New research has found that relaxation and music, separately or together, significantly reduce patients' pain following major abdominal surgery. The study, published in the May issue of Pain, found that these methods reduce pain more than pain medication alone. Led by Marion Good, PhD, RN, of Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, the study is supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), at the National Institutes of Health.
"This is important news for the millions of Americans who undergo surgery and experience postoperative pain each year," said Dr. Patricia A. Grady, director of the NINR. "Better pain management can reduce hospital stays and speed recovery, ultimately improving patients' quality of life."
Dr. Good and her research team studied three groups of patients undergoing abdominal surgery. In addition to the usual pain medication, one group used a jaw relaxation technique, another group listened to music, and a third group received a combination of relaxation and music. Findings revealed that, after surgery, the three treatment groups had significantly less pain than the control group, which received only pain medication.
"Both medication and self-care methods which involve patient participation are needed for relief," said Dr. Good. "These relaxation and music self-care methods provide more complete relief without the undesired side effects of some pain medications."
The findings have important implications for the 23 million people who undergo surgery and experience postoperative pain annually in the United States. Pain can hamper recovery by heightening the body's response to the stress of surgery and increasing tissue breakdown, coagulation and fluid retention. Pain also interferes with appetite and sleep and can lead to complications that prolong hospitalization.
Dr. Good and her research staff worked with 500 patients aged 18-70,
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Contact: Marianne Glass Duffy
md82j@nih.gov
301-402-6598
NIH/National Institute of Nursing Research
7-May-1999