Common Fears in Surgery Archives - Page 4 of 8

Going Under the Knife: are you afraid of anesthesia?

People tell me on a regular basis that they have a tremendous fear of going under anesthesia, especially general anesthesia. Today, general anesthesia is a very safe process, if you have no complications, are in generally good health, and have no history of problems with anesthesia.

There are many exceptions to the above-mentioned situations though. What if you have cancer and have been taking chemotherapy and have a suppressed immune system? What if you are elderly and frail with a heart condition or other pre-existing conditions? What if you have lots of allergies and a family history of problems with anesthesia. Of course, there is not an easy answer here. Each case must be judged on its own merits and you must talk very carefully with your doctors and your family. However, in some cases, you just need to have surgery and you really need to have general anesthesia.

In this case I would strongly recommend that you consider using music before, during and after the procedure. Music is a very well-documented and effective adjunct to anesthesia. Slow, steady, soothing music entrains or synchronizes with your heartbeat and breathing to keep you calm and relaxed before they take you back, during the surgery, and throughout your time in the recovery room.

In addition, many surgeons today play their own favorite music in the OR and often it is upbeat, fast and even syncopated music. This is thought not to affect the patient, and yet patients come to me after their surgery and tell me they heard conversations and loud music that they did not like! For this reason, I recommend that the patient listen to their own favorite music through lightweight, cordless headphones that have the most appropriate music already programmed onto them.

If you have the time and know far enough in advance, you can create your own playlist and bring your own iPod or other MP3 player in. OR, you can get some from www.surgicalheadphones.com. They are being used around the world already and research studies are in progress to prove their effectiveness in reducing the amounts of medication you will need. Best wishes as you go through this process and let me know how it goes!

Listening to soothing music before, during and after surgery can reduce the amount of anesthesia and pain medication you require

By DrAlice|June 14, 2012|Anesthesia, Common Fears in Surgery, Dangers and Side-effects of anesthesia, Music and Anesthesia, Music and Propofol, Music in the hospital, Rhythmic entrainment|0 Comments

Want Music with Your Surgery?: the Time is NOW!

There has never been a better time to utilize the power of music with your surgery. For several decades now, surgeons have been playing their favorite music in the O.R. but it was assumed that if the patient was under general anesthesia, that they did not need their own music, nor were they affected by the surgeon’s music. Current research and awarenesses are rapidly changing that!

It turns out that not only IS the patient affected negatively if the surgeon choses raucous or too lively music (and yes, that does happen!) A surgical nurse locally told me that one surgeon regularly plays “Queen’s” song “Another One Bites the Dust” when he operates! I was appalled! On the other hand, surgeons and anesthesiologists are becoming aware that even when the patient is totally unconscious from the anesthesia and unable to “hear” technically, the slow, steady, pulsing of certain classical music can entrain or synchronize the person’s heartrate and breathing so that they stay more relaxed on the operating table with less anesthesia. Because they require less anesthesia to stay asleep, they awaken sooner and with less nausea, dizziness, “brain fog” and recover faster!

When the patient recovers faster, they are discharged from the hospital sooner, with fewer side effects, they get back to work and back to the lives sooner and the hospital can process more patients in one 24 hour period. So what’s the downside? We haven’t found anything yet.

Yes, you can create your own playlist of your favorite slow, steady music and download it to your own iPod to take into surgery….or you can get these really amazing lightweight, cordless headphones that have a built-in MP3 player, already loaded with “Surgical Serenity” music! Your choice! Click on the picture of the headphones or go to www.SurgicalHeadphones.com to learn more. You can also contact me at DrAlice@surgicalheadphones.com. Best wishes on your surgery.

By DrAlice|May 21, 2012|Characteristics of music for surgery, Common Fears in Surgery, Dangers and Side-effects of anesthesia, Music and Anesthesia, Rhythmic entrainment, Surgery Music, which hospitals use music headphones|0 Comments

Can the surgeon and patient benefit from the same music?

I would say that this is a moderately controversial subject. Here’s why: if the patient and surgeon are both going to benefit from music being played in the operating room, then the music will have to be delivered ambiently to the doctor and through headphones to the patient. Why? Because the surgeon needs to hear more lively and energizing music, while the patient needs to hear calming and soothing music that will keep them relaxed and keep their blood pressure, heartrate and breathing slow and steady.

