A new study shows that music played during surgery can help patients recover. The study was conducted by doctors at India's Maulana Azad Medical College. They played flute music to a female patient while she was having her gallbladder removed. Before the operation, doctors gave the woman anaesthetic drugs to put her to sleep. Anaesthetics block pain signals and totally relax a patient's muscles while they are asleep. However, even when anaesthetics make us sleep, the part of the brain that helps us listen stays partly active. Doctors say patients can still hear music. This means patients need fewer painkilling drugs, wake up faster, and are more alert after surgery.

The lead researcher, Dr Tanvi Goel, explained why music is so helpful to patients having surgery. She said her research shows "that this is more than just simple background music". She said music was important because it helped patients feel less pain and need fewer painkillers. Co-researcher Dr Farah Husain agreed. Dr Husain is a senior specialist in anaesthesia. She is also a music therapist. She believes music has an important part to play in the operating theatre. She said: "Our aim is early discharge after surgery. Patients need to wake up clear-headed, alert… and ideally pain-free." She said music helps pain management and reduces patients' stress after they wake up.