Music during postoperative bed baths was associated with less pain
A randomized trial examined classical music during bedside care after orthopedic surgery, reporting changes in pain ratings, pressure sensitivity and vital signs.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The study reported lower pain ratings, systolic blood pressure and heart rate with music during postoperative bedside care, alongside a higher pressure pain threshold. These findings concern an immediate care setting after orthopedic surgery. The abstract does not show how large the changes were or whether they persisted beyond the procedure.
Results are given as significance tests without effect sizes or confidence intervals. The abstract describes before-and-after assessments but does not clearly identify the statistical contrast for each result, limiting interpretation of the difference between randomized groups.
How pain was assessed
Researchers used pain questionnaires and a pressure test that stopped when participants first felt pain. A higher threshold on that test means more applied pressure was tolerated before pain was reported.
An exception within the results
Most reported pain measures improved, but the McGill questionnaire's miscellaneous dimension did not reach statistical significance. That exception should remain part of the result; it neither cancels the other findings nor proves that dimension was unaffected.
The original publication
Music as an Intervention for Pain Relief in Orthopedic Bedside Care.
Neri KKK, Santos CGO, Orsoli VRR et al.
Pain Manag Nurs · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41927398
- Record checked
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