Music makes the biopsy bearable

Music makes the biopsy bearable

Wearing noise reducing headphones alone was not enough. Only if it still sounded Music, patients had less pain in the prostate biopsy and anxiety, according to a recent study.

If at palpation (see DRU ) on ultrasound (see TRUS (s) or in the determination of the PSA valuePSA test ) result abnormal findings, take a sample from the prostate may help to clarify whether prostate cancer is present (For details, see prostate biopsy ).

Such a prostate biopsy is relatively frequently performed, and some men they perceive as stressful, anxiety-triggering, painful or uncomfortable. Here, fears and anxieties are driving not only blood pressure, pulse and respiration, but also increase the sensation of pain. Music, however, is a means for expansion. They also activates certain areas of the brain and attenuates thus proven to be the sensation of pain.

Reasons for the study and implementation

In the prostate biopsy result in a loud clicking noise when the samples are taken. These and other noises can disturb the patient. The study was carried out to find out whether the wearing of noise reducing headphones influenced music with and without the pain and anxiety of patients.

The study involved some 88 men, randomly eigeteilt into three groups. Before and after the intervention of any classified be a pain and fear based on various standardized questionnaire.Also blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate were measured.

The surgery itself took place as a standard biopsy (TRUS-guided transrectal prostate biopsy ), in which local anesthesia 12 tissue samples were taken. In this case, 31 men wore noise-headphones through which they got to hear the Brandenburg concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach in a pleasant for them volume (music group). 29 men wore just such headphones, but without music (headphones group), and 28 men were not wearing headphones (control group).

Results and assessment

In all groups, the sensation of pain and the systolic (upper) blood pressure value after the procedure were higher than before. However, the increase was in the music group from the lowest, the headphone group took second place. The diastolic (bottom) blood pressure rose in the music group practically in contrast to the other two groups not to. Anxiety, heart rate and respiratory rate, however, remain in all approximately the same, the fear in the headphone group overall was the greatest.

From other studies it is known to the authors, such as anxiety, the pain increases. Likewise, it was demonstrated that the diastolic, not systolic blood pressure value fear and pain indicates reliable. The lack of increase in diastolic pressure in the music group and the other results showed that the music appears to have changed the perception of pain and the fear of the noise reducing headphones. Wearing the headphones alone had no measurable effect.

The authors also gave some weaknesses in their study on how the relatively small number of patients and the fact that the headphones only dampen the noise of the biopsy, but could not completely hide. They also had the influence neither the volume nor the type of music studied (Editor's note: Probably not every patient a Bach fan).

Conclusion of the authors

If one shifts the patient's attention with music, which could affect his fear and his pain during prostate biopsy positive. The mere attenuating the noise is not sufficient for this purpose.There are more studies needed to develop better ways to reduce anxiety and pain in such an intervention.