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Music can help quicker recovery after surgery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A new study shows that music played during surgery can help patients recover. The study was conducted by doctors at India's Maulana Azad Medical College. They played flute music to a female patient while she was having her gallbladder removed. Before the operation, doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs to put her to sleep. Anaesthetics block pain signals and totally relax a patient's muscles while they are asleep. However, even when anaesthetics make us sleep, the part of the brain that helps us listen stays partly active. Doctors say patients can still hear music. This means patients need fewer painkilling drugs, wake up faster, and are more alert after surgery.

The lead researcher, Dr Tanvi Goel, explained why music is so helpful to patients having surgery. She said her research shows "that this is more than just simple background music". She said music was important because it helped patients feel less pain and need fewer painkillers. Co-researcher Dr Farah Husain agreed. Dr Husain is a senior specialist in anaesthesia. She is also a music therapist. She believes music has an important part to play in the operating theatre. She said: "Our aim is early discharge after surgery. Patients need to wake up clear-headed, alert… and ideally pain-free." She said music helps pain management and reduces patients' stress after they wake up.

 

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Chat  

Talk about these words from the article.

study / music / patients / flute / operation / doctors / pain / sleep / drugs / alert / research / painkillers / specialist / anaesthesia / therapist / pain management / stress 

 

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True / False  

1) The article says operations are better if doctors listen to music.  T / F

2) A patient listened to flute music while her gallbladder was removed.  T / F

3) Anaesthetics are drugs to stop people feeling pain during surgery.  T / F

4) Anaesthetics make people unable to hear any sound at all.  T / F

5) Music in the operating theatre can help patients feel less pain.  T / F

6) Music cannot change the amount of painkilling medicine someone needs.  T / F

7) A doctor said patients should be alert after they wake from surgery.   T / F

8) The doctor said music can make some patients feel more stressed.  T / F 

 

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Discussion

1) What do you think of music?

2) What do you think of patients listening to music during surgery?

3) When and where can music help us?

4) Why do we all love and hate different types of music?

5) Should everyone learn to read music and play an instrument?

6) What effect does music have in hospitals?

7) What songs would you choose if you had an operation?

8) Should surgeons listen to music when they operate?