Luckily, this is quite possible! Less than a year ago I was invited to do a Grand Rounds presentationat the Cleveland Clinic Florida on the use of music as an adjunct to anesthesia. Most of the studies we looked at talked about music in the OR being played through speakers on the wall or an iPod being played through speakers. Although this usually benefits the OR staff, it does nothing for the well-being of the patient and completely disregards the concept of rhythmic entrainment.

The more recent studies look at the benefits of patients listening to their own favorite music through headphones. Now this has been taken a step further: wireless, cordless headphones are now available, pre-programmed with the ideal, slow, steady, soothing music that has been proven to slow down and keep steady the heartbeat and breathing. Rhythmic entrainment is a phenomenon that has been acknowledged for over three hundred years! It is this phenomenon that causes us to clap our hands, snap our fingers, or get up and dance spontaneously when favorite music comes on! The reverse is also true, therefore, when a patient arrives at the hospital to have surgery, popping on some cordless headphones, pre-programmed with calm, slow, steady and soothing music, is an ideal way to begin the sedation process. Oftentimes, less medication will be required as a direct result of this musical intervention.

If surgery is in your future, please consider your alternatives. Feel free to contact me directly if I can help you!

By DrAlice|February 28, 2012|Characteristics of music for surgery, Common Fears in Surgery, Dangers and Side-effects of anesthesia, How music works|1 Comment

Which hospitals in the U.S. are using the Surgical Serenity Headphones?

This is a question that I get more and more these days. As people around the country and around the world, find out about our ready-to-go, pre-programmed surgical headphones, they want to know that the research is there and that nationally-known, reputable hospitals are already using them.

Well, good news! They are already being used at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and the Cleveland Clinic in both Ohio and Florida. Individuals have purchased them and used them here in Louisville, KY at Baptist Hospital East, Jewish Hospital and Norton Hospital downtown as well as Norton Suburban Hospital. They’ve been used at hospitals in New York City, Greenville, S.C., Spartanburg, S.C., Birmingham, AL, Houston, TX, San Francisco, CA and in Canada, Hawaii and London.

Several patients were afraid that they would not be able to wear them into surgery, but only two people nationwide were told that they could not take them into surgery. These patients both concluded simply that it had not been done before and that the surgeon or anesthesiologist did not want to try it. No medical or safety precaution could be cited.

To date, all patients who actually used the music before, during, and after their surgery have reported that they will never have surgery again without using their headphones and music. Patients have said that they drift off to sleep feeling as though they’re at the beach, listening to favorite music through headphones and totally forget that they’re in a hospital about to have surgery. Needless to say, when patients are not tensed up and rigid with fear and anticipation, the procedure goes better: less anxiety meds, less anesthesia, less pain medicaltion = faster and safer procedure and recovery! Who could argue with that?

By DrAlice|January 16, 2012|Anesthesia, Common Fears in Surgery, Dangers and Side-effects of anesthesia, Music and Anesthesia, Music in the hospital, Music in the hospitals, which hospitals use music headphones|1 Comment

Fear of Anesthesia: How Can the Right Music Help?

: Waiting for a Ceasarean-section childbirth

As a therapist and a clinical musicologist, I talk to people nearly every day that have just been told that they need to have surgery and are almost more fearful of the anesthesia than they are of having surgery! Why? Because general anesthesia is very powerful medication and occasionally people do not survive the anesthesia. The vast majority of people do fine, but if the patient is elderly or in a fragile health state already, it is a delicate balance.

How can music help? Music therapy and Operating Room nursing journals have shown repeatedly shown that listening to your favorite calming, comforting, soothing music can make a very positive difference in your overall surgical experience. There are also dozens, if not hundreds, of clinical studies showing that music in the recovery area can help the patient stay calm and comfortable as they regain consciousness and begin to feel the pain of the surgery.

Now, studies are being conducted to confirm that music DURING surgery can also make a positive difference and possibly decrease the amount of anesthesia needed to achieve the same degree of sedation, but without as much risk. This is achieved by tapping into the power of rhythmic entrainment, by which the slow, steady tempo of the music brings the heartrate and the breathing into synchronization with the music and thereby keeps the body relaxed.

