Zeitschrift für Schmerz und Linderung

Abstrakt

Music is Medicine: Exploring the Use of Melody as an Adjuvant to Regional Anesthesia in Obstetrics

Nnamani NP

Music has been employed in anesthesiology to alleviate anxiety in patients before, during and after surgery to minimizes or eliminates the need for sedatives. Obstetric anesthesiology utilizes mainly regional techniques and can present a special challenge to the anesthesiologist because the patient is awake and exposed to multiple anxiety provoking auditory and visual stimuli. In majority of cases, pharmacotherapy is used for anxiolysis. Music can be employed in obstetric anesthesiology as it is inexpensive, easily administered and free of adverse effects and can serve as a complementary method of treating perioperative stress. The case discussed highlights the possibility of employing the anxiolytic properties of music particularly in the latter trimester where various intrauterine techniques can be performed. The obstetrician anesthesiologist has the significant role of relieving pain and anxiety during pregnancy and labor; they can consider the use of modern and readily available technology instead of pharmaceuticals to complement regional anesthesia when possible.