University Hospital Zurich study finds music reduces medical needle pain

Researchers at University Hospital Zurich (USZ) have found that listening to preferred music or Mozart can help alleviate physical pain during routine medical procedures, such as intravenous cannula insertion. The study, published in the journal ‘Frontiers in Pain Research’, involved 204 patients undergoing non-urgent scans of the brain or spine.

Participants were divided into four groups: those listening to their own preferred music, those listening to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K. 448, those listening to relaxation music, and a control group with no music. The results indicated that only the preferred music and Mozart groups experienced a significant reduction in pain levels.

Specifically, patients listening to their favorite music reported less pain 30 seconds and two minutes after the needle insertion, regardless of whether they felt pain beforehand. For patients experiencing pre-existing pain, Mozart’s music also provided relief during the procedure. In contrast, relaxation music and no music showed no significant impact on pain intensity.