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A day in Capri

Beautiful Capri and Anacapri, Italy

My dream has always been that surgery with music would be available to all surgical patients around the world. They would have access to soothing, serene music, through headphones, throughout their surgical procedures. Having surgery is a terrifying prospect for many people.  Sometimes it’s based on past experience, but sometimes it’s based entirely on stories that people hear from friends or relatives. The use of calming music during the perioperative period (before, during and after) is becoming more and more utilized as research studies and case histories document its power.

Adding new countries to our international education of physicians and patients

church in Zurich

This was our view from Swiss hotel window

We are now four steps closer to that dream as I have just visited four new countries! In Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Switzerland I spoke with both physicians and patients about the powerful benefits of calming, soothing, serene music throughout the surgical procedures.  I have yet to receive ANY pushback on this concept and the product that has resulted from the idea!

The first reaction of medical professionals is to want to know about the medical research that has been conducted.  Of course! And there have been many significant studies over the past 30 years, at least, with an increasing number of studies done since 2010.  Invariably the studies suggest that using calm, steady, slow music before, during and after surgery decreases the patient’s anxiety level and pain perception level.

Why does surgery with music make such an important impact in the surgery process?

Why is this so important? Because the anxiety and pain perception are decreased naturally, there is less need for powerful benzodiazepines, which bring their own negative side-effects, including addiction. As a psychotherapist (and clinical musicologist) I can tell you that if a patient can get that calm and peaceful feeling with a pill, they will reach for a pill rather than their headphones or an instrument.

When people don’t feel well, they are going to reach for the path of least resistance. It’s far too easy to take a pill, and please understand, I am not against benzodiazepines, or opioids, or other drugs used in surgery, when they are necessary.  But oftentimes, doctors give without a thought as to whether music therapy, or music medicine might suffice and do the job. MY job is to educate

site of original Olympics

Olympia, Greece, site of the original Olympics before birth of Christ

So, while I was on a wonderful European cruise, I made it my business to seek out physicians and patients who were willing to hear about my company, Surgical Serenity Solutions.  Many physicians and patients told me that they thought it was a great idea and would look into it.  Already I’ve gotten an invitation to speak to music therapy students at a university in Istanbul, Turkey and I’m looking forward to that next month.

Most people know intuitively that surgery with music relaxes and calms but they don’t know how to implement this

Because the concept of music as medicine is ancient, people accept it intuitively.  They don’t always know how to implement it though.  And that is the exact reason that I decided to create pre-loaded headphones for surgical patients to have waiting for them when they arrive at the hospital on the day of their surgery. It has been a success so far, but lots more people need to hear about it. Will YOU help me spread the message? You can forward this blog post link to anyone you know that is having surgery, or to your doctor, nurse or medical friends. Or just remember this option and tell people about it!

Does YOUR hospital utilize the Surgical Serenity Solutions headphones? More and more hospitals are requesting information and buying into our concept, but here is the link for hospitals to learn more and buy.

Read some of the compelling research studies on surgery with music below!

And in terms of all the research that has been conducted and published in leading medical journals? Best practices in the medical field are nearly always based on current research in that specific field. In an era that has been severely damaged by opioid abuse and drug addiction, medical professionals are more eager than ever  Here’s the link to some of the top studies.

 

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