To learn more about the incredible power and benefits of music during anesthesia and surgery, please check out: www.SurgicalHeadphones.com.

By DrAlice|January 15, 2012|Common Fears in Surgery, Dangers and Side-effects of anesthesia, Headphones for other medical procedures, Music and Anesthesia, Music and Propofol, Music in the hospitals, Rhythmic entrainment, Surgical Headphones reviews|1 Comment

Music and Surgery: Music Medicine or Music Therapy?

Music Medicine or Music Therapy

Many people use the terms “music medicine” and “music therapy” interchangeably. To me, it’s not a big deal, but to some people, it is a huge deal. My mentor, Dr. Arthur Harvey, explained it to me like this: in order to conduct a music therapy session, a music therapist must be present. It is the therapeutic relationship between the music therapist “doing” music with the patient that creates the result. Music therapy is what worked miracles with Gaby Giffords. Music therapy is a wonderful, fantastic modality for many situations, especially situations needing rehabilitation.

This is not true with music medicine. The use of music during surgery is an example of music medicine. In this situation, the music, as chosen by a clinical musicologist for its unique properties and suitability for pre-surgery, surgery, and recovery works all by itself.

How does Music Medicine help during surgery?

Patient awakening from surgery using the surgical serenity headphones

When played for the patient through wireless, lightweight headphones, well-documented benefits result! The surgery suite needs a surgeon, an anesthesiologist and several nurses and surgery techs. They do not need one extra person!

Not only is it about having one more person in the operating room, but most hospitals only have 3-4 music therapists on staff during any given shift and those wonderful music therapists are working with cancer patients, children with cerebral palsy and other disease, or possibly in the hospice setting. Sending a music therapist to the surgery suite almost never happens.

Surgical Serenity Solutions is hoping to change that!

This may not sound earth-shaking to you, but in a litigious society, and a hospital community that is terrified of lawsuits and staph infections, the surgery headphones provide a lot of comfort and benefits for both patient and doctor. The anesthesiologist gets the patient to sleep more easily because the patient is already relaxed by music. The patients wake up faster and with fewer complications, because they required less anesthesia. In recovery, they require less pain medication because the soothing music and the entrainment phenomenon have kept the patient relaxed and therefore they experience less pain.

How can I get these headphones for myself or my hospital?

Nurses are using music in the ICU more than ever before.

We have our pre-loaded headphones in hospitals around the world right now and are working with new hospitals to get our headphones into their operating rooms for all patients. If you or a friend or a family member is having surgery, please be sure that they have the information about music and surgery!

To purchase our pre-loaded headphones, go to https://www.surgicalserenitysolutions.com/patient-headphones

To purchase our pre-loaded headphones for your hospital or surgery center, go to www.surgicalserenitysolutsion.com/hospitalheadphones

To hear samples of our five therapeutic playlists, in five different genres, go to www.surgicalserenitysolutions.com/calm

Here’s to your successful surgery, whether as patient or physician!

By DrAlice|December 1, 2011|Anesthesia, Characteristics of music for surgery, Common Fears in Surgery, Music in the hospital, Rhythmic entrainment, Surgery Music|1 Comment

Surgical Serenity Headphones: Wireless or Cordless?

When people contact me about helping them use music during surgery, my first recommendation is always the pre-programmed, cordless headphones I have created. When I first had the idea to create cordless, pre-programmed headphones, back in 2005, the term “wireless” was not nearly as associated with “wireless network” as it is now.

My intention was to have headphones that were entirely “self-contained” and not dependent on being tethered to an iPod or any other transmittal device. I just figured that it would be one less thing for surgeons and anesthesiologists to worry about getting tangled up with their equipment!

I called them “wireless” at that time, but now I think it is important to confirm that they are indeed “cordless” but are not what today we call “wireless.” This is quite an important differentiation too, because transmitting a signal in the OR would involve FCC communication and just throw another stumbling block up to people and hospitals that are contemplating using them in the OR.

Please let me know what your questions might be! We certainly are hearing from hundreds of satisfied customers around the world about their effectiveness in calming the patient before surgery, and reassuring them when they wake up in surgery with beautiful music still playing!

