Music and Hernia Surgery

Well, again my mother is having surgery. And this time, she is again having hernia surgery. When she had surgery for a strangulated hernia in May, she discovered that she is even more sensitive to not only anesthesia but also to pain meds. She was given morphine and it totaly knocked her for a loop. I am seriously wondering if because she listened to music through headphones during the surgery, she needed much less morphine but they didn't think about this and just gave her what they would have given anyone else. She was seeing things that weren't there and talking non-stop about whatever popped into her head. This time I am suggesting that she take the same music she listened to during surgery and listen to it in her room for at least 2 or 3 days. The body's memory of this music will help her to be calm and to relax. I'll let you know how it goes! Happy Holidays! Alice

How about Ipods in Surgery?

Should you take your iPod into surgery? About a year ago, the site www.livescience.com had this to say: If you're headed for surgery, take your iPod. A new study by the Yale School of Medicine confirms previous work showing that surgery patients listening to music require much less sedation. Previous studies left open the question of whether it was music that did the trick, or just the act of blocking out the sound of dropped surgical instruments and other operating room noise. In the new study, researchers tested 90 surgery patients at two facilities. Some wore headphones and listened to the music of their choice. Others heard white noise, that hiss and hum common to office buildings that's designed to drown out harsh noises. Others had no headphones. Blocking sounds with white noise did not decrease sedative requirements, the study found, music did. "Doctors and patients should both note that music can be used to supplement sedation in the operating room," said study team member Zeev Kain, a Yale professor in the Department of Anesthesiology. This is significant folks. Listen up! And please let your doctor know as far in advance as possible that you want to use music through headphones or an iPod. You won't regret it!

Headphones for Surgery

You probably remember that I am in the process of creating some special headphones for surgery. The patent is almost finalized but recently, I hit a little bump in the road. Seemingly out of the blue, it was brought to my attention that I would need FDA approval. At first I though "that can't be right" but the more I have investigated it, the more I have found that it does seem to be true! It seems that if you're making any sort of medical claim about a device, you must have FDA approval, whether it's an invasive device or not. Interesting, eh?

Why talk to the anesthesiologist?

If you're thinking about using music with your surgery, you really do want to talk with the anesthesiologist first. Why? Because the anesthesiologist is the one whose job will be most affected by the patient's use of music. Why is that, you say? One of the main reasons to use music through headphones during surgery is because the patient is able to use up to 50% less anesthesia when they are hearing music through headphones during the procedure. As I've said many times, even though there are many, many studies documenting this phenomenon,many physicians still are not aware of it and therefore will need to be educated about the benefits. If you're interested in trying it but don't know enough to talk with your doctor, use the link above to order my two-tape set which will give you the info you need as well as the music you need! You'll be so glad you did!

It's in the news again!

To my delight, there was an article in Wednesday's paper about a study in which patients having colonoscopies brought their iPods into surgery and the earbuds were taped in place. The results were that 44 men and 38 women used less anesthesia than patients not having the music. They did report the same amount of discomfort but if anesthesia was less and discomfort was the same, it's a plus! Talk to you doctor about it today! Or order my CD, tapes, or surgery download. Let's get the word out! Alice

Grant proposal for surgery invention...now submitted

Well, I turned in my 30-page grant proposal last Friday and breathed a huuuuge sigh of relief. If I win, I will get $250,000 towards my exciting, ground-breaking, revolutionizing invention to deliver music during surgery. Please keep your fingers crossed for me or better yet, send up a little prayer. I won't know anything for at least a month. If I make the next cut, I will be invited to compete in an "Ugly Baby" contest where I go before the award committee and explain my invention with a prototype that is now being created. I'll keep you posted! Check out my CD for surgery before you need it!

