Journal of Anesthesiology and Pain

Aims and Background: Surgery is a factor of anxiety which creates a physiological reaction in body. As a result of this physiological response of the body, breathing, heart rate and blood pressure would increase. The present study was done to evaluate the effect of wordless music on some physiological indices and anxiety of patients.

Materials and Methods: This research is a randomized controlled clinical trial, which has been based on 60 patients undergoing spinal anesthesia for surgery in hospitals affiliated to Ilam University of medical sciences, during the year 1392. Including criteria were : the patient's willingness to participate in the study, non-emergency surgery, being between 20 to 40 years old, undergoing spinal anesthesia for the first time ,as well as having hemodynamic stability (systolic blood pressure greater than 90 mm Hg,  absence of any dangerous form of heart rate and heart rhythm whatsoever between 60-100) . In both groups, vital signs including diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and arterial blood O2 saturation were recorded. After the baseline assessment patients underwent spinal anesthesia by the anesthesiologist, and immediately the wordless song was played for the case group with mp3 player and disposable headphone for 10 minutes. Immediately afterwards, again the arterial blood saturation level and the vital signs were assessed. The same action was taken for the control group without playing the music.

Findings: Comparison between physiological indices before and after the intervention in the two groups showed significant differences so that broadcasting the song without words had beneficial effect on the average number of pulse pressure , systolic and diastolic  blood pressure,and respiratory rate (p<0.05). However there was no significant difference considering the percentage of arterial blood saturation (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Hearing wordless song had a significant effect on systolic and diastolic blood pressures, heart rate, and respiratory rate but   It did not affect the percentage of arterial oxygen saturation.