No one wants to get an imaging procedure such as an MRI or
CT Scan. So when a patient goes to the doctor and finds out that they have to
have one, they most likely will have immediate anxiety about the idea.
So what can the patient do to relax themselves beforehand? We’ve
wrangled together some proven ways to reduce stress. (These work wonders on other stressful areas of life as well!):
- Autogenic
relaxation: Autogenic training teaches your body to respond to verbal
commands which “tell” your body to relax and control breathing, blood pressure,
heartbeat, and body temperature. Autogenic training takes practice to perfect
the technique, and consists of six standard exercises while you use visual
imagery and verbal cues to relax your body and feel warm and heavy. You can
read more about the technique here.
- Progressive muscle
relaxation: There are two steps to Progressive Muscle Relaxation. The first
tells you to systematically tense certain muscle groups such as your neck and
shoulders. In the second, you release the tension and notice how you muscles
feel when you relax them. The idea is to be able to recognize when you are
feeling anxious and tense in order to subdue the feelings. This process also takes
practice and it is recommended to practice 15 minutes twice a day for a week or
two to get the hang of it. You can read more about the technique here.
- Creative Visualization:
With creative visualization you use your imagination to make whatever you want
happen. You heard me right! Even getting rid of anxiety. When you imagine what
you want, or what calm state you wish to be in, you can make it happen with the
right techniques. Read about it here.
- Meditation: One
of the most common ways to reduce stress is meditation. But how exactly to
clear your mind in order to do it correctly? There are many different ways to
begin meditating, but some of the best ways are to start small (2 minutes
perhaps) and to come back when your mind wanders. You can read all of the best
beginner techniques here.
- Massage: If
this doesn’t put you at ease for 30 minutes to an hour, nothing will. Schedule
one and feel the benefits.
- Tai Chi or Yoga: Tai
chi is called meditation through motion, and uses gentle and flowing movements
to reduce stress. Read about it here.
Yoga is a well known stress buster, and you can find some beginner poses here.
Hopefully these techniques will help you not only with your
MRI scan, but with any stress and anxiety you may encounter in your life. Are
there any other techniques that you use to fight stress? Have you tried any of
the ones above? Let us know!
No comments:
Post a Comment