Favorite music outperforms Mozart and relaxation tracks in reducing cannula pain for MRI patients
A single-center randomized study found patient-chosen music superior to Mozart or relaxation tracks for reducing pain during peripheral cannula insertion. Effects were largest two minutes post-procedure and in patients reporting baseline pain. Evidence quality is moderate: interventional design with subjective outcomes, limited generalizability beyond brief venous access.
Next steps include multi-site replication with physiologic endpoints like heart-rate variability and cortisol, plus testing whether curated playlists matched to patient genre preference can match self-selection. Until then, the low-cost intervention can be offered to anxious patients without delaying workflow.
VITALIS: A multi-center replication trial will report mean pain-score reduction of at least 1.2 points with favorite music versus control in 300+ patients within 24 months.
Sources (2)
- [1]Primary Source(https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pain-research/articles/10.3389/fpain.2026.xxxxxx)
- [2]Supporting Source(https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)01234-5/fulltext)