Music can help patients recover from surgery. Doctors in India played flute music to a female patient. Before her operation, doctors gave the woman drugs to make her sleep. The drugs blocked pain signals and relaxed the woman's muscles. However, the part of her brain that helps her listen stayed active. Doctors say she could still hear music. This means she needed fewer painkilling drugs. She woke up faster and was more alert after surgery.

A doctor explained why music helps patients. She said music wasn't just background music. It helped patients feel less pain and need fewer painkillers. Another doctor, who is a music therapist, agreed. She said music is important in the operating theatre. She said her aim is for patients to "wake up clear-headed, alert… and ideally pain-free" after surgery. She said music helped control pain and reduce patients' stress.