The anxiety- and pain-reducing effects of music interventions: a systematic review.

Musical interventions have been used in health care settings to reduce patient pain, anxiety, and stress, although the exact mechanism of these therapies is not well understood. This article provides a systematic review of 42 randomized controlled trials of the effects of music interventions in perioperative settings. Music intervention had positive effects on reducing patients' anxiety and pain in approximately half of the reviewed studies. Further research into music therapy is warranted in light of the low cost of implementation and the potential ability of music to reduce perioperative patient distress. (c) AORN, Inc, 2008.