An invention for music in surgery is being created

I don't want to say too much right now, but I have received a provisional patent on an invention for the direct delivery of music to the patient during surgery. Hundreds of people are extremely excited about this right now. Please stay tuned for more information! Thanks, Alice

Using Headphones for Surgery Music

Surgeons and medical staff have been using music in the OR for sometime now, but few people really consider that the patient needs music too. Or that the music that the patient needs is very different from what the surgical staff needs. While the medical staff performs surgery, they often listen to high energy upbeat music, especially for long surgeries. The patient, on the other hand, needs slow, steady, serene music that will keep their bodies relaxed and bio-rhythms stabilized. This is why headphones for the patient should really be standard procedure. I have had back surgery with a Walkman and tapes I put together and I have helped dozens of other people choose music for their surgery. If you're going to have surgery in the near future, please contact me and let me help you choose the perfect music for YOU!

Benefits of Music During Surgery

Despite hundreds of research studies documenting the benefits of music in the OR, most patients are still not offered the chance to use music during their surgery. Why? I believe it is because of the pervasive belief that when one is anesthetized, one cannot hear anything that is going on in the OR. This, despite the fact that many, many, many people have awakened in the recovery area of hospitals reporting exact conversations that they heard while "asleep" under anesthesia. For the next several weeks and months, I will be reporting on all the existing research I can find on music with surgery, leading up to a very exciting announcement at the end of this year! Stay tuned! Alice

Music and Surgery, Pt. 3

Are you dissatisfied with your medical and hospital experiences? If you are, join the community of thousands who feel that going to a hospital just might make them worse!! With each passing day there are frightening stories or patients contracting staph infections, getting the procedure intended for someone else, having equipment left inside of them after surgeon has sewn them up and on and on. It's enough to make you want to get lots more involved with your own health and learn more about how to stay healthy and create new eating and exercising habits! Recently I've written quite a bit about the importance of you, the patient, having your own music during surgery. I continue to get questions, thanks and requests for personal consultations before surgery. It really doesn't matter if you're having out-patient surgery for something like a colonoscopy, a laser treatment or even chemotherapy, or if you're having inpatient major surgery for heart bypass, ruptured disk or hysterectomy.

The facts are clear: patients who are listening to their own favorite, self-selected, slow and steady instrumental music, need less anxiety medication before the procedure, less anesthesia during the procedure, and less pain medication after the procedure. There are hundreds of studies from hospitals and clinics around the world documenting this fact but surprisingly, most hospital operating rooms do not provide music for patient. Many surgeons are now bringing their own favorite music into the OR, but the patient is thought to be "asleep" and unaffected. Not true! Many patients have reported to me that they heard conversations between various staff members, comments from the surgeon and even frightening words such as "doesn't look good," "worse than I thought" or even "oops!" What can you do? If you have some advance notice that you need surgery, get a good Walkman or Discman, choose your favorite music that has a slow, steady tempo and no words or lyrics (a favorite is always the Pachelbel Canon in D) and let your surgeon know that you want to use music during your surgery. Remember, it's not about entertainment, it's about stabilizing body rhythms, keeping the muscles relaxed, and blocking out OR conversations and bleeping machines. The surgeon and anesthesiologist needs to hear these things, but the patient definitely does not! If you want a consultation with me before your procedure, contact me through my website at http://www.healingmusicenterprises.com/ or call me at 502-419-1698. Hope to hear from you soon! Your partner in good health, Dr. Alice Cash Clinical Musicologist Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Surgery with Music, Pt. 2

I've been researching the use of music with surgery for about 15 years now. Not surprisingly, my mother is one of my biggest fans and now know to have music with surgery. This was her fourth surgery with music. As always, we talked to the anesthesiologist and the surgeon in advance to make sure they would allow this and without hesitation they said yes. In case you need a refresher course, the reason we use surgery is because the music synchronizes the heart-beat and breathing and people use up to 50% LESS anesthesia! This is HUGE because anesthesia is one of the things you must recover from after surgery. This has been documented in literally 100's of studies from around the world with all kinds of surgeries. When patients listen to music through headphones, the music enters the brain through the 8th cranial nerve and not only relaxes the patient but also blocks out the conversations that the surgeon is having with assistants that could include comments that the patient really doesn't want to hear! People have reported to me hearing nurses talking about what they wanted for lunch, their boyfriends, etc. While I think this is probably rare, it's better not to hear anything but familiar, soothing instrumental music. Yesterday there was a front-page article in the NY Times about music in the OR. While this article focused more on music for the surgeon and staff, it is still very interesting and can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/10/arts/music/10doct.html?ex=1150689600&en=d373d592be9146ef&ei=5070&emc=eta1. Enjoy! For more information on music with surgery, visit my website at www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com. You can order my two-tape set there or sign up online for an individual consultation before your surgery or just to talk about how music can improve, invigorate and energize YOUR life! Until next time, keep the music playing!

