A cleverly-named study: "PICC the music and travel to the port of relaxation: The effects of music on perceived pain and anxiety in patients receiving PICCs and Port-A-Caths" explored how music impacted patients undergoing PICC or port insertion. Study participants were broken into three groups: no music, background music selected by staff or music selected by the patient delivered through headphones. In the PICC placement patients, no significant differences in pain, anxiety or blood pressure were noted in the three groups. For port placement patients, those listening to their own music with headphones had a significant reduction in anxiety compared with the no music group. To read the study abstract or purchase the full study, click here.
To read an expanded discussion of the study, pick up the Fall 2009 issue of the Journal of the Association for Vascular Access (JAVA).
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A favorite song can give you a lift on a bad day but do certain melodies have healing properties? A growing number of hospitals are including music in treatments for conditions such as Parkinson's disease and cancer. 
Dr. Michael Miller, Director of the Center for Preventative Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center presented data to the American Heart Association late last year. His study examined 10 healthy non-smoking volunteers both before and after they listed to music of their choosing. The results post-tunes - a 26 percent increase in the diameter of their upper arm blood vessels. Note that dilated blood vessels lead to increased blood flow. To further prove his point, his research subjects' blood vessels narrowed after suffering through music they hated. To read more about the healing properties of music, click here.
Photo Credit: Flykr