Effects of music relaxation video on pain and anxiety for women with gynaecological cancer receiving intracavitary brachytherapy: a randomised controlled trial

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of music relaxation video on pain severity, opioid utilisation, and anxiety experienced by women with gynaecological cancer undergoing intracavitary brachytherapy. A two-group randomised controlled trial was conducted in an academic comprehensive cancer centre. Sixty women were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 31) that watched a 30-minute music relaxation video four times (total 120 minutes) or a control group (n = 29) that received standard nursing care during the first 44 hours of the intracavitary brachytherapy. Data were collected to evaluate the effects on pain severity, opioid utilisation and anxiety between groups. Pain scores were measured before and after patients watched the 30-minute music relaxation video and anxiety scores were measured following the video. The amount of opioid consumption was recorded during the 44-hour treatment. Data were tested using ANOVA and t-test. Perceived pain reduction was statistically significant in the experimental group (p = 0.027), but this did not translate into lower total consumption of opioids between the two study groups. Anxiety level reduction was statistically significant in the experimental group (p = 0.001). Music relaxation videos hold promise to be used in conjunction with standard pharmacologic therapy to reduce perceived pain and anxiety levels during the treatments.