The 5 Best Ways to Make your MRI Scan Easier: What are they?
An MRI scan is something that anyone who pursued it once; would hate to pursue again! Yes. Those unfortunate ones who were bound to stay inside that donut-shaped semi-enclosed tube for 90 minutes know how noisy the MRI machine is; too rough a sound; of banging & clanking at 118 decibels!
MRI, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the test where strong magnetic fields lay generated to create detailed imaging of your internal body structures, can be claustrophobic to those having a fear of being trapped in a small area! Anxiety can set in if you are unaware of what is going to happen!
You need to learn about MRI, find some hacks to make the scan easier & comfortable for you, and apply them conveniently!
What if we offer you some hacks to make your MRI scan easier? Would you like to try it?
5 Best Ways to Make MRI scan easier –
Keep your eyes closed & Use eye-mask
Are you a claustrophobic patient, or do you have vertigo? For both cases, your MRI scan can be a little tricky unless you take precautions. While your first precaution is, of course, to inform your doctor about it, there is one technique that every doctor shall suggest & that is to keep your eyes closed during the MRI scan and wear an eye mask if possible.
Yes. Keeping your eyes closed can help reduce anxiety & anticipation and can simultaneously prevent your eyes from being damaged because of stronger magnetic resonance in the presence of various foreign bodies.
An eye mask, in addition, shall play the out-of-sight, out-of-mind policy, where you will not feel suffocated in the semi-enclosed space because you will not see where you are!
Take deep breaths & Think about something positive
When you lay inside the MRI machine, take deep & controlled breaths to calm your nerves and have proper blood circulation. This shall eliminate stress & anxiety and reduce your fear of being trapped.
At that time, what you have to do is divert your mind and think about something else, something positive & happy. You can think about a past memory of yours, something you enjoy recalling, your past achievements, and all those experiences which give you strength. You can think about some travel destinations and how you would like to plan your trip!
Use blankets if it suits
Sometimes, medical experts suggest using a blanket to make your MRI scan easier & comfortable. I will tell you why! It is because using a blanket while you lay down inside the machine can give you the same cozy vibe you get from your own bed, where you relax for hours. It shall make you feel secure & peaceful, just like you feel at home while going to sleep.
Make sure; you ask the radiologist if you can get a blanket and if the MRI scan suits you. Sometimes, you may not be allowed to use a blanket. This happens when you have a chest or abdomen MRI, but do not matter if you have a brain MRI or that of your spinal cord. You can also carry one blanket along with you from home as a precaution!
Wear headphones & listen to music
Do you like music? If yes, you can utilize it to make your MRI scan easier. Wait! For this, you first need to ask the radiologist. It depends on the type of MRI scan you are taking. In the presence of strong magnetic fields, your radiologist may not allow using any tech.
On the other note, some diagnostic centers even provide a music system for the patients up-taking an MRI scan!
You can use the headphones & listen to music to reduce your anxiety & anticipation for the entire time you are inside the machine. This also helps eliminate the rough noise coming from the machine. Hence, this can be considered a hack to avoid all irritations & discomfort during an MRI! You can enjoy the melodies and stay lost in dreams.
But beware; do not go off to sleep, as that can cause a problem in the image quality!
Carry ear-cuffs if silence is the call
Are you someone who does not prefer music so much and would be more comfortable enjoying the silence when you go inside the MRI tube? Then, you have to carry earmuffs or earplugs. You can put them on to avoid the loud sound from reaching your ears & causing discomfort.
The silence will give you a feeling of peace, and you can gather freshness & positivity. This will be more like meditation inside an MRI machine; anytime easier and better than the loud & suffocating ambiance!
Will this not suit you?
Conclusion:
Well,
There are even other ways of making your MRI scan easier, like avoiding exercises or heavy work before the test, eating a healthy meal before the day of the test, drinking a lot of clear liquid, and avoiding alcohol & tobacco consumption for the day of MRI test, and myriads more! You can try what you think can be efficient to avoid claustrophobic situations.
In case you cannot handle such an episode, you can also consult with your doctor regarding the involvement of sedatives during the MRI scan or opt for another scan like an ultrasound or a wide-bore MRI, depending on the primary area of examination & your present health condition. Your doctor can tell you which shall serve you best!
So,
Do not waste any more time and give your doctor a call; discuss what you thought you would do to curb claustrophobic situations.
Hey, halt!
After you complete your test, kindly drop us your experience and how you tackled your MRI scan session despite being a claustrophobic patient! We shall be obliged to learn from & note your experience. You can write to us even if you have more queries to clear. Our communication medium would be www.mrichandigarh.com!
