Music as an Intervention for Pain Relief in Orthopedic Bedside Care

Pain Manag Nurs. 2026 Apr 1:S1524-9042(26)00101-3. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2026.03.007. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Orthopedic surgeries are commonly associated with significant postoperative pain and physiological stress, which can be objectively identified through alterations in vital signs, such as blood pressure and heart rate. During postoperative bedside care, procedures that involve patient handling and mobilization may intensify pain-related physiological responses, highlighting the need for interventions capable of modulating both pain perception and vital signs in this clinical context.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of music as an intervention on pain and vital signs during bedside care in postoperative orthopedic patients DESIGN: This randomized, single-blind clinical trial evaluated the effect of music as an intervention therapy during bed baths in patients on the first and second postoperative days after orthopedic surgery.

METHODS: One hundred adults were randomized into a control group and an intervention group. Pain intensity was assessed using the visual analog scale and the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Physiological assessment was performed by measuring vital signs, including blood pressure and heart rate. Pressure pain threshold was objectively measured using digital pressure algometry, with controlled application of pressure until the participant first reported the sensation of pain (pressure pain threshold). Participants in the control group wore headphones without music throughout the procedure, whereas participants in the intervention group underwent the same procedure while listening to preselected classical music through headphones.

RESULTS: Music exposure significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (p = .002) and heart rate (p = .001), and decreased pain perception assessed by the McGill Pain Questionnaire (p < .001), except for the "miscellaneous" dimension (p = .066). Furthermore, pain measured by the visual analog scale decreased (p < .001), and pressure pain threshold measured by algometry increased (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that music as a complementary intervention was associated with reduced pain intensity and lower systolic blood pressure and heart rate when assessed before and after a bedside care procedure in postoperative orthopedic patients.

PMID:41927398 | DOI:10.1016/j.pmn.2026.03.007