The effect of passive music listening in addition to conventional physiotherapy on pain, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with chronic neck pain

Torlak, Mustafa Savas; Atici, Emine; Tufekci, Osman; Karaca, Osman; Dursun, Burcu; Tunc, Elif

doi:10.1590/1806-9282.20250297

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Original Article • Rev. Assoc. Med. Bras. 71 (11) • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.20250297 linkcopy

The effect of passive music listening in addition to conventional physiotherapy on pain, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with chronic neck pain

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of passive music listening in addition to conventional physiotherapy on pain, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with chronic neck pain.

METHODS: The study included 40 people aged 30–50 years with chronic neck pain, who volunteered to participate in it. The participants were randomized into a control group (n=20) and a music group (n=20). Participants in the control group received a classical physiotherapy programme, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Participants in the music group listened to music through headphones throughout the treatment.

RESULTS: At the end of treatment, there was a statistical difference in the Beck Anxiety Inventory, visual analog scale, Neck Disability Index, and SF-36 physical scores in intragroup comparisons in both groups (p<0.05), When comparing the differences between the groups before and after treatment, it was found that the decrease in visual analog scale score of the participants in the music group was statistically significant compared to the decrease in visual analog scale score of the participants in the control group (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION: Passive listening to music has been shown to have a positive effect on chronic neck pain when used in addition to conventional physiotherapy.

KEYWORDS:
Anxiety; Chronic pain; Music; Physical therapy modalities

		Music group	Control group	p-value
		Mean±SD	Mean±SD	p-value
Age (year)		41.1±12.3	37.1±9.8	0.27a
		n (%)	n (%)
Sex	Women	10 (50%)	10 (50%)	1.00b
Sex	Men	10 (50%)	10 (50%)
Marital status	Married	17 (85%)	7 (35%)	0.001b **
Marital status	Single	3 (15%)	13 (65%)	0.001b **
Alcohol consumption	Yes	15 (75%)	5 (25%)	0.002b **
Alcohol consumption	No	5 (25%)	15 (75%)	0.002b **
Smoking	Yes	8 (40%)	9 (45%)	0.749b
Smoking	No	12 (60%)	11 (55%)	0.749b
Chronic illness	Yes	17 (85%)	15 (75%)	0.695c
Chronic illness	No	3 (15%)	5 (25%)	0.695c

	Music group				Control group
	Pre-treatment	Post-treatment	p-value	r	Pre-treatment	Post-treatment	p-value	r
	Median (IQR)	Median (IQR)	p-value	r	Median (IQR)	Median (IQR)	p-value	r
Visual analog scale	8.0 (7.3–8.0)	3.5 (2.3–5.0)	0.001**	0.88	6.5 (5.0–8.0)	4.0 (4.0–5.0)	0.001**	0.79
Neck Disability Index	37.0 (24.5–56.0)	20.0 (14.5–32.0)	0.005**	0.62	55.0 (29.0–63.0)	29.0 (14.0–49.5)	0.001**	0.72
Beck Anxiety Inventory	7.0 (4.3–14.0)	6.0 (3.5–8.8)	0.018*	0.53	8.5 (6.0–14.5)	5.0 (3.0–12.5)	0.001**	0.84
SF-36 physical function	25.0 (5.0–53.8)	72.5 (26.3–90.0)	0.001**	0.76	37.5 (3.8–58.8)	67.5 (42.5–85.0)	0.001**	0.76
SF-36 physical role	0.0 (0.0–25.0)	30.0 (0.0–75.0)	0.194	0.29	50.0 (0.0–68.8)	100.0 (75.0–100.0)	0.001**	0.74
SF-36 emotional role	0.0 (0.0–58.4)	33.3 (0.0–100.0)	0.165	0.31	33.3 (8.3–66.7)	100.0 (66.7–100.0)	0.002**	0.69
SF-36 vitality	35.0 (25.0–45.0)	40.0 (15.0–53.8)	0.643	0.10	47.5 (36.3–57.5)	50.0 (27.5–60.0)	0.937	0.02
SF-36 mental health	52.0 (36.0–63.0)	56.0 (37.0–63.0)	0.846	0.04	56.0 (48.0–60.0)	54.0 (44.0–60.0)	0.473	0.16
SF-36 social function	50.0 (25.0–75.0)	50.0 (28.1–62.5)	0.781	0.06	50.0 (28.1–50.0)	56.3 (50.0–62.5)	0.062	0.41
SF-36 pain	40.0 (22.5–55.0)	55.0 (35.0–67.5)	0.023*	0.50	50.0 (20.0–67.5)	66.3 (46.9–75.0)	0.004**	0.64
SF-36 general health	47.5 (26.3–63.8)	60.0 (46.3–65.0)	0.002**	0.69	50.0 (35.0–55.0)	50.0 (40.0–55.0)	0.084	0.39

	Music group	Control group	pm-value	r
	Median (IQR 25/75)	Median (IQR 25/75)	pm-value	r
Visual analog scale	-4.00 (-5.00/-3.00)	-2.5 (-4.00/-1.00)	0.001**	0.54
	Mean±SD	Mean±SD	p a -value	D
Neck Disability Index	-14.20±20.31	-16.00±13.84	0.745	0.10
	Median (IQR 25/75)	Median (IQR 25/75)	p m -value	r
Beck Anxiety Inventory	-1.50 (-5.00/0.75)	-2.00 (-4.75/-2.00)	0.400	0.13
SF-36 physical function	20.00 (5.00/55.00)	20.00 (1.25/45.00)	0.724	0.06
SF-36 physical role	0.00 (0.00/50.00)	37.50 (0.00/75.00)	0.083	0.27
SF-36 emotional role	0.00 (0.00/66.70)	33.40 (0.00/66.70)	0.155	0.22
SF-36 vitality	0.00 (-5.00/12.50)	2.50 (-8.75/8.75)	0.967	0.01
SF-36 mental health	0.00 (-4.00/4.00)	-2.00 (-8.00/4.00)	0.493	0.11
SF-36 social function	0.00 (0.00/12.50)	12.50 (0.00/12.50)	0.110	0.25
SF-36 pain	15.03 (0.00/22.50)	5.00 (0.00/34.38)	0.944	0.01
SF-36 general health	5.00 (0.00/15.00)	5.00 (0.00/5.00)	0.154	0.23

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[TFN1] ^a
Independent samples test.

[TFN2] ^b
Chi-square test.

[TFN3] ^c
Fisher's exact test. SD: standard deviation.

[TFN4] ^**
p<0.01.