Music Helps Ease Pain

Healers around the world have been using drums, tones and other forms of music in their rituals for centuries. Now investigators at the University of Utah have confirmed that music can help reduce sensations of pain, especially when subjects really focus on the intricacies of the sound. Recruits were given a shock on the fingertips while listening to music. The more people became engrossed in the melody, the less painful they perceived the shock to be. This was especially effective for people who were nervous about the experiment. Perhaps surgeons, dentists and other health professionals should consider inviting patients to listen to music while undergoing anxiety-provoking procedures.

[The Journal of Pain, Dec. 2011]