Music for Surgery: Profile of Hysterectomy Patient

This past week, a dear friend of mine experienced a surgery that she was not looking forward to. (But then, who does look forward to surgery?) She had known for some time that she needed to have some large fibroid tumors removed, but did not think she would need a complete hysterectomy until a month before she had it. We talked many times about how she would use music before, during and after the surgery, but she had no idea how glad she would be that she had it ready to go when she arrived at the hospital that morning. My friend had carefully chosen Handel’s “Watermusic Suite” to have playing through headphones during the surgery, but almost as soon as she arrived, things began to go awry. During the wait to be called back for getting into a gown and getting the IV started, she began listening to her chosen music. When she was finally called in, thee staff wouldn’t allow any family members to go with her although all she was doing was changing clothes and she was clearly scared beyond what she expected. They finally did let her sister and me go back but then informed her that they couldn’t find any of her pre-surgery blood work and would have to do it all again! She turned up her music and stuck out her arm for a repeat of the procedure she dreads so much. Shortly after that, a nurse came in telling her that they had found the blood work from three days before. My friend almost started crying but instead looked at us and pressed repeat on the CD Walkman.Then the anesthesiologist arrived. She was a woman in her forties at most, and was “all business.” There was no smile, no “how are you doing?” nothing. She even began to berate my friend when informed that someone had donated blood for her, saying that she was sure they wouldn’t use it unless it had been typed for an exact match. My friend said “but O+ is the universal donor for other + types and the doctor glared and said “I know that!!!” It was like a scene from a bad soap opera but my friend remained steadfast now with her trusty CD player mostly obliterating the conversation that her sister and I were having with this physician.Finally, the surgeon entered the room and she was as kind as could be. Soon, my friend was wheeled away and the OR staff assured us they would change the CD to the recovery music once the surgery was finished. This, they did. We never expected these kinks in the process, but my friend has said that the music made such a difference in being able to tolerate these difficulties and that in the recovery room, she was able to recognize the music she had chosen. The familiarity provided comfort and reassurance to her that words could not have provided. Studies continue to come out that document this anecdotal report. Please remember this when you or a friend needs surgery. It is so easy and so worthwhile. My "Music for Surgery " audio tapes are intended to help prepare you mentally, emotionally and spiritually for surgery. They work well for the preop, operative and postop periods of your surgical experience. I also offer links to amazing music for purchase through Amazon online that can also help significantly. You won't believe the results!

Music with Surgery: Why?

Why would you want music during surgery, ? As I travel the country talking with people about the importance of music during surgery, there is one question that arises over and over. The question is a good one: why would you want music during surgery if you're going to be asleep? Very logical question and luckily, the answer is very logical too. Music during surgery is not about entertainment; it is not about soothing a person or even comforting them. The whole point of using music during surgery is to relax the body so that less anesthesia is needed. Secondarily, when you have music coming through headphones, the music enters the brain through the eighth cranial nerve and entrains or synchronizes the heartbeat and breathing with the tempo of the music. For this reason, you want to choose music with the tempo of the healthy resting heartbeat. You also want to choose music that is purely instrumental, i.e., nothing with lyrics. The third and final reason to use music through head- phones during surgery is to block out comments and conversation of the medical staff that might be negative or pessimistic and influence you subconsciously. I have created a two-tape (or 1 CD or 1 download) set of music for surgery which includes an interview with me on how to talk to you surgeon and anesthesiologist about this before the surgery. You can find these tapes on my website, www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com. Have a great week and keep the music playing! Alice

Alice H. Cash, Ph.D., LCSW www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com www.DrCashPrefers.com