{"id":83,"date":"2016-04-27T16:07:20","date_gmt":"2016-04-27T16:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rayusradiology.com\/?p=83"},"modified":"2021-08-12T06:05:13","modified_gmt":"2021-08-12T11:05:13","slug":"helping-a-claustrophobic-loved-one-get-through-an-mri","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rayusradiology.com\/blog\/helping-a-claustrophobic-loved-one-get-through-an-mri\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping a Claustrophobic Loved One Get Through an MRI"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever tried to talk someone into doing something they didn\u2019t want to do \u2013 whether it was a toddler refusing to eat lima beans or an aging parent unwilling to give up driving \u2013 you know it can be an uphill battle. The convincing can be even trickier when fear is involved. That\u2019s why getting a loved one (be it your wife, husband, mother, father, brother, sister or child) to get a needed MRI can be so difficult. For someone with claustrophobia who is afraid of confined spaces, an MRI exam can seem impossible. Even when a doctor says it\u2019s necessary. So what can you do to help your loved one through it?<\/p>\n

DON\u2019T: Act Afraid<\/h3>\n
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Dr. Todd Farchione of Boston University\u2019s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders<\/a> says the last thing you want to do is act afraid yourself. Your loved one will pick up on your fear and it can intensify what they\u2019re feeling. Seeing other people be afraid of the situation, whether a parent or someone else you are with, can trigger your own fear. The best message to send? Reassurance that they can cope<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In fact, technologists at RAYUS who help people through MRI exams every day say that 90% of patients who get through the first 90 seconds will make it all the way through their MRI. Just 90 seconds! So offering the right support and encouragement before the exam and getting through the first few moments is all it takes. Dr. Farchione says the key is to help them buy enough time for their system to realize that there is no real threat here.<\/p>\n

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DON\u2019T: Minimize Their Fear<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

It may seem natural to tell a frightened loved one, \u201cThere\u2019s nothing to worry about!\u201d While you may not realize it, that message can make it worse. Dr. Farchione explains, \u201cThe more that the person tries to stay calm, it can actually have a paradoxical effect, where they say, \u2018OK, I\u2019m not staying calm. What does that mean?\u2019 And then it can build on itself very quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

That escalating fear can turn into a panic attack. If you tell yourself you can\u2019t feel afraid or anxious, that you\u2019re being a whimp or silly, what you\u2019re really doing is intensifying the emotion. Instead, Dr. Farchione says you have to be able to say, \u201cI\u2019m feeling fear and I\u2019m OK with that.\u201d So if you\u2019re supporting a loved one through his or her fear, validate what they\u2019re feeling. Say something like, \u201cIf you\u2019ve never been through an MRI before, how can you be expected not to be a little freaked out about the big machine that makes loud noises in which you\u2019re sort of enclosed?\u201d Once you\u2019ve validated the fears, it\u2019s time to dive into understanding the danger.<\/p>\n

DO: Explain How it Works<\/h3>\n
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Claustrophobia isn\u2019t easy to get over says Traci Meyers, Chief Technologist at RAYUS\u2019s Maple Grove, MN center<\/a>. She\u2019s seen plenty of patients come in petrified. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty common to hear, \u2018I didn\u2019t sleep last night I was so nervous about the MRI\u2019.\u201d When she senses fear, Traci immediately shifts into explanation mode. She wants to make sure the patient understands every step of the exam and exactly what to expect.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur job is to just put them at ease, get them comfortable, and communicate with them a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beforehand, she explains the technologist\u00a0call button each patient holds through the exam. She also tells them about the headphones they\u2019ll be wearing and how she\u2019ll be talking to them the whole time. She\u2019s heard enough \u201chorror\u201d stories from patients who have been scanned somewhere else. Each time a patient tells her about being scared to death or having a terrible experience, Traci is more committed to helping every patient coming through the door make it through their MRI.<\/p>\n

In addition to letting your technologist explain it to you, Dr. Farchione says it\u2019s a good idea to do some homework yourself. Go ahead and find out:<\/p>\n