Tuning in To Recovery: Music's Role in Pain Reduction After Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cardiothoracic surgery can be a physically and emotionally challenging experience for patients, often involving significant pain, anxiety, and a reliance on opioid-based analgesia. As health care moves toward more holistic and patient-centered approaches, there is growing interest in complementary therapies like music. Music interventions represent a safe, noninvasive, and cost-effective strategy to support recovery in cardiothoracic surgery patients. This review explores how music interventions can support recovery in patients undergoing cardiothoracic procedures, focusing on pain reduction, anxiety alleviation, and physiological responses. A search of PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychInfo identified 19 studies, primarily randomized controlled trials, investigating music interventions during the perioperative period in adult cardiothoracic surgery patients. Across the studies reviewed, music interventions significantly reduced postoperative pain and anxiety compared with control groups. Several trials also reported reductions in analgesic use, heart rate, and blood pressure, although findings on physiological measures were mixed. Although further research is still warranted to optimize implementation and assess long-term benefits, the current evidence suggests that music can positively impact surgical recovery. Incorporating music into multimodal recovery protocols may improve patient experiences and reduce reliance on pharmacological interventions.