Music Relieves Pain—Science Proves It

The Science Behind Music as a Healing Tool

For centuries, music has been recognized as a powerful tool for healing. From ancient rituals to modern medical practices, the therapeutic effects of music have been observed and studied extensively. Today, scientific research is providing concrete evidence that music can significantly reduce pain perception, making it an essential component in patient care.

At the University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, cancer patients are given the option of having a guitar player perform a tune by their bedside, such as the Beatles’ “Let it Be.” This unique approach is part of a long-standing music therapy program that has been in place for over 25 years. According to Seneca Block, director of Expressive Therapies at University Hospitals Connor Whole Health, there is empirical evidence showing that music can reduce a person’s pain perception by an average of 20%. While music therapy is not meant to replace pain medication, it works alongside pharmacology to enhance the overall patient experience.

Block’s colleague, psychiatrist Syed Amir Shah, emphasizes that music therapy is one of the most important supportive therapies available. He notes that music therapy has been shown to impact areas of the brain responsible for cognition and emotion, offering real benefits to patients.

A Timeless Tradition of Healing

Music has been used as a healing tool across cultures and throughout history. In ancient Greece, physicians played the flute and zithers to treat patients, believing that the vibrations could aid digestion and improve mental health. Similarly, Native American tribes incorporated drumming and chanting into their medical ceremonies, while Vedic and Chinese healers used specific chimes and flutes for their restorative properties.

The Greek god Apollo was both the god of medicine and music, highlighting the deep connection between these two domains. Around 500 B.C.E., Pythagoras and his followers prescribed melodies to calm depression and anger, further reinforcing the belief in music's healing potential.

Scientific Backing for Music Therapy

Recent studies have provided strong support for the use of music in medical settings. A meta-analysis by California Northstate University found that listening to music after surgery can lower pain levels and speed up recovery. Patients who listened to music needed less than half the amount of morphine compared to those who did not, and their heart rates remained within healthier ranges.

Eldo Frezza, senior author of the study and a surgery professor at California Northstate University College of Medicine, explained that music can help ease the transition from waking up after surgery to returning to normalcy, reducing stress during this period.

Another study from the University of California, San Francisco, showed that when people experience high levels of pain, signal activity spikes in the orbitofrontal cortex, an area highly impacted by music. This might explain why music therapy is effective for pain management, as it provides the brain with a new focus.

Music’s Impact on the Brain

Research has also revealed that music can influence brain chemistry. Daniel J. Levitin, a musician and neuroscientist, explains that playing and listening to music can soothe through the release of prolactin, reset mood through changes in serotonin levels, and motivate through dopamine modulation. Additionally, music stimulates neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, enhancing brain recovery and normalizing the stress response.

Even animals respond to music. A study published in Nature found that dogs exposed to Mozart or Chopin achieved deeper sedation during surgery and required less anesthesia than those in the control group.

Expanding the Role of Music in Healthcare

Jeffery Dusek, a neuroscientist at the Samueli Institute, has been studying relaxation responses for 10 years. He believes that music-based interventions can elicit the same response in the brain as relaxation, such as lowering blood pressure. Dusek is now leading a five-year collaborative effort between pain researchers, music therapists, musicians, and hospitals to uncover the exact mechanisms behind music-based interventions.

One of the key advantages of music therapy is its accessibility. Unlike other treatments, many patients are open to receiving music, even if they are not interested in touch, needles, or meditation.

Music as a Brain Workout

Levitin highlights that listening to music activates long-term and short-term memory, movement, and emotion. Studies have shown that older adults who took music lessons and played regularly experienced increases in gray matter and improvements in auditory memory. Some patients with advanced dementia even remember episodes from their lives or dance when familiar songs play.

Chemotherapy patients also benefit from music, using it to reduce nausea and emotional distress. Nonprofit organizations like Musicians On Call send volunteers to healthcare facilities nationwide, delivering the healing power of music to patients in need.

Personalized Music for Maximum Effect

The question of which song has the most significant effect is often asked. However, research consistently shows that the best results come from the individual’s favorite music. Certain songs may trigger traumatic memories or increase fear, so allowing patients to choose their own music leads to better outcomes.

“Music is the bridge,” says Seneca Block. “In many cases, patients shut off when they’re hospitalized and close the walls around themselves. That’s where music therapy is really important, because music is a universal language, and that’s what’s so powerful because we use that tool in the medical setting to help people heal.”