By: King Acklin
Music not only soothes the savage beast; it also makes doctors in the operating room (OR) more efficient. Researchers from Heidelberg University Medical School in Germany performed a study on surgeons and the effects different music genres had on performance in the OR. It was found that listening to music at 70 decibels improved performance over not listening to any music at all. The study also found that while rock was less effective on performance, hip-hop and classical music actually boosted performance.
In 1914, music was introduced in ORs to help reduce patient anxiety. Music has always found a way to be prevalent in many cultures for a number of reasons. Music and healing once went hand in hand. The Chinese character for medicine includes the character for music. In ancient Greece, music was used to ease stress, promote sleep, and soothe pain. Native Americans and Africans used singing and chanting as part of their healing rituals.