Effect of Music Therapy on Pain Perception, Anxiety, and Opioid Use During Dressing Change Among Patients With Burns in India: A Quasi-experimental, Cross-over Pilot Study

The effectiveness of music therapy for relieving pain and anxiety during burn dressing changes has not been reported from India. Purpose: This study was conducted to assess the effect of music therapy on pain, anxiety, opioid use, and hemodynamic variables during burn dressing change. Methods: Patients in a tertiary care burn unit who were >10 years old, conscious, able to respond, and oriented to time, place, and person participated in a 2-month, quasi-experimental, cross-over pilot study. Each served as his/her own control. Dressings were changed every other day alternating between the control (standard pain management) and experimental (control plus patient-selected music) intervention. Pain was assessed using a numerical rating scale, anxiety was scored using the State Trait Anxiety Test (higher scores indicated more pain and anxiety), and hemodynamic parameters and analgesics were recorded. Wilcoxon Test and chi-squared tests were utilized for statistical analysis. Results: Median pain scores (5, interquartile range [IQR] IQR: 3-7; and 6, IQR: 5-8) and median anxiety scores (12, IQR: 8-17; and 14, IQR: 10-19) were significantly lower during the experimental than during the standard dressing change, respectively (P <.001), and opioids were used significantly less frequently during the experimental change (P = .002). Conclusion: Music therapy helps reduce anxiety, pain, and opioid use during burn dressing change.

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