Lucknow, June 21 -- Sometimes, treatment begins with a simple question: "What song do you love?" Once just background comfort, music is now being embraced as a clinical aid in surgical and medical care, thanks to its proven psychological and physiological benefits.

"We sometimes ask patients what their favourite songs are," said Dr Renu Singh, a gynaecological surgeon at Queen Mary Hospital in Lucknow. "Most of our procedures are done under regional anaesthesia, where patients remain conscious. This awareness can heighten anxiety-they worry about how long the surgery will take, what the outcome will be, and even what the doctors are discussing."

To counter this, Dr Singh and her team curate customised playlists based on patient preferen...