By DrAlice|October 9, 2011|Anesthesia, Common Fears in Surgery, Dangers and Side-effects of anesthesia, Headphones for other medical procedures|1 Comment

Preparing for anesthesia during surgery

Recently, the Chicago Tribune posted an interesting article about people who are quite fearful of anesthesia during surgery. They don’t mention the use of music, but of course that is one of the most helpful ways to calm yourself and require less anestheisa.

“For many patients, anesthesia is the scariest part of surgery. But you can ease your fears — and help prevent the rare negative outcome — with awareness and good communication with doctors, says Dr. Paul Rein of Virginia Anesthesia VAPCS in southeastern Virginia.

•Don’t panic. The chances of dying in a car crash are about 40 times greater than from an anesthetic, Rein says. “The reality is anesthesia has become very safe because of better techniques, better monitoring and better practitioners,” he says.

•Don’t cheat on “no food or drink” orders. As a rule, patients should have nothing for eight hours before surgery — even gum. If you vomit while under anesthesia, the contents can get into your lungs, which can be dangerous.

•Know your medical history. Tell your doctor the specific names and doses of all drugs you take, as well as past surgeries. If you’ve had problems with anesthesia before — including nausea — speak up. Also pass along any known family history of complications.

•Stop taking herbal medications. Doctors generally advise avoiding these products for two weeks before an operation, as they can cause increased bleeding.

•Ask questions. Meet with your anesthesiologist and get all the answers you need before heading into the operating room. Learn about the type of drugs you will get; you may have a choice between general or regional anesthesia.

•Arrange for a caregiver. A responsible adult should drive you home and stay with you the day of an outpatient surgery, even after minor operations. Don’t take a taxi or get dropped off at home alone; on top of recovering from surgery, you’ll likely feel the effects of anesthetic drugs for several hours

By DrAlice|August 18, 2011|Common Fears in Surgery, Dangers and Side-effects of anesthesia|1 Comment

Surgery with Music Series Post #28: Procedures other than surgery

We all know that there are many serious medical procedures both elective and non-elective. People ask me all the time if the headphones can be used for situations other than surgery. The answer is a resounding “Yes!”

There are so many medical procedure performed every day, procedure that are serious but don’t involve cutting into the body with knives or lasers. Some of these procedures are things like kidney dialysis, chemotherapy and radiation, colonoscopy and diagnostic procedures such as MRI’s and CT scans. Then there are the elective procedures that often are found in the cosmetic surgery realm: liposuction, botox injections, and lifts of all kinds to various parts of the body.

Whether your surgery is mandatory or elective, music can help to relax you and calm you and enable you to use less pain medication and less anesthesia. All of this translates to a safer procedure and a faster recover and return to life. Of course dental procedures such as root canals, crowns, and implants would definitely benefits from using your headphones to help muffle the sound of the dreaded drill.

No matter what the procedure, using music through headphones will make it easier and less painful.

By DrAlice|June 29, 2011|Common Fears in Surgery, Headphones for other medical procedures, Music in the hospitals|0 Comments

Surgery with Music Series Post #27: Can you make your own surgery playlist?

Of course you can! If you have enough lead time for your surgery or other medical procedure, and if you understand what the best kind of music is, you absolutely can make your own playlist.

I believe that the cordless headphones are best though, because they can’t become entangled with any other hospital equipment and are not emitting a signal that could interfere with other medical equipment in the OR, ICU, Emergency Room or other area of the hospital.

So what are the advantages of ordering the Surgical Serenity Headphones? The two biggest are conveniences are…they are ready to go and can be shipped to you overnight if necessary; they have already been programmed for you by a clinical musicologist who has been working in this area for over 20 years!

The music that I have chosen is based on my work with hundreds of surgery patients and surgical procedure of all kinds. I am also a psychotherapist, so I understand the extreme anxiety and emotional angst that people go through when they are told that they need surgery. This music is the absolutely most soothing and calming music that I’ve come across and it doesn’t matter so much what your usual taste in music might be. This music seems to calm everyone that has heard it and it will work for you too.

If you want to make your own playlist, have the time to do it, and can find cordless headphones, that’s also great! Please let me know what your questions might be! Best wishes and good health to you always!

By DrAlice|June 28, 2011|Anesthesia, Characteristics of music for surgery, Common Fears in Surgery, Headphones for other medical procedures|0 Comments