Hate needles? Your favorite jam might help you get through a painful jab.
People best managed their pain during an IV insertion when docs played patients’ favorite tunes rather than Mozart or relaxation music, researchers report today in the journal Frontiers in Pain Research.
“Favorite music manifested a significant pain reduction effect both in patients with and without baseline pain — i.e., with preexisting pain before needle puncture,” senior researcher Dr. Meritxell Garcia Alzamora, a senior consultant in radiology at University Hospital Zurich, said in a news release.
For the new study, researchers recruited more than 200 patients who needed a contrast agent introduced into their veins via IV for an MRI of the brain, spine, or head and neck.
“Although a needle puncture is a minor procedure, the level of pain can vary significantly from person to person,” lead researcher Dr. Andrei-Cristinel Dragnea, a resident in diagnostic and interventional radiology at University Hospital Zurich, said in a news release.
Researchers assigned the patients to one of four different groups. The patients either listened to no music during IV insertion, their favorite artist or song, a Mozart piece, or music specifically designed for relaxation.
All the patients were asked to gauge their pain on a scale from 1 to 10 before and during IV insertion, as well as at 30 seconds and two minutes later.
Patients listening to their favorite music felt less pain both 30 seconds and two minutes after the IV was inserted. Groove tunes also reduced pre-existing pain and pain during the needle puncture, the results showed.
“From the four conditions we examined, only favorite music and Mozart showed a positive effect,” Garcia Alzamora said. “Mozart only showed significant pain relief in patients with preexisting pain.”
Relaxation music worked about as well as no music at all in easing patients’ pain, researchers said.
“Relaxation music is usually characterized by a slow speed and low volume, and does not show noticeable dynamics,” Garcia Alzamora said. “These characteristics may have contributed to the patients disregarding relaxation music, which would explain the lack of pain relief.”
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More research is needed to see whether music could help soothe longer-term pain, researchers said.
“The intervention — in this case the venous puncture — consisted only of a very short-term pain with a small needle, although this can be very painful for some patients,” Dragnea said, adding that it would be worth evaluating the benefits of music for patients undergoing procedures that are more painful and last longer.
Future studies also should compare music against a technician talking to the patient, as the mere presence of another person could be calming and distracting, researchers said.
Needle anxiety, or trypanophobia, is a very common fear and is not something you have to be ashamed of. However, some (but not all) clinical trials may involve blood draws, injections, or IV treatments.
Understandably, a fear of needles can prevent some people from seeking care or participating in research, but this can ultimately impact long-term health outcomes.
Coping strategies — which you can learn from working with a licensed mental health professional — may help you feel more confident about exploring clinical trials.
RELATED: What Are the Pros and Cons of Clinical Trials?
Here are some practical tips for managing needle anxiety before receiving medical care:
If needle anxiety is causing significant distress and impacting your ability to handle daily activities, consider reaching out to your healthcare provider or a licensed mental health professional.
More information
Drexel University has more on the pain-soothing properties of music.
SOURCE: Frontiers, news release, Oct. 9, 2026
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