{"id":177,"date":"2014-12-03T17:52:24","date_gmt":"2014-12-03T17:52:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rayusradiology.com\/?p=177"},"modified":"2021-08-12T05:44:15","modified_gmt":"2021-08-12T10:44:15","slug":"breathing-techniques-to-help-with-mri-claustrophobia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rayusradiology.com\/blog\/breathing-techniques-to-help-with-mri-claustrophobia\/","title":{"rendered":"Breathing Techniques to Help with MRI Claustrophobia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Staying very still for 45 minutes in an MRI scanner can be too much for someone with claustrophobia. RAYUS Radiology (RAYUS) patient Stuart George described his experience as, \u201cToo tight, too claustrophobic. It wasn\u2019t good for me. I couldn\u2019t handle it.\u201d Desiree Rocovich, RAYUS\u2019s Renton Center manager, calls claustrophobia a common issue and estimates that 40% of her patients mention it during the screening phone call before their first appointment. While some use sedatives to cope, others are looking for help without medication.<\/p>\n

Yoga Tips for Your Next Exam<\/h3>\n
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\"\"If you\u2019ve ever taken a deep breath before tackling something that makes you fearful, you\u2019ve experienced the power of the inhale\"Woman and the exhale. \u201cBreathing is everything in yoga,\u201d explains Seattle yoga instructor Enid Spitz<\/a>. At the heart of her teachings is one of life\u2019s basics: Breathing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really important because it can control your central nervous system. It can calm you down or it can amp you up. It has an effect on everything from your heart rate, to your pulse rate, to the thoughts in your mind.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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How to Practice Square Breathing<\/h3>\n

Some breathing styles used in yoga are very advanced, but Spitz recommends a basic technique called square breathing. You start with an inhale to the count of four, then you hold your breath for four counts, next exhale for four counts, then hold empty for a final four counts. When you\u2019re finished start over, using your belly and focusing on where the breath goes in your body. \u201cWhen you take an inhale, focus on expanding your ribs in all four directions,\u201d Spitz explains. \u201cMost of the breathing we do is really shallow in the top of our lungs. But we\u2019ll get more air to our brain, which will calm us down if we breathe really deeply into the low part of our lungs.\u201d \u00a0Here\u2019s her square breathing how-to:<\/p>\n