Welcome to our blog post, How To Stay Calm During MRI Scanning.
MRI scans are among the safest medical tests or procedures available, yet some patients fear the experience. Of course, the procedure is non-invasive, and you will not experience any pain or uneasiness. You can feel comfort, ease and friendliness once you explore the procedure. These MRI scanners are complicated machines that can look deep inside human tissue to diagnose all medical situations. But to do such a thing, patients must stay still inside a confined space, sometimes even longer. This blog will discuss how to stay calm during MRI scanning. But before this, we will discuss the reasons for anxiety during MRI scanning.
Reasons For Anxiety During MRI Scanning
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scanning can be an anxiety-inducing experience for some people for various reasons. Here are some reasons for anxiety during MRI scanning.
Claustrophobia
MRI scanning involves lying on a narrow table that slides into a small, enclosed tube. For people who experience claustrophobia, feeling trapped in a confined space can be overwhelming and trigger anxiety.
Noise
MRI scanning produces loud, repetitive banging and thumping noises due to the magnetic fields and radio waves used. It can be disturbing and trigger anxiety for some people.
Lack Of Control
During MRI scanning, patients must lie still for an extended period, which can be uncomfortable for some people. Additionally, patients cannot see or control what is happening during the procedure, which can add to anxiety.
Overall, a confined space, loud noises, and lack of control can cause anxiety and discomfort for some people during MRI scanning. However, there are various ways to manage anxiety and stay calm during the procedure. Let us talk about tips on how to stay calm during MRI scanning without wasting any more time.
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Tips On How To Stay Calm During MRI Scanning
Professionals know that it might be hard to face an MRI, mainly if you are claustrophobic, fearful of the loud noises, dislike staying still or are anxious about the results. It is okay to be afraid, but you need to calm down. The procedure is not going to eat you. You can easily go through this procedure and feel comfortable.
Once you have inquired about the Cost of an MRI whole spine or another type of MRI scanning, you must pay the amount and prepare for the procedure. There is no need to panic about anything else. You can comfortably get through the procedure. Following are a few good tips on how to stay calm during MRI scanning. Have a look below.
You Can Have A Word With Your Technician
MRI is a loud scan; however, the lines of communication are always open between the patient and the technician operating the machine. Yes, the patient would even be given a set of headphones through which they can talk and listen to each other. The technician will tell the patient what exactly is happening and answer your questions, but to stay calm and composed, sometimes the conversation has to go a little deeper.
Being a patient, you can use the quieter moments between scanning orders to talk about something you like, brag about your children’s achievements or talk about the next vacation you have planned with your family or friends. You can speak about the weather or your favorite television show if you cannot think of anything. The point is to speak about anything to take the mind off the scan. You can ask the technician to play music through the headphones if you would rather not speak. It is the first tip on how to stay calm during MRI scanning.
Pick The Tunes Of Your Choice
Most MRIs have the potential to play music through the headphones that you wear during the scanner procedure. You could usually bring your CD or even a music device to play your preferred music. You can choose something in tunes or music that sounds soothing or relaxing. Of course, such things do work out pretty well.
Take A Friend Along
Other than some other diagnostic imaging machines, MRI scanners do not demand radiation to look deep within your body. In the absence of radiation, a friend can often stay with you throughout the scan procedure. You could be inside the MRI’s bore, but they can stay in the area or room and hold your ankle or even your hand if they do not get in the way of the scan. But yes, remember that just like anybody going into an MRI room, they would require to be checked for any type of magnetic material and enter with the technician’s approval. It is the third tip on how to stay calm during MRI scanning.
You Can Use A Sleeping Mask
How often do you get to lie down, shut your eyes and take some time out? If you are specifically anxious about confined spaces, putting a sleeping mask on would be better before the bed slips into the bore. In this way, you would not see the confined space, and you will not be tempted to look around the way you might be if you simply closed your eyes. Of course, once the sleep mask is on, you can feel at ease and sleepy too.
You Can Try Out Mindfulness
You should try out this type of tip, and it might help. Just close your eyes and then make sure there is no tension in the jaw area and be aware of the tongue on your mouth’s floor. Then imagine a light that radiates warmth, entering your feet. Make it travel up the body, down that of your arms in every single finger and then back up into the area of your neck, around your face, and then sitting in the top of your head until you wish that light to leave the body. It is the fifth tip on how to stay calm during MRI scanning.
Wander In Your Mind
It is a nice technique, indeed. You can think that this MRI scanner is a transportation tool that can send you anywhere in the world. You can imagine rambling down the streets of your favorite city, exploring the rich countryside, or simply sunbathing on a virgin beach. In case you are experiencing difficulty picturing it, you can imagine getting up and walking out of the room that you are in. You have to keep a note of where the room is, and the entrance is, the stairs are and so on. In this way, you can comfortably visualize everything.
Or if that is not also working out that you can think about a trip that you had recently or in the past. A trip that was full of life, energy, fun and love. You can think about it, which would attract your attention, and you would be lost in the good memories of that thing. You can definitely try it out. It does work for people. If you are married, you can think about the day you got married and related things.
So, these are the best tips on how to stay calm during MRI scanning.
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Conclusion
MRI scanning can be anxiety-inducing for some people due to experiencing claustrophobia, noise, and lack of control. However, we discussed various ways to manage anxiety and stay calm during the procedure in this blog. Staying calm during MRI scanning is essential for accurate results and a comfortable experience; these tips will help you. I hope you liked this post about how to stay calm during MRI scanning.