Music Therapy to Reduce Anxiety and Pain in Chronic Pain Patients During Procedures

NCT07252648 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025-1781
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 110
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study aims to find out whether listening to music before, during, and after pain procedures can help reduce anxiety, pain catastrophising, and acute pain in patients with chronic pain. Music therapy may provide a simple, safe, and non-drug way to help patients relax and feel more comfortable. In this study, adult patients with chronic pain who are scheduled for interventional pain procedures at Singapore General Hospital will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will listen to self-selected music through headphones and speakers before, during, and after the procedure. The other group will receive standard care without music. Researchers will measure anxiety, pain catastrophising, and pain levels before and after the procedure using validated questionnaires. The main outcome will be the level of anxiety after the procedure. Other outcomes include pain catastrophising scores, pain scores during local anaesthetic injection, and overall patient satisfaction. This study will help determine if music therapy can be routinely used to improve comfort and emotional well-being for patients undergoing interventional pain procedures.

Conditions

Anxiety; Music Therapy; Pain Perception; Chronic Pain; Pain Catastrophizing

Keywords

Pain Catastrophizing; Music Therapy; Anxiety; Chronic Pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Postoperative Anxiety (Visual Analogue Scale)

  Postoperative anxiety will be assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety, a 10-cm scale ranging from 0 (not anxious at all) to 10 (extremely anxious).

  Scores will be recorded before the procedure (baseline) and post-procedure within 30 minutes.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Pain Catastrophising Score

  This will be measured before the procedure (baseline) and post-procedure within 30 minutes.

• Postoperative Anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Short Form)

  This will be measured at baseline (pre-procedure) and post-procedure (within 30 minutes of completion).

• Postoperative Pain Score

  Participants will rate their pain after the procedure in the recovery area (within 30 minutes).

• Patient Satisfaction

  Within 30 minutes of the procedure.

Other Outcomes (1)

• Patient Music Preferences

  Post-procedure within 30 minutes.

Study Arms (2)

Music Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will listen to self-selected music before, during, and after the interventional pain procedure via headphones. Bluetooth speakers will be used during the procedure to facilitate communication with the healthcare team.

Behavioral: Music Therapy

Standard Care

NO INTERVENTION

Participants will receive routine peri-procedural care without music therapy.

Interventions

Music Therapy BEHAVIORAL

This intervention consists of perioperative music therapy for patients with chronic pain undergoing interventional pain procedures in the ambulatory setting. Participants in the intervention group will listen to self-selected music for approximately 30 minutes before, during the procedure, and 30 minutes after their procedure. Music will be delivered via headphones pre- and post-procedure and via a Bluetooth speaker during the procedure to facilitate communication with the procedural team.

Music Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• aged ≥21years
• chronic pain ≥3 months
• scheduled for interventional pain procedures

You may not qualify if:

• presence of hearing impairment
• lack of capacity to consent
• non-interventional pain procedures, e.g. lignocaine infusion, ketamine infusion
• pregnant women

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Singapore General Hospital: lead

Related Publications (3)

• Li G, Yu L, Yang Y, Deng J, Shao L, Zeng C. Effects of Perioperative Music Therapy on Patients with Postoperative Pain and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Integr Complement Med. 2024 Jan;30(1):37-46. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2022.0803. Epub 2023 Aug 30.

  PMID: 37646752 BACKGROUND

• Goel SK, Kim V, Kearns J, Sabo D, Zoeller L, Conboy C, Kelm N, Jackovich AE, Chelly JE. Music-Based Therapy for the Treatment of Perioperative Anxiety and Pain-A Randomized, Prospective Clinical Trial. J Clin Med. 2024 Oct 15;13(20):6139. doi: 10.3390/jcm13206139.

  PMID: 39458090 BACKGROUND

• Kakde A, Lim MJ, Shen H, Tan HS, Tan CW, Sultana R, Sng BL. Effect of music listening on perioperative anxiety, acute pain and pain catastrophizing in women undergoing elective cesarean delivery: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Anesthesiol. 2023 Apr 3;23(1):109. doi: 10.1186/s12871-023-02060-w.

  PMID: 37013499 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Chronic Pain; Anxiety Disorders

Interventions

Music Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sensory Art Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

• David Y Chee, MBBS

  Singapore General Hospital

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

David Y Chee, MBBS

CONTACT

6562223322; david.chee.yiwei@singhealth.com.sg

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 18, 2025
• First Posted: November 28, 2025
• Study Start: March 30, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Last Updated: April 29, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share