Are you facing surgery?
Surgery is a stressful experience that can provoke strong emotional reactions in most of us.
If you are facing surgery or any other invasive medical or dental procedure, you may feel a sense
of helplessness, as if your fate is entirely in the hands of your surgeon and the other medical
personnel who will be involved in your care. But there is actually a lot you can do on your own
behalf. If you are well prepared, you can minimize your discomfort and speed your recovery.
The results of nearly 200 studies on psychological preparation for surgery show that 80% of
patients who have prepared well mentally achieve significant benefits. For an online summary of
several of these, see Center for the Advancement of Health.
The benefits of
such preparation include:
Less anxiety
Faster recovery
Fewer complications
Less post-operative pain
Less need for pain medication
An average of 1.5 fewer days in the hospital
This can result in significant financial savings as well as much less subjective distress. For example,
one study estimated average savings per patient of more than $12,000 in some major surgeries.
The best news is that this can usually be accomplished pretty easily, often in only two to four
office visits, depending on the nature of the procedure you are preparing for and your own preparation style.
The elements are relatively simple. They include:
Assessing your individual coping style
Knowing what to expect during and after the procedure
Learning a proven relaxation technique
Understanding and managing your fears
Individual coping styles vary. Some people do better if they know a great deal about what will happen
in their surgery while others do better with only general information. We can help you determine where you
fall on this dimension. We will talk specifically about this with you, and we will also use some objective
assessment techniques.
Knowing what to expect helps you prepare mentally. If you have only a vague idea about the steps involved
in your surgery, we will help you be certain you know all that you need to in order to help yourself. Reducing
uncertainty reduces stress.
Relaxation techniques are important for at least two reasons. One is that managing our anxiety lowers our
stress levels. The other is that reducing anxiety helps reduce the tension that aggravates our
experience of pain.
Managing our fears also reduces our anxiety level, and the less stressed we are mentally and physically,
the less pain we feel and the faster we heal. Stress has a negative effect on our immune systems. The more
confident and calm we are going into surgery, the more easily we come out of it and the faster we recover.
If you are faced with an upcoming medical or dental procedure and would like to discuss preparing yourself
mentally, call (308) 381-2233.
(For recommended readings on this subject see Helpful Readings)
