The results of the study are particularly promising for older patients. This target group has a greater risk of complications during – and longer recovery after – surgery. “We already knew that music can help reduce stress and relieve pain,” researcher Van der Wal tells Editie NL. “But now we have been able to show that it also appears to have a positive effect after surgery.”
Value of live music
To date, the effect of music has mainly been investigated from a clinical perspective. “But you have to approach people as a whole,” says Van der Wal. “In body and mind.” From that starting point, she delved further into the matter and examined the added value of live music and how people experience it.
For example, pain plays a major role after an operation. “It causes stress,” Van der Wal explains. “Then you have difficulty getting out of bed and moving, which is also not pleasant mentally. That stress response in your body ensures that your body starts working to recover. But in the elderly it can cause upset and complications.”
She continues: “The nervous system consists of two branches that keep each other in balance, like a kind of accelerator and brake. With such a stress response, that system is out of balance. Music can then have a positive effect. We saw patients with musicians. bed a decrease in the degree to which they experienced pain.”
Better results
Viola player Luca Altdorf is one of the musicians who stood at the bedside of several patients to provide live music. She witnessed the effects firsthand. An experience that has stuck with her is that of a woman who received bad news shortly after being admitted to hospital. “She wanted an improvisation that was about acceptance,” says Altdorfer. “I got a warm feeling and started playing something.”
“We could tell from her and her partner that it loosened something up and it connected us. That was a very special moment. The next day the results were better. She said the music helped a lot in that situation.”
Experiences vary, but are positive so far. “For another lady, the music felt like a massage. She really felt looser, she said. Just like a gentleman who had pain in his foot, and also felt looser when he heard the music.”
“And another time a man tried to keep quiet. We played a cheerful piece, but he started to cry: everything came loose. He felt pain, but at the same time it was easier to go along with it.”
Unexpected elements
Science journalist Mark Mieras thinks it is logical that music has something to do with recovery. “Probably because music is a playful challenge,” says Mieras. “It just does a lot with stress and puts you in a kind of development mode so that your body is more geared to recovery.”
“That recovery mode is what you want after surgery and you notice it mentally and physically, where you become flexible and able to respond and act socially. Music activates the brain because of all kinds of unexpected elements it contains.”
The body is therefore prepared for the unexpected. “Everyone knows the effect of listening to music,” Mieras continues. “For example, sad people benefit greatly from music. That preparation for what is to come also has an effect on the stress and immune system.”
The same effect occurred when a hospital in Hilversum decided to create a facility to give patients chemotherapy in the forest. “That also activated the state of recovery,” says Mieras. “The dose of chemo became higher and more effective, but patients did not find it more annoying.”
Contact with patient
With regard to music in healthcare, the UMCG and several musicians have already united in a foundation, which is currently dependent on subsidies. The parties hope for more permanent financing, partly because they believe that music in healthcare could reduce some of the workload.
“A significant number of healthcare workers have to deal with a lot of stress,” continues nurse researcher Van der Wal. “That changes the contact with the patient.” The use of live music could take over some of it and thus contribute. “On compassion for healthcare workers, so that they do more of what they enjoy.”
2024-01-18 15:02:01
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