73 randomised controlled trials that were reviewed, the following results came to light:
- In 45 trials, music reduced pain during the recovery process following the operation.
- Music reducing postoperative anxiety in patients was indicated in 43 of them.
- Patients using music used fewer painkillers after their operation in 34 trials.
- 16 trials found that patient satisfaction increased with the addition of music.
The final conclusion of the study? “Music is a non-invasive, safe, and inexpensive intervention that can be delivered easily and successfully in a hospital setting.” Dr Catherine Meads is one of the lead authors of the study. Interestingly, her own personal experience matched up with her research findings – she found listening to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon helped her relax after a hip operation in April. She told BBC News that “currently music is not routinely used during surgery” due to previous concerns of its effectiveness as well as budget and organisational limitations. However, she says, “music is a safe, cheap and non-invasive option that should be available to everyone having surgery”. Here at Serenity Dental, we couldn’t agree more. Read more about how our surgery uses music to help you enjoy your treatment here.
