Music Therapy for Surgery Recovery: Pain Relief, Anxiety Support, and Recovery

Article Overview

This 2025 randomized controlled trial examined whether music therapy could help reduce pain and anxiety in adults undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty, also known as shoulder replacement surgery. Patients were assigned to live music therapy, therapist-designed recorded music therapy, or standard care without music therapy. The study defined music therapy as music-based interventions provided by a board-certified music therapist.

Researchers found that both live and recorded music therapy were associated with significantly greater reductions in pain and anxiety than standard care alone. There were no significant differences between the live and recorded music therapy groups overall, suggesting that therapist-designed recorded interventions may also be a practical option in medical settings. The study did not find significant differences in opioid use across groups.

Why This Matters

This article is a strong fit for a public-facing music therapy library because it shows music therapy being used in a real medical setting for concrete clinical goals: reducing perioperative pain and anxiety. It also helps clarify that music therapy is not simply background music, but a structured, evidence-based intervention designed by trained music therapists.

It is also useful because the findings are practical and credible. If therapist-designed recorded music therapy can support outcomes similarly to live delivery in this context, hospitals and surgical teams may have more flexible ways to integrate music therapy into patient care. At the same time, the study stays appropriately cautious by noting limits such as its nonblinded design and single-site sample.

Armstrong, A. D., Starr, D. J., Sweet, M. D., Barillas, B., Chamberlin, A., Fioravanti, T., Napoli, C., Pahomov, E., George, S. Z., Schwab, S. M., & Weed, J. T. (2026). Live versus recorded music therapy intervention in shoulder arthroplasty. JSES International, 10, 101438. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseint.2025.101438

Read The Full Article

A Bouquet of Flowers, Clara Peeters, ca. 1612

Music Therapy for Chronic Pain: Relief, Resonance, and Emotional Well-Being

Article Overview

Music therapy is increasingly being explored as a supportive treatment for people living with chronic pain. In this 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers examined randomized controlled trials to evaluate whether music therapy could improve chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. The review included 9 trials with a total of 787 patients.

The findings suggest that music therapy may help reduce chronic pain and depression, but the evidence was not strong for anxiety or quality of life improvement. The authors also found that outcomes varied depending on the setting, pain type, intervention format, and how the music was delivered.

Why This Matters

Chronic pain can affect daily functioning, mood, relationships, and overall quality of life. This review matters because it highlights music therapy as a non-pharmacological approach that may help reduce pain and depression in some chronic pain populations, especially at a time when clinicians and patients are looking for alternatives or complements to medication-based care.

For patients, families, and healthcare professionals, this review offers a helpful evidence-based look at where music therapy may be most useful. It also reinforces that music therapy is not a one-size-fits-all intervention. Factors like pain type, setting, patient music choice, and provider training may all influence outcomes.

Chen, S., Yuan, Q., Wang, C., Ye, J., & Yang, L. (2025). The effect of music therapy for patients with chronic pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychology, 13, 455. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02643-x

Read The Full Article

Cotton Tree Flowers, ca. 1800–1805.