Forget the painkillers next time you have a medical procedure. Just crank up Pink Floyd.
Dr Hans Jeekel, Professor of Surgery at Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, has done research showing that music by Floyd and Mozart has a positive effect on the mind, and can even be used as a substitute for highly addictive painkillers like morphine and fentanyl.
While the anesthesiologist will provide you with morphine during and after serious surgery, Dr. Jeekel says he knows exactly how much the dose can be reduced if you go under the knife with headphones over your ears. His conclusion is based on an analysis of 55 studies of a total of nearly 5,000 patients.
He writes in the Annals of Surgery medical journal that the dosage reduction is an average of 4.4 milligrams during the 24 hours after surgery. Not only does this save money, it reduces accidents and addiction.
The Netherlands, like here in the U.S., is facing a severe opioid crisis, which is why Health Affairs minister Bruno Bruins is willing to try this musical approach.
Source: Teller Report and Premiere