What you can do about anxiety before surgery

Man with doctorWho likes being admitted to hospital? Almost everyone gets at least uneasy about having an operation. Anxiety like this is not going to cause complications, but it might slow down recovery after the operation. It can make it hard for people to concentrate and to understand medical information. That means that reducing anxiety does not just help you feel better. It also clears your head and makes it easier to understand what is happening.

There is no cure-all for anxiety. But you can look for options that help you personally. And you will not be on your own to handle it. Hospitals should offer a variety of ways to support you. Your family and friends might also be able to help. There are lots of ideas for what you could do, but the research on what might actually work is still in the early stages. There are not many comparison studies that can prove what helps and what does not.

Table of contents

  1. People who are not anxious are the exception
  2. Coping with anxiety before surgery
  3. What can patients do for themselves?
    1. Information
    2. Talking with the surgeon
    3. Getting an explanation about planned surgery
    4. Relaxation and distraction
    5. Music
  4. What can the hospital do?
  5. Sedatives and other anti-anxiety medicines
  6. What can parents do when their child is having an operation?
    1. Options for care
    2. Distraction and relaxation
    3. Anti-anxiety medicines
  7. Older people
  8. Sources

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  • Last update: October 30th 2009 06:54
  • Created (German version): February 14th 2006 10:00
  • History: Show list

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