Scalpel, sutures and now a playlist in operation theatres

Sometimes, treatment begins with a simple question: 'What song do you love?' Once just background comfort, music is now being embraced as a clinical aid in surgical and medical care, thanks to its proven psychological and physiological benefits. It's non-pharmacological, safe, cost-effective, and most importantly, patients genuinely enjoy it, said a doctor. (Sourced)
'We sometimes ask patients what their favourite songs are,' said Dr Renu Singh, a gynaecological surgeon at Queen Mary Hospital in Lucknow. 'Most of our procedures are done under regional anaesthesia, where patients remain conscious. This awareness can heighten anxiety—they worry about how long the surgery will take, what the outcome will be, and even what the doctors are discussing.'
To counter this, Dr Singh and her team curate customised playlists based on patient preferences—ranging from bhajans and soft instrumental music to upbeat tracks, including Bollywood numbers. 'It's amazing to see how something as simple as familiar music can calm them. They often say the surgery felt shorter, and their stress visibly reduces.'
Surgeries can last anywhere from 30 minutes to four hours. During this time, the presence of machines, beeping monitors, and clinical chatter can overwhelm patients. 'Music acts as a mind-diverting technique,' Dr Singh added. 'It drowns out the intimidating noise of the operation theatre and allows patients to focus on something comforting.'
Dr Ritu Verma, an anaesthesia expert at Queen Mary Hospital, noted, 'Many patients arrive extremely anxious. For them, we offer music therapy — sometimes through overhead speakers, and other times via headphones. It's not just feel-good therapy; there are real clinical benefits. Despite the promising results, this tool remains underutilised.'
'It also helps in faster post-op recovery and reduces the chances of nausea when patients are coming out of anaesthesia,' Dr Verma explained.
At Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), music is being used during complex procedures such as kidney transplants. 'We've noticed that patients who listen to music beforehand are more relaxed—their blood pressure and heart rate are usually lower,' said Dr Narayan Prasad, head of nephrology at SGPGIMS.
The science behind this isn't new—but it's only now finding widespread application in Indian hospitals. 'Music works in subtle but powerful ways,' Dr Prasad said. 'It's non-pharmacological, safe, cost-effective, and most importantly, patients genuinely enjoy it.'
Music is increasingly being used as a clinical tool to support the heart, calm the mind, and enhance recovery in patients with cardiovascular conditions.
'Music helps the heart — quite literally,' said Dr Aditya Kapoor, head of cardiology at SGPGIMS. 'It helps regulate the heartbeat, eases stress, and motivates patients during recovery. It's one of the safest non-drug therapies we have.'
'More and more cardiologists are using music therapy to stabilise patients. The evidence so far is very encouraging,' Dr Kapoor added. 'In cardiac rehabilitation, we use music therapy and have observed that it reduces the release of stress hormones and helps stabilise heart rate, blood pressure, and other parameters.'
Sleep, pain and psychological well-being
Doctors report that music therapy contributes to better sleep quality — an essential element of cardiac rehabilitation. Post-operative patients also report lower pain perception when exposed to calming music.
In cardiac rehab, music isn't just a mood lifter — it becomes a motivator. 'Patients undergoing supervised exercise programs perform better and with greater enthusiasm when music is played,' said Dr Kapoor.

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