Music therapy in modulating pain in palliative care patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Music therapy is an intervention that uses music for therapeutic purposes, helping to preserve mental, physical, and emotional health. Its use in the care of terminally ill patients can assist in managing pain, fatigue, quality of life (QoL), anxiety, and depression. This study aimed to analyze the effects of music therapy on pain in individuals receiving palliative care. Articles published from 2011 to 2022 were included. Randomized clinical trials involving humans aged 18 years or older, of both sexes, in palliative care regardless of the disease, and studies with experimental groups using music therapy sessions without association with other alternative techniques for pain relief were selected. The research was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021235200). From 174 studies, six were selected. Music therapy showed effectiveness in improving pain in patients receiving palliative care (SMD = -0.20, 95% CI: -0.36 to -0.03, p = 0.02) with low heterogeneity. However, no efficacy was found in improving fatigue (SMD = -0.18, 95% CI: -0.64 to 0.27, p = 0.43). The effectiveness of music therapy on QoL remains debatable. Music therapy can be effective in reducing pain.