How about music for a pain reliever?

This summary is based on the news item available on the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry website: Music decreases perceived pain for kids in pediatric ER: UAlberta medical research 

Newly published findings by medical researchers at the University of Alberta provide more evidence that music decreases children’s perceived sense of pain.

A clinical research trial was conducted with 42 children between the ages of 3 and 11 who came to the pediatric emergency department at the Stollery Children’s Hospital and needed IVs. Some of the children listened to music while getting an IV, while others did not. Researchers measured the children’s distress, perceived pain levels and heart rates, as well as satisfaction levels of parents, and satisfaction levels of health-care providers who administered the IVs.

The research showed that the children who listened to music reported significantly less pain, some demonstrated significantly less distress, and the children’s parents were more satisfied with care.

The research team hopes to continue their research in this area, to see if music or other distractions can make a big difference for kids undergoing other painful medical procedures.

The study noted that previous research has shown that the mood of the music, whether it has lyrics, and whether it is familiar to the listener could have an impact on pain perception